- MacDonald Moynes
Volunteers help Seniors Live at Home
As the population ages in this community, there has been an increase in requests for services to support seniors. The Vital Signs report released by the Prince Edward County Foundation stated that “getting around” is a huge issue in the County and especially for seniors.
Prince Edward Community Care has provided seniors with escorted transportation to medical appointments and essential shopping for over thirty years yet many still don’t know it’s available to them.
Community Care is the only organization operating an Escorted Transportation Service for this client population with the involvement of volunteer drivers.
Community Care offers “kitchen table to kitchen table” service where the driver stays with the client the entire trip as an escort, thus making this a suitable service for seniors as well as those described as frail elderly people. Referrals are received from partnering organizations including direct requests from individuals.
“The benefits of this program are that seniors who need a ride to medical appointments and essential shopping know that there is a way to get there” commented Debbie MacDonald Moynes, Executive Director, Prince Edward Community Care. “Seniors are able to continue to live at home successfully even if they don’t drive, and caregivers are provided with much needed support”, says MacDonald Moynes.
Recruitment of volunteers to help seniors is also an important part of the operation. These drivers provide rides to medical appointment and for essential shopping. Community Care has an urgent need for more people to volunteer to meet the requests for service so that the agency can continue to provide this important service for seniors.
The Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association supports seniors to live at home. Services include hot and frozen Meals on Wheels, reassurance programs, caregiver support and respite, homemaking, yard work, home maintenance, foot care and other services. The agency is partly funded by the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care through the South East Local Health Integration Network and is supported by donations and community fundraising efforts.
For more information call Prince Edward Community Care at 613-476-7493
or www.communitycareforseniors.org
For more information contact:
Debbie MacDonald Moynes, Executive Director
Telephone: 613-476-7493