I wish to set up The Pat Rowden Health & Wellness Senior Support Foundation in memory of my late wife, Shirley, so that her needless suffering and pain for a lifetime was not in vain, and to specifically meet the needs of people, like me, who wish to remain in our homes as long as practical; also, to build a senior lodge that would meet our needs, instead of maximizing profits for the shareholders.

This foundation would establish a perpetual fund, which could be drawn upon to pay friends, neighbors, tradesmen, and maintenance people for their services.

It would also give us a lodge, designed and run to meet our needs when it became no longer practical for us to remain in our homes.

I realize as I get older and less able to maintain my home, that it will become a problem without some planning. At the present time, I have a driver's license and can travel anywhere I choose; but at some point in time, my health will likely fail to where I would no longer be allowed to drive. I am capable of cooking my own meals, picking up groceries, mowing the lawn, and shoveling snow. I am also able to travel to the city for specialist doctor appointments, etc.

I'm sure there are countless seniors who would also like to remain in their own homes as long as feasible. Today I have no choice but to move into a conventional lodge when it is not feasible for me to live in my own home.

A barter system could also be set up through the foundation so that a senior's skills could be traded for another senior's skills, such as a haircut for mowing the lawn or walking the dog.

An example of how the foundation might be funded would be contacting the provincial government and the federal government for grant money to set up the foundation. Secondly, if 10 households were to chip in $ 500.00 each, we would have a sizable fund to start with.

Note: However, the entrance to the lodge should only be open to Didsbury and local residents of the area. This would encourage businesses and homeowners across the province to see Didsbury as the place to live and/or set up a small business. It would also mean the operation and control of the facility would remain local. "This would revitalize the town and everyone wins."

If you are interested in helping me set up a foundation please give me a call at: (403) 439-0165