The Better at Home program offered in Prince George is asking for a little help to keep seniors in their own homes longer.
"We want to keep seniors out of facilities for as long as we can," said Erin Andrelini, health director for the Native Friendship Centre.
"Better at Home is a provincial program and there's a whole range of services offered but what we're offering is housekeeping and friendly visiting."
Right now, the program serves about 100 people aged 55 years and older and volunteers are needed to keep things running smoothly.
The housekeeping service offers once or twice a month cleaning, said Andrelini. And it's just the basics like cleaning floors, kitchens, bathrooms, and when cleaners have time they can wash curtains and help with laundry but only occasionally.
The housekeeping has a fee for service on a sliding scale so some people are not charged anything while others pay the full rate, said Andrelini.
The friendly visit component of the Better at Home program is looking for volunteers to go into the homes of seniors to have tea, play cards, visit, or read aloud. No heavy lifting, doing chores or running errands is required. That's why it's called friendly visits.
The program would function very well with 30 more volunteers who are asked to commit four hours a month for at least a year so relationships can be built.
"The need is based on an assessment of each client," said Maria Rossi, Better at Home program coordinator. "So if they're needing one hour one week and then a different length of time the next week then we would match them up with the volunteer with that availability."
That goes for the housekeeping, too.
Ideally the same person would come in to clean for the same senior for a great length of time to establish a comfortable relationship.
To volunteer and for more information about the program contact Rossi at 250-564-5888 or email [email protected].
