Written by North of Superior Programs - Programmes de Counselling Nord du Superieur on 09 April 2011
*Video, Paul Gareau talks about the NOSP’s Senior Volunteer Recruitment succes in Manitouwadge.
As we get older, our social networks tend to shrink and we may find ourselves interacting less and less with others, and losing our connections to the community. A rising concern in Canadian society today is that of social isolation among seniors. Contributing factors include the rising number of seniors who live alone, the death of a spouse, poor health, disabilities, and transportation issues. According to the World Health Organization (2003), social isolation is associated with premature death, lower general well-being, depression, anxiety and a higher level of disability from chronic diseases.
In order to help reconnect seniors with the community, and to reduce the impacts of social isolation, North of Superior Counselling Programs offers a “Friendly Visiting” program which matches seniors with a volunteer for regular at-home visits. Volunteers provide companionship and support, and are often willing to assist clients with their regular errands (e.g. take them grocery shopping, etc). Another issue facing many seniors is the possibility of losing their independent lifestyle as it becomes increasingly difficult for them to maintain their home and property.
To help with this, NOSP also offers a Home Maintenance program for seniors age 65+ which connects them with a volunteer “handyman/woman”. Volunteers can assist with such tasks as one-time repairs, installation of safety devices, seasonal cleaning (e.g. outside window washing), and snow removal.
If you, or a loved one, is age 65+ and could benefit from a regular “friendly visit” or Home Maintenance assistance, please call:
As we get older, our social networks tend to shrink and we may find ourselves interacting less and less with others, and losing our connections to the community. A rising concern in Canadian society today is that of social isolation among seniors. Contributing factors include the rising number of seniors who live alone, the death of a spouse, poor health, disabilities, and transportation issues. According to the World Health Organization (2003), social isolation is associated with premature death, lower general well-being, depression, anxiety and a higher level of disability from chronic diseases.
