Supporting Seniors In Vernon And The North Okanagan
The Vernon Seniors Action Network, or VSAN, is a community-led network dedicated to improving seniors’ services and well-being across Vernon and the North Okanagan.
VSAN is not a direct service provider. Instead, we connect seniors, caregivers, organizations, agencies, and community partners so people can share information, identify gaps, and work together on issues affecting older adults in our community.
Who We Are
VSAN began in 2018 as a local response to a provincial initiative called Raising the Profile, which highlighted the important role community-based seniors’ services play in helping older adults stay connected, active, healthy, and independent.
In Vernon, that work led to the creation of a local coalition focused on seniors’ well-being. An open house at a local seniors centre helped community members discuss the current state of seniors’ supports and identify gaps that needed attention.
Today, VSAN brings together seniors, caregivers, family members, service providers, the City of Vernon, Interior Health, and aligned non-profit agencies around the shared goal of improving how the community understands and responds to seniors’ needs.
What VSAN Does
VSAN creates a place for seniors, organizations, and community partners to share what they see in the community.
Through the Membership Table and Action Teams, those conversations can turn into shared priorities and practical next steps.
Share Information
Members bring updates, resources, service information, and emerging concerns to the table so others know what is happening locally.
Identify Gaps
Seniors, caregivers, and organizations can raise concerns about barriers, missing supports, or issues affecting older adults.
Coordinate Action
When a concern needs focused attention, VSAN helps bring the right people together through an action team.
Seniors' Voices
“Seniors weren’t an afterthought. We were part of the conversation from the start.”
What VSAN Doesn’t Do
VSAN does not provide direct services such as transportation, housing placement, tax help, home support, or emergency assistance.
For example, VSAN does not provide direct health services, but our directory of resources can help you find local health care options, supports, and trusted information.
This distinction is important. VSAN is not meant to replace the organizations seniors already rely on. It helps strengthen the connections between them.
Emergency Preparedness
Following the 2021 wildfire season, emergency preparedness became a clear concern for seniors in the community. Many people were unsure how to prepare, what to pack, how alerts worked, or where to go during an evacuation.
VSAN’s Emergency Preparedness work helped support learning around evacuation readiness, sheltering in place, grab-and-go bags, and planning ahead with less fear.
Age- And Dementia-Friendly Community
VSAN helped advance local age- and dementia-friendly planning in Vernon, including work with the City of Vernon and community partners on accessibility, inclusion, wayfinding, public spaces, housing, transportation, and dementia awareness.
On June 24, 2024, the Vernon City Council endorsed the Age & Dementia Friendly Community Plan, developed with VSAN as a core project partner.
Information, Referral, And Advocacy
VSAN has also supported work to improve how seniors, caregivers, and service providers find and share reliable information.
This work grew from early community engagement that showed seniors needed clearer ways to learn about the services available, how to access them, and how to raise concerns affecting their well-being.
Efforts have included advancing the planning and groundwork for a Seniors Resource Guide, with contribution from service providers and coordination with community partners to keep information accurate and easy to navigate.
Our Impact
VSAN’s work is shaped by the priorities that seniors and community partners identify together.
How The Network Works
VSAN relies on three interconnected parts: the Membership Table, Action Teams, and the VSAN Coordinator.
Membership Table
The Membership Table brings seniors, community members, service providers, and partner organizations together to discuss current issues affecting older adults.
This is where members share updates, identify priorities, discuss emerging needs, and decide when an action team is needed.
Action Teams
Action Teams are created when a specific issue needs focused work. These teams are practical and time-limited. They meet as needed, develop a plan, and may pause or dissolve once the work has been completed or handed off.
VSAN Coordinator
The VSAN Coordinator supports the Membership Table and Action Teams by keeping information organized, communication moving, and projects on track.
Meet The VSAN Coordinator
Maja Keast
Maja Keast is the VSAN Coordinator and brings more than 25 years of experience supporting healthcare and community work.
Her background includes long-standing roles with Interior Health, where she supported physician credentialing and privileging, medical administration, and system-wide projects. She has also worked with the Doctors of BC Facility Engagement initiative, which focuses on strengthening collaboration between physicians and health authorities.
Maja is known for strong project management, administrative leadership, process improvement, communication, and helping groups stay organized and connected. In her role with VSAN, she supports the Membership Table and Action Teams, helping keep the work organized and moving in the right direction.
Contact Maja at maja@vernonseniorsaction.ca
We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, that we live, work, and gather on the traditional, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan people, and we honour their enduring connection to this land.
Bring Your Voice To The Table
Big ideas often start with simple conversations. Whether you are a senior, caregiver, service provider, organization, or community member, you are invited to add your voice and help shape what comes next.
