How time flies, especially as we age. And it’s in those later years getting out and staying connected in your community becomes so important to your overall wellbeing.
For Lorraine and Gerald, retirement called them to a familiar home in Williamstown where they found relaxation and friendship after living in Cornwall for many years. However, it was the people who they bought their home from that opened the door of the Carefor Lan-Char Support centre to them. Lorraine explained, “We had known the homeowners for a long time, and when we were new to the area, they suggested the centre as a way to get out and meet some people.” From there, Lorraine and Gerald became frequent visitors to programs including the Diners Club, the physio classes, and more.
Looking on the past nineteen years of being part of the South Glengarry community, Lorraine thinks of the sense of community that comes from living in a rural area. She shared, “Living in the country, it’s a whole different atmosphere. It’s peaceful. And the people are so different – they don’t’ mind stopping and helping you. We’re all here for one another.” That same sense of community is felt through the Lan-Char Support Centre, with the friends they’ve made over the years.
However, things changed when Gerald had a fall in early 2021, and Lorraine found herself needing support. The couple was offered to take part in the Going Home Program, a service specifically tailored for seniors being discharged from the hospital to help support them and their loved ones in the early days of recovery. Services include meals, transportation, homemaking, etc.
After the first 10 days, Gerald and Lorraine decided to continue to receive healthy meals through the Meal Delivery Program. Lorraine shared, “It just makes life easier. The price is right, and I don’t need to worry about buying groceries to have the kind of meals we do.” As a caregiver, Lorraine sees the Meal Delivery program as a reprieve a few days a week. Lorraine said, “It’s less days that I have to think about what we’re going to have for lunch. A lot of times we just finish breakfast and within an hour Gerald is asking what we’re having for lunch so it’s nice to know I don’t need to worry about it.”
It’s hard to believe that the Carefor Support Centres have been providing services to seniors like Lorraine and Gerald in Lancaster and Alexandria for more than 30 years. Carefor’s Going Home and Meal Delivery programs is just two examples of programs that support people in a time of need. It’s programs like these that are essential to the Glengarry area to help ensure people stay healthy, and it’s been through donor support that we’ve continued to be able to offer them over the last three decades.