Nana's Navigator

10/24/2026

What would make your community a better place to grow older? 🍂

Getting to appointments. Housing options close to home. Knowing where to turn for information. Feeling connected and included.

Rural Alberta communities can now apply for up to $25,000 a year for three years to build or renew an Age-Friendly action plan through the Rural Development Network.

If your community has been talking about this, now is a great time to take the first step.

Applications close November 20. Details at the link in our bio / below.

The Rural Development Network is the Reaching Home Community Entity for Rural and Remote Alberta, and is responsible for distributing this funding from the Government of Canada to rural and remote organizations and communities across the province to address and respond to homelessness. These communi...

10/23/2026

If someone you love is living with dementia, you know how much there is to keep track of. Appointments. Programs. Changes. The questions that come up at 2 a.m.

Through my consulting work, I’m part of a project with Team CarePal and the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories. Together, we’re exploring how technology can help families stay connected to the programs and support they need, while keeping real people at the centre.

It’s early days, and I’ll share what we learn along the way.

If you’re supporting someone living with dementia, the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories is a wonderful place to start. You don’t have to figure this all out today. 🧡

10/22/2026

Sometimes, the person who helps us most doesn’t have the answer. They simply know who to ask and take the time to make the connection.

That kind of support can make a confusing or overwhelming moment feel a little more manageable.

This month, we’re grateful for the people who go the extra step to help make sure no one has to figure it out alone.

Thank you for the connections you make.

10/19/2026

So much caring happens quietly.

The phone calls. The appointments. The errands. The check-ins. The many small things that help someone feel supported.

Today, we’re grateful for the people who carry this often-unseen work, especially the many women supporting families and loved ones in rural communities.

None of us gets through the hard seasons alone. Often, it’s these quiet supporters who help make the way forward possible.

10/19/2026

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Alberta Continuing Care Association (ACCA) Conference, and I came home feeling grateful for the conversations, connections, and ideas shared throughout the week.

From MC’ing our standing-room-only Pre-Conference Workshop on Caregiver-Centered Care to connecting with colleagues about how technology can support Family Care Partners without replacing human connection, there were so many meaningful moments.

And the Mixtapes & Moonwalks Gala? Celebrating 45 years of ACCA in full 80s style was a wonderful reminder that building relationships can include a little fun, too!

One message stayed with me throughout the week: **no one should have to navigate health, community, and social systems alone.** When we share knowledge, make connections, and work together, we build stronger circles of support for older adults and their Care Partners.

Thank you to ACCA and everyone who shared a conversation, an idea, or a moment with me. If we connected last week, I’d love to keep the conversation going. And if we missed each other, my inbox is open!

10/19/2026

Wiser DayCation: Alberta Artists — Creativity Close to Home
Thursday, October 29, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Bison Lodge in Edmonton.

This thoughtfully designed day out for independent adults 55+ includes a presentation, creative activity, light lunch, refreshments and time for conversation and connection. Tickets are $100 per guest, with details and registration at https://wiserprograms.ca.

10/19/2026

As we close out our evening, we want to take a moment to thank all the incredible Health Care Aides (HCAs) who dedicate their time, energy, and hearts to caring for others. ❤️

Your compassion, patience, and dedication make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people you support and the families who love them. Whether you're working in long-term care, hospitals, or the community, the work you do matters more than words can express.

Today, on Health Care Aide Day, we celebrate YOU! Thank you for showing up, offering comfort, protecting dignity, and bringing kindness to the moments that matter most.

We hope you feel appreciated today and every day. You deserve to be recognized, celebrated, and supported for the important work you do.

Wishing all HCAs a wonderful Health Care Aide Day and a week ahead filled with the same care and kindness you give to others.

With gratitude and appreciation, thank you for all that you do!

10/18/2026

Wainwright is where we called home for many years as we raised our family. My heart is heavy for this community today. 💔

To the families grieving the loved ones they lost, and to those sitting beside someone who was injured, I am so sorry. I'm holding you close in my thoughts. And to the emergency responders who showed up not knowing what they would face, thank you.

Jer's words say what so many of us are feeling. The people who carry others through the hardest moments need someone in their corner too. If there's a first responder, nurse, doctor, funeral director, or member of our military in your life, consider reaching out today. A call, a text, or an invitation for coffee. It doesn't have to be the right words.

A big part of my career has been sharing the handles of stretchers as we walk someone home for the last time.

Throughout my life and career, I’ve carried a deep admiration and respect for first responders, healthcare workers, and anyone who puts themselves on the front lines in service to others. It’s a calling that asks you to leave your family when the pager goes off, step into the unknown, and sometimes put your own safety at risk in the hope of helping someone else.

Yesterday, the town I grew up in, Wainwright, experienced loss and chaos on a scale that is difficult to comprehend.

I can only imagine the number of people who showed up to work yesterday with the intention of helping, protecting, and serving their community, only to find themselves in circumstances they could never have fully prepared for. To witness other men and women who share that same calling become injured or lose their lives simply while doing what they love and what they were called to do is heartbreaking.

Today, I find myself thinking about all of you.

I don’t have answers to offer. I don’t have words that can make yesterday any easier to carry. What I do have is compassion, gratitude, and a genuine desire to know what it looks like to stand in your corner when you spend so much of your life standing in everyone else’s.

So, today, let’s check in on the people in our lives who have committed themselves to caring for others.

Our military. Our doctors and nurses.
Our first responders. Our funeral directors.

The people who answer the call, walk into the difficult spaces, and help carry the weight of moments the rest of us may never fully understand.

They spend so much of their time showing up for others. Let’s make sure we show up for them, too.

And for the rest of us, never underestimate what it means to reach out. A simple phone call. A text message. An invitation for coffee. A quiet reminder that they don’t always have to be the strong one, and that they don’t have to carry everything alone.

We may not have the right words. We may not know how to help. But we can always make room for one another.

Sometimes, showing up is enough.

Jer ❤️

10/13/2026

Exciting to be featured in the Alberta Senior Living magazine. 😊

The best time to talk about the future? Before you have to.

Thinking about future living arrangements, home care, or extra support can feel overwhelming, but a little planning today can make a big difference tomorrow.

In our September/October issue, Ginger Bitzer of Nana’s Navigator shares practical advice on starting those important conversations, exploring your options, and making decisions that protect your independence, dignity, and peace of mind.

Grab a coffee, start a conversation, and take a look at Ginger’s advice!

Read the article online: https://www.albertaseniorliving.ca/in-the-magazine-lifestyle-inspiration/planning-ahead-smart-conversations-that-make-future-living-decisions-easier

10/12/2026

This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for the people who walk alongside us through life’s changes.

The family member who makes the call. The friend who checks in. The neighbour who lends a hand. The care partner who keeps showing up. The person who helps us find the right resource when we don’t know where to turn.

And we also hold space for those who are missed, and for families whose holidays look different this year.

However Thanksgiving finds you, we hope there is a moment to notice the people who have been part of your journey. None of us is meant to navigate life alone.