The Village at Canadore College is doing its part to help residents in the area feeling social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
College officials say the initiative is called C.A.R.E.S, which stands for Compassion Calls, Assistance, Respect, Exchange and Supports. Funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program is helping to launch the initiative.
Students in Canadore’s Social Service Worker program, along with the Mental Health and Addiction Worker program, will reach out with wellness and reassurance calls to seniors who have been isolated during this crisis. Officials say the clients will receive a phone call on a regular basis over an eight-week period.
“Our seniors are the backbone of our communities. They have spent a lifetime committing to better realities for the generations that followed,” said Shawn Chorney, Vice-President of Student Services, Indigenous, and Student Success. “Sadly, many of us are not able to tend to our relationships with seniors in the ways we have been accustomed to.”
“Through the Village C.A.R.E.S project, we are removing barriers to isolation and loneliness by applying technological advances to create the same sense of collective community care that was once the norm,” he added.
College officials say the program, which launched today, help students complete their hours towards program requirements, as opposed to deferring placements that would have taken place without the pandemic.
“The Village C.A.R.E.S is one example of how our students can use their newly acquired skills to listen, encourage and reassure by harnessing technology and innovation to reach those affected by physical distancing,” said Lisa McCool-Philbin, Dean of Faculty of Human and Social Science.
