Come to The Well Program Helps Seniors Boost Physical and Mental Health

The pandemic had a significant impact on many people’s mental and physical health. Realizing that more individuals were coming to The Salvation Army for counselling, The North Street Citadel/church in Hamilton, Bermuda, created the “Come to the Well” program.

“What we had noticed was that people were interested in securing some form of counselling to deal with the stress of the pandemic. We thought it would be good to create a program that offers some stress management, crisis management, managing family issues, and so we developed this program called Come to the Well,” explained Program Coordinator, Major Dwayne Barnes.

The pilot for Come to the Well ran for six weeks between April and May of 2023.  During this first cycle, the program focused on helping seniors.

“For this first pilot program, we focused on seniors because we know that oftentimes the senior population is left dealing with life stress on their own,” Major Barnes added.

The program promotes a holistic approach to healing the mind, body and soul. With the assistance of a physical therapist and a professional counsellor, participants learn about stress management, anxiety, meditation, and physical health. Come to the Well takes place twice a week. One day focuses on mental health, while the other is outdoor and focuses on the physical component.

Come to the Well participant Veronica Zuill was hesitant about the program at first. She had heard about it at the food bank, but she felt anxious to take part in it. However, after joining she realized she had nothing to fear.

“I really enjoyed the time together because it felt like a family, a new-found family.”

Seniors participate in activities to boost mental well-being

“I was very pleased to see how I was welcomed. I really enjoyed the time together because it felt like a family, a newfound family. I’m hoping to build closer relationships with other people and learn from their experiences. As a senior I believe there is always room for learning,” Veronica said.

Participant Sherma Simmons took a different approach to the program. She joined because she is outgoing and wanted to find a space where she could spend time with people her age and keep busy.

“I joined because I am a people person and I wanted to be around people my age. I like the people in the program, and I like the program itself. It was a good idea and there is definitely a need for it,” Sherma said.

“It was a good idea and there is definitely a need for it.”

Thanks to its success, Come to the Well received recognition from the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors of Bermuda. However, this is just the beginning of the program. The plan is to host another six-week cycle in September and, later on, make the program ongoing and open it up to people of all ages.

In the meantime, Major Barnes and his team are working to secure funds for the next steps of the program.

“We are always looking for donors that are willing to aid us to continue these programs,” Major Barnes said.

By Juan Romero