ARICHAT - A team of seniors' advocates and officials from Nova Scotia's largest university are hoping Richmond Municipal Council will encourage county residents to continue their participation in a major survey of issues and concerns for those over the age of 65 in eastern Cape Breton.

The most recent meeting of Richmond Council's Committee of the Whole saw a presentation from the architects of ACTing Collectively - Celeste Gotell, the head of the Strait Area's Seniors Take Action Coalition (STAC), and four representatives of the Dalhousie University Faculty of Health, including Dr. Grace Warner, who led the presentation on the evening of February 21. 

Richmond County is one of three Cape Breton municipalities participating in the ACTing Collectively initiative, that is seeking to survey 480 adults in the counties of Richmond and Victoria as well as the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM). The survey process is designed to develop an individual action plan for each participant and a profile of community needs and resources for each municipality. 

According to Dr. Warner, there are currently 31 registered participants in the survey from Richmond County, 24 of whom have completed the process. However, this is still a far cry from the 160 county residents that are being sought out for the ACTing Collectively initiative, which is being carried out locally by the Dr. William B. Kingston Memorial Health Centre in L'Ardoise. 

According to statistics already compiled by ACTing Collectively in its early survey process, 91 per cent of participants indicated that they had difficulty with at least one question in the Mental Health portion of the survey. As well, half the participants confirmed that they have had trouble sleeping within the past month, 41 per cent have been struggling with a recent loss or bereavement, and 38 per cent have concerns about memory or forgetfulness.