An Interview on MDAM's Senior Tea and Tales Program

The Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba run multiple Senior's "Tea and Tales" programs throughout the province. These groups focus on providing peer support to older adults and involve discussions on topics addressing mental health and wellbeing from those who share similar life experiences and stages.

The vision for Tea and Tales from those who brought the program up is that as a support group, Tea and Tales is open to all older adults who need a place to share their experiences with one another and participate in discussions.

Targeting Isolation spoke with Rita Chahal, Executive Director of MDAM, and Lora Hay, Regional Outreach Manager for the Prairie Mountain Region about the program and the impact it has had on older adults throughout Manitoba. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

We like to leave people with hope and happiness.

TIMA: How did Tea and Tales come about?

Rita Chahal, Executive Director, MDAM: It grew out of a personal need, especially during COVID - I'm a grandmother of 4 - and in my senior years. I have been in Canada for almost 60 years, but I missed the stories [my grandmother and other grandparents] told me back in India, sitting around the fire. Now that I am a grandmother, I don't have the same opportunities to sit around the fire, be with my grandchildren, share my experiences and the tales of my life with them, the same way I had [as a child] back home. I missed that. I thought that it could not only be me feeling that loss, loneliness, detachment - others must feel it as well. That was the impetus: how do we get people to share their stories and collective wisdom? We had a couple of people in the office, and we had similar things to talk about. That is where the idea came from - if [older adults] cannot be with their grandchildren or families, they can be with each other to tell their tales.

TIMA: Where are the groups, and who can join?

Rita Chahal, Executive Director, MDAM: We have a full house every week in Winnipeg, and now run multiple other centres. Those who come feel their is a connection and a family.

Lora Hay, Regional Outreach Manager, Prairie Mountain Region: Tea and Tales is an important part of what we do here at MDAM. The communities involved have been the ones to reach out to us to bring the group [to them].

Groups are available in the Prairie Mountain Region in Brandon (at the Rotary Villas), Minnedosa, and Boissevain. One just started in Erickson, and one is starting in Virden. Each group is unique in how it orients itself around mental health and education.

People attend for many reasons. People come and go, but there area core members. There are definitely people there that struggle with mental health, people that just want to socialize, and others attend because they want to learn more about their wellness and what they can do to help themselves.

TIMA: What does a typical meeting look like?

Lora Hay, Regional Outreach Manager, Prairie Mountain Region: There is a template to the meeting - we always do a land acknowledgement and go over guidelines, like confidentiality. Then, we do a check-in, asking how their week was. I ask them about their "glimmer" - something good that happened to them that week. And there is always an educational piece. There are lots of different activities to keep people engaged and provide a lot of opportunities to talk about their problems. We like to leave people with hope and happiness.

It's an opportunity for them to share what is happening now, but also to reflect on what has happened, and how they managed.

Rita Chahal, Executive Director, MDAM: The group decides what they want to talk about, and the facilitators can help guide them. They talk about their week, their visits with healthcare professionals, they talk about family. It's an opportunity for them to share what's happening now, but also to reflect on what has happened, and how they managed. It truly is "tea and tales", the essence is about sharing life experiences and breaking cookies, together!

TIMA: What would you like people to know about the Tea and Tales groups?

Lora Hay, Regional Outreach Manager, Prairie Mountain Region: I would love to get more seniors involved, as there is that stigma attached to mental health in that population. I would like them to see it as overall wellness, not just mental health.

TIMA: What is the feedback you have received from older adults across Manitoba? Do you have any goals for the organization moving forward?

Rita Chahal, Executive Director, MDAM: Our feedback is that more and more people are interested in attending! Overall, I would say that what's happening is a very positive and safe environment. We want to continue expanding, we hope to find a donor or funder to help us go beyond the pilot stage. I don't know how to describe it - it's been just such a good response.

To learn more about Tea and Tales and to view meeting locations and scheduling, visit: https://moodmb.ca/program/seniors-tea-tales/

Visit the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba's general website here: https://moodmb.ca/

Interested individuals can contact the MDAM office nearest to them for more information and to register for meetings.

Interview by: Molly MacPherson-Blair, June 2025.