The Village ‘C.A.R.E.S’ project starts tomorrow.

It involves Canadore students reaching out and providing wellness and reassurance calls to isolated seniors during the pandemic.

Micheline McWhirter is the Project Manager of the Village Collective Impact Project at Canadore.

She says clients will receive a phone call on a regular basis over at least an 8-week period and likely beyond.

Both the students and seniors are benefiting.

“This seemed like a perfect match-up where our students in the Social Service Worker program and Mental Health and Addictions Worker programs can complete their placement hours to be able to graduate and support some of the most vulnerable people in our community,” McWhirter says.

She also says the project was actually going to take place before the pandemic hit, and there was concern it wouldn’t happen.

“Realizing that the very nature of the project was to reduce social-isolation for seniors who now were facing it at such an extreme rate and such an extreme circumstance we realized the project needed to move forward,” McWhirter says.

They also received encouragement and support from the Federal Government.

C.A.R.E.S. stands for Compassion Calls, Assistance, Respect, Exchange and Supports.

Organizations and institutions are partnering with The Village C.A.R.E.S project by providing the names and contact information for individuals who want to receive wellness calls.

Anyone with individuals that could benefit from the calls can contact McWhirter by email Micheline.mcwhirter@canadorecollege.ca.

Canadore says The Village is a world-class health and wellness facility that is providing a ground-breaking approach to educating the next generation of Canada’s health and social service professionals. It is the first facility of its kind in Canada and blends Indigenous, Eastern and Western health practices with student-led facilities.

 

(File photo by station staff)

Filed under: Canadore College, COVID-19, The Village CARES Project