It’s therefore crucial that we act quickly to identify seniors age 75 and over to inform them about the resources available in the community or to refer them to local home care services, if needed. By identifying these seniors, we can make sure that every effort has been made to help them stay at home safely, for as long as possible, while enjoying a good quality of life.
Description
The CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest, in collaboration with community organizations and various community partners, has set up a project to identify seniors age 75 and over who need help maintaining their independence.
Objective
The main goal is to help seniors stay at home safely, for as long as possible, while enjoying a good quality of life.
Questionnaire on autonomy for seniors age 75 and over
This short, simple, prevention-based questionnaire, called PRISMA-7[1], for people age 75 and over, is used to identify any potential needs. Based on the answers, we can also provide information about resources available in the community or refer the person to home care services at the CLSC, if needed. Every effort is made to keep seniors at home for as long as possible.
The questionnaire can be filled out by the person themselves, or by a caregiver, healthcare professional, or volunteer, if the person requires assistance.
[1]PRISMA-7 Questionnaire, Version 2012. Michel Raîche, Réjean Hébert and Marie-France Dubois, Centre d’expertise en santé de Sherbrooke.
Partners
The CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest promotes the “My Home, My Choice” case-finding program with support from several community partners. In fact, this initiative is made possible thanks to our various partners, who hand out the pamphlet/questionnaire to the target clientele during their activities, and who return the completed forms to the case-finding teams according to the terms agreed upon with the Soutien à l’autonomie des personnes âgées (SAPA) program [Support program for the autonomy of seniors].
Our partners include family medicine groups (FMGs), emergency departments, private seniors’ residences, social economy domestic aid enterprises (EÉSAD), community organizations, community pharmacies, police departments and fire stations, to name just a few.
The case-finding teams are made up of home care professionals who are supported by volunteers.
The work done by our volunteers is essential to keeping our organization running. Want to volunteer for the case-finding teams? Email us at reperagecmcmc@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
Here are some testimonials from our volunteers (translated)
"The volunteering I do for the ‘My Home, My Choice’ outreach initiative gives me the satisfaction of taking part in a collective and meaningful project. A phone call can help make a community resource known and thus give seniors the opportunity to live longer in their own homes. In the room where the calls are made, the staff member responsible for the program is discreet, but they respond quickly if we need information. It’s a pleasant type of volunteering with no physical demands. This type of volunteering makes me feel that even in retirement, I can still contribute something to society."
Aurore — Volunteer
"Proud and happy to listen to seniors. Sometimes it’s the only contact of the day for them."
André — Volunteer
"I appreciate these calls with seniors because they allow me to reconnect with the human side. It reassures me to hear their smiles in their voices; these wonderful exchanges are truly priceless."
