Elder Friendly Community Network

04/24/2026

Supporting B.C. Seniors: Key Issues and Challenges" presented by Dan Levitt - BC Seniors Advocate

April 30th at 8:00 am. Doors Open at 7:30

Location: Trillium Communities Highgate Lodge located at 1538 Cedar Hill X Road.

Dan Levitt is British Columbia’s independent Seniors Advocate, appointed to represent the interests of older adults across the province. In this role, he monitors and evaluates seniors’ services, including health care, housing, income supports, and community programs, while providing evidence-based recommendations to government to improve quality of life for seniors and their families.

Dan brings a collaborative mindset to his work, engaging with community organizations, service providers, and advocacy groups across British Columbia to identify gaps and advance meaningful solutions. His work is grounded in the belief that every senior deserves dignity, respect, and access to high-quality care and supports.

He looks forward to connecting with EFCN members in Victoria to share insights, learn from local experiences, and strengthen partnerships that support healthy aging in our communities.

04/22/2026

EFCN VICTORIA April 30th Breakfast Meeting Reminder

Hello Sabine Stefura,

Thank you for being a valued member of our Elder Friendly Community Network! We hope you will join us next week – on Thursday, April 30 - for an engaging discussion with Dan Levitt, BC Seniors Advocate.

Location: Trillium Communities Highgate Lodge located at 1538 Cedar Hill X Road.

PLEASE RSVP HERE - Space is limited

Supporting B.C. Seniors: Key Issues and Challenges

Presenter:

Dan Levitt - BC Seniors Advocate

Dan Levitt is British Columbia’s independent Seniors Advocate, appointed to represent the interests of older adults across the province. In this role, he monitors and evaluates seniors’ services, including health care, housing, income supports, and community programs, while providing evidence-based recommendations to government to improve quality of life for seniors and their families.

Prior to his appointment, Dan Levitt built a career focused on seniors’ care, serving in leadership roles in long-term care and assisted living, as well as working as a gerontologist, educator, and researcher. He is widely respected for his practical, data-driven approach and his commitment to ensuring that the voices of seniors are heard in policy decisions.

Dan brings a collaborative mindset to his work, engaging with community organizations, service providers, and advocacy groups across British Columbia to identify gaps and advance meaningful solutions. His work is grounded in the belief that every senior deserves dignity, respect, and access to high-quality care and supports.

He looks forward to connecting with EFCN members in Victoria to share insights, learn from local experiences, and strengthen partnerships that support healthy aging in our communities.

Thank you to our April Meeting Sponsor!


Meeting Details

Location: Trillium Communities Highgate Lodge:

Please come in the MAIN ENTRANCE.

CLICK HERE for MAP

Serving: Continental Breakfast, Coffee and Tea

Time: Doors open 7:30 am. Meeting 8:00 - 9:30 am.

PARKING: Some street parking, and, you can park kitty corner across the street on Ophir and Cedar Hill X Rd in front of the Fig Mediterranean Deli.

Amount: $15 at the door, or $135 annually (9 meetings a year).

Cash or credit cards accepted.

Health Check: Out of respect for our elders at High Gate Lodge, please don't attend if you are feeling unwell.

Bring your organization's printed information and any upcoming events to put on the front table. Be sure to pick up anything left over at the end of the meeting. Thank you.

Guests Always Welcome

To effectively network and collaborate, we want to see more people and resources at our meetings. Feel free to forward this email to those who you think will be interested. People do not need to receive this email in order to attend. You can simply invite them. The more people, knowledge and resources we connect together through our meetings, the better we can serve our elder clients.

Elder Friendly Community Network

250-516-5302

[email protected]

ELDER FRIENDLY COMMUNITY NETWORK CANADA

02/25/2026

DID YOU KNOW?
EFCN is on the grow!
We now have meetings on the 3rd Wednesday morning in Sidney at Sidney All Care Residence and on the last Thursday of the month in Victoria at Highgate Lodge!

Make sure you're in the know by signing up to receive the meeting notifications here:

Signing up ensures you will receive information about our monthly EFCN morning meetings.

02/25/2026

This Thursday at EFCN: Learn about HeartMath Institute with Karen November

HeartMath Institute’s Mission is "to co-create a kinder, more compassionate world by conducting interconnectivity research and providing heart-based, science-proven tools for raising humanity’s baseline consciousness from separation and discord to compassionate care and cooperation."

04/17/2025

The next breakfast meeting comes early this month - NEXT Thursday, April 24th. Mark your calendars! We're going to have a lively conversation about Senior Services in our Communities with Susan Brice presenting. See all the details on the website: https://efcncanada.com/meeting/

01/29/2025

We're meeting tomorrow morning! Come out to meet local organizations supporting seniors and to learn how to serve seniors!

01/21/2025

EFCN Presents: The Cycles of Life
Presenter Colin Benesch – Earth’s Option

Colin Benesch is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer who has been dedicated to the funeral services industry since 2016. As a third-generation member of the Benesch family in funeral services, Colin follows in the footsteps of his parents, Chris and Susan Benesch, the founders of Earth’s Option.

In this informative presentation, Colin will discuss the evolution of earth-friendly burial and cremation options, including green burials. This is an important topic, especially for people who are mindful of the cyclical nature of life. This form of burial has been practiced since the dawn of human civilization.

07/23/2024

We have a new logo which we feel best reflects our organization. Rooted in the community and growing organically through networking.

04/23/2024

This month, our presenter is Bren Moroz-Pettyjohn. She is the Legacy Giving and Community Engagement Manager at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.

Her presentation is "Our Hospital at the Heart of Health Care" outlining the Foundation's story, mission and values.

Come and join us this Thursday morning at The Wellesley. Coffee, Tea and Breakfast served. Awesome people guaranteed!

More info at

The next EFCN Meeting is on the last Thursday of the month. We meet to learn how to better serve seniors - our elders, and to network.

01/19/2024

EFCN is grass-roots movement of senior service providers. We come together once a month for breakfast to network, and to learn from and work with each other to provide Greater Victoria's seniors the best, the safest, and the most supportive community on the planet!

Thank you to everyone who believes in our mission and for sharing it. This month, A shout out to John Procopio and Kathy Wagner and Claire Seer at Sidney All Care who've invited new members. And that's only the people I know who are inviting others!

Let's keep inviting and welcoming senior service providers so we can keep learning from, and working with each other!
Next meeting is January 25th at 8:00 am The Wellesley. Go to our website to sign up for the invite and/or information: https://efcncanada.com

12/10/2023

Heart trouble in women can often go undiagnosed, and this poem by Carolyn Thomas is a good seasonal reminder to take care of your heart.

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, I offer my own poetic interpretation of what getting misdiagnosed in mid-heart attack can feel like for far too many women. . .