Supporting Cast - Some Practical Suggestions
| Article Index |
|---|
| Supporting Cast - Some Practical Suggestions |
| The Philosophy and Mandate |
| Planning New Supporting Cast Organizations |
| A Coordinator |
| Resources |
| Acknowledgements |
| All Pages |
Some History
The first Supporting Cast was developed in Toronto in 1986. It was an immediate response to the pressing needs of older artists that the new PAL Lodge in Toronto would also address seven years later. In those years, the moving spirits behind PAL Canada® and Supporting Cast had hoped to realize a 3 tiered PAL providing affordable housing and independent living at one level, then basic care giver support and, thirdly, extended long term care for those suffering from frailty, senility and/or dementia.
Early PAL Canada® members in Toronto were motivated because they had experienced the painful distress of having to see several elderly colleagues, suffering from dementia, being moved from their homes into long term care facilities. The upset and distress caused by these moves to new and unfamiliar quarters as well as the separation from their long time friends and associates not only deeply saddened the those involved, but also their families, friends and PAL colleagues.
The lack of appropriate funding hampered the achievement of these ideals and meant that only the first tier (affordable housing) was going to be achieved.
Realizing this fact early on, those concerned placed advertisements for Supporting Cast members in Arts Newsletters which resulted in some 20 volunteers coming forward who were willing to help. At one of the early meetings, volunteer Lynn Gorman suggested the present name - Supporting Cast.
(PAL Vancouver now uses the name “PAL’s Angels”.)





