The United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County and partners have a new phone line to ensure seniors are not neglected during the pandemic.
"Seniors in our community are not only at the highest risk of poor health due to the COVID-19 crisis, but they are also much more likely to be negatively affected by increased social isolation measures," said United Way CEO Lorraine Goddard.
The Windsor-Essex COVID Care Coalition has launched the Windsor-Essex Seniors Call Assurance Program. It is intended to alleviate isolation suffered by seniors and provide meaningful social interaction through regular phone calls and referrals to community supports like the Alzheimer Society of Windsor-Essex County, Amherstburg Community Services, Community Support Centre of Essex County, Life After Fifty and VON Windsor.
Seniors can sign up for the program and get a security check-in call within three days.
The United Way has received $102,499 through the Government of Canada New Horizons for Seniors grant program. It is part of a $9 million grant to United Way/Centraide Canada supporting emergency response services to vulnerable seniors across the country. The money will be used for seniors programming until the end of June.
Seniors over the age of 55 can call 1-877-771-2677 between Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to sign up.