Canadian Red Cross celebrates Community Support Services month in October

Topics: Our Impact on the Ground
November 14, 2013

Canadian Red Cross celebrates Community Support Services month in October

The Canadian Red Cross, one of the largest charity organizations in the country, has a long history of giving back to the community. Whether through disaster relief or youth education, the Canadian Red Cross has continued to provide Canadians with access to the services and aid they need most. And in October, the organization celebrated Community Support Services month in Ontario.

Services offered by the Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross has a wide range of community support services that help Canadians across the country retain their quality of life and independence with at home care. These programs help older adults, vulnerable individuals and provide assistance to their caregivers.

Services include Nutrition Support, which offers meal programs, such as Meals on Wheels, to those who have trouble safely getting the nutrition they need. There's also a Social Inclusion program that helps older adults maintain their social livelihood through volunteer visits, recreational events and adult day programs. To prevent social isolation and provide access to health and social services, the Canadian Red Cross also strives to meet the transportation needs of older adults and other individuals in the community.

Other services provide assisted living support, as well as attendant outreach. This is a cost-effective alternative for those individuals with complex medical needs who can comfortably remain living in their homes provided the right amount of support. There are also security checks, home safety audits and assistance with designing emergency preparedness plans offered as part of the Canadian Red Cross' safety services.

Fern's story
One individual who's truly benefited from the Red Cross' community support services is Fern Campbell. She's been a client of the Red Cross' Meals on Wheels program since 1993 when she lived with her mother, who had been diagnosed with dementia. Fern herself has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, and the convenience of having meals delivered made all the difference to her. Fern was also able to work with the program to figure out ways to improve what the Red Cross could do for her - for instance, they switched delivery of hot meals to frozen meals, to better fit Fern's schedule.

"... It's always nice to see friendly faces and be able to have a quick chat to learn about what's new," Fern said. "It's like seeing a friend you haven't seen for a long time."

Want to celebrate Community Support Services month with the Canadian Red Cross? Donate today!

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