A buddy for life! Buddy Services Centre for Seniors

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

 “It is one thing to be alone, and another to be lonely!”

The Buddy Services Centre For Seniors has received a $25,000 grant from the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) to fulfill the vulnerable populations’ needs in the O’Connor-Parkview neighborhood.

This community houses a wide range of residents, ranging from seniors, immigrants, and visible minorities with some living in dire poverty. There are many elderly adults who are diagnosed with cancer, AIDS, or have mental health issues, which makes it difficult for them to run simple errands like: grocery shopping, navigating to doctors’ offices, and doing things that others may take for granted.

Adults whose income is less than $30,000 a year, have a fixed income, and are 55-years and older and reside in the O’Connor-Parkview neighborhood are eligible to receive the services made possible by Buddy Services Centre for Seniors.

Residents will have access to: companionship, transportation to and from appointments and community activities, assistance with meal planning and preparation, and personal care support.

In the weeks to come, Buddy Services Centre for Seniors staff will: start connecting with seniors in the community, informing them of the services, and assisting elderly adults in the qualification process for the buddy service to help reduce the effects of social isolation. Meanwhile the Canadian government has invested $350 million to improve community organizations’ ability to serve vulnerable Canadians during this crisis.

Buddy Services was founded by Carol Royer. Out of a need to take care of her sick mother, Royer has turned her talents into an organization to help the disenfranchised.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had a conversation with Royer about her tireless work and her passion for helping the poor. Royer said. “It started in 2017 when my mom had a stroke, her health declined and then she had a second stroke in 2018, which left her unable to walk. That is when I had to take care of her. While doing that I began to document my experiences, and after a while, I said gosh! This looks like a business plan.”

Royer reasoned, “If I can do this for my mom then why not do it for others as well. I saw that my parents stopped going out. Social isolation became permanent in their lives. My mom was not going to church anymore because she could not walk. I just saw them alone and it really broke my heart.”

Royer told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “Sometimes, it’s just someone for them to spend some time with, go grocery shopping, chat with them, go for a walk with them, because it is one thing to be alone, and another to be lonely.

With Buddy Services, the staff are hand-picked, and matched with a client that they have something in common with, and as such, a relationship is formed from there. That individual is assigned to this specific client, and that is their buddy for life.”

Royer was asked how this made her feel to which she answered, “I am excited, because I look at some of my clients, and I see that smile on their faces. Every once in a while, I will call them up and personally do a house visit, just to get their feed-back and every single time it is positive, I love this.”

“I have two identical services that we provide: one is a for-profit and the other is non-profit for those who qualify for it. The folks in the low- income community, they cannot afford it but they deserve the best.” 

Royer is asking for volunteers, especially those who speak a variety of languages to help spread the love around to the disenfranchised communities.

For more information on this organization check: https://buddyservices.ca/