The project, “En Bonne Compagnie dans le Haut-Saint-Laurent”, was launched recently in response to the isolation experienced by many seniors.
This project is intended for anyone over 50 years of age living in any one of the 13 municipalities that make up the Haut-Saint-Laurent region.
“We would like to mobilise the community, organisations, municipalities and the general public in order to break isolation among seniors,” explained Manon Gauthier, Project Coordinator.
There are many factors that contribute to isolation among seniors, according to Ms Gauthier. It could be the death of a spouse, children moving away, a change in living environment, loss of friends, fear of becoming a burden to others, fear of going out and falling, difficulties communicating after the loss of cognitive ability, illness or mistreatment.
“In a rural area like ours, we often see seniors without transportation following the death of a spouse or loss of a driver’s licence, which can have a big impact on isolation,” emphasized Ms Gauthier.
The consequences of solitude are serious and must not be taken lightly; we are talking about loss of autonomy, eating disorders, stress and anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, suicidal thoughts and the increased risk of chronic illnesses.
Let’s visit our seniors
The program “Let’s visit our seniors” is ambitious and includes eight components. Among them are education/training, free conferences, an up-to-date directory of resources for seniors, recruiting companion volunteers, organised intergenerational activities and the “Neighbourhood Watch Program” (already established in several municipalities).
Two information kits will also be available on demand, one for seniors being visited at home and one for their families. These different kits contain information about services that are available in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.
In February 2016, a play dealing with the mistreatment and proper treatment of seniors will be presented by local, amateur actors. Again in February, there will be an evening organised to pay tribute to all the volunteers involved in the project.
The project “En Bonne Compagnie dans le Haut-Saint-Laurent” has an over all budget of $141,841. The CRÉ Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent has made a financial contribution of $108,800. The project has also received support from the Comité de concertation des aînés du Haut-Saint-Laurent.
And finally, En bonne compagnie is sponsored by “Projet Communic-Action” a non profit organisation whose mission is to break the isolation of seniors experiencing loss of autonomy but still living at home.
“The project was intended to be two years in length but with the loss of the Haut-Saint-Laurent CRÉ, it will terminate in nine months. On the other hand, we hope the project will continue on, which is why we are currently recruiting volunteers,” noted Manon Gauthier.
Translated by Cathleen Johnston
