Photo supplied. Pictured from left to right are Meals on Wheels driver / volunteer, Al Snelgrove, with Joe and Betty Lunn. Do you need meals delivered to your home? Call Community Care 705-932-2011.
For the first time since WWII, Canadians have been confronted with new restrictions and are adjusting to new realities that involve event cancellations and physical distancing, which can cause some to feel very socially isolated. This new reality can be especially hard on our most vulnerable, our seniors.
Before the pandemic, Community Care was offering free exercise and falls prevention classes, Home Help, Diners Club, Friendly Visiting and a wide variety of social groups throughout the City and County of Peterborough. All of these programs were designed to bring supports into the home and to connect clients to other members of the community. When these were cancelled as precautionary measures many of their clients were left deprived of these external social contacts.
To help ease this isolation, Community Care volunteers and staff have made over 5,000 phone calls to clients since the middle of March to clients in the City and County of Peterborough. These calls are brief check-ins to make sure local seniors are doing okay and have everything they need.
In Millbrook, volunteers and staff are making over 50 calls per week.
“These calls steer clear of talk about the pandemic,” said Catherine Pink – Director of Support Services at Community Care Peterborough. “We try to keep things in a positive note, talking about grandchildren, or their cat, or a funny story, though we do provide resources and advice, where needed.”
“I am a widow,” said a client. “I find it hard because I don’t have any children to phone. When this is all over I’m going to drop in to your office and say hi to everybody.”
“The biggest benefit to social programs for our clients to have something on your calendar, something to look forward too,” added Pink. “We hope that our calls let our clients’ hearts and brains have a break, so they can think about and feel things that aren’t as troublesome as a pandemic, and of course, if they need something, we can activate resources to support them.”
“Our volunteers and staff have been so devoted to making daily and weekly telephone reassurance calls to our clients,” said Danielle Belair – Executive Director at Community Care Peterborough. “I applaud their commitment to keeping our seniors safe throughout the year and especially during this time.”
For more information about Telephone Reassurance Calls in Millbrook call Karen at (705)932-2011 or visit www.commcareptbo.org
