Seniors’ Services in the MRC
Reuel S. Amdur
Des Collines Seniors’ Services is there to help seniors in the MRC. On January 31, Jacinthe Beaudin, Director of the organization, outlined its offerings at a Connexions information session at the Wakefield Community Centre. We will refer to the agency as the Services.
The Services can assist in a wide variety of ways, for people 55 and older. For those living in the community, it can provide lawn care, garden maintenance, snow clearing up to the entrance, window washing, and installation and taking down of winter car ports. If you have other needs, just ask. These services are free. Work is done by volunteers who agree to give five hours a month. Volunteers prefer that the senior is present, so that they benefit from the human contact.
How about transportation? The Services is located in the same building as Transcollines, facilitating arrangements. Arrangements for getting to appointments need to be made two days in advance. While Transcollines ordinarily makes pick-ups at points near the house, if needed they can go to the home. When an appointment is for two hours or less, charge is just for a single fare. Accompaniment can be provided. That service is also available if the senior uses his own car. The volunteer accompanying can also help with tasks such as bagging and carrying groceries.
Services offers in-home counselling for difficult situations. It also provides a free personal alarm via a landline. It can assist people living alone in a large house to find someone to move in to share costs and provide companionship.
There are coffee times once a month in each of the Des Collines municipalities (Chelsea, Masham, Val-des-Monts, Quyon, Cantley, and Pontiac). Computer workshops may be available following some of the coffee get-togethers. A collective kitchen is held once a month. Participants work as a team to prepare a menu. There is food to take home, so bring your own containers. A fee is charged for this workshop.
In addition to help for the elderly, Services also supports caregivers. It arranges once-a-month discussion groups in LaPêche. Caregivers may also call for individual support. Respite care, up to three hours a week, is a service for which there is a waiting list.
When the need is for information was raised, Beaudin said that she was among those who support adoption of 211, the telephone information service, but the MRC did not choose to provide this service.
Contact 833-433-3664 for information about Des Collines Seniors’ Services, help with outdoor chores, transportation, or to volunteer. Caregivers call 855-662-4637, extension 242. For various activities such as coffee times, call 855-662-4637, extension 243. Long distance charges may apply.
Photo caption: Jacinthe Beaudin, Director of the Des Collines Seniors’ Services.
Photo credit: Reuel S. Amdur
