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New Pilot Project for Beaconsfield Seniors

The Gazette
Monday, June 1, 2009

Beaconsfield seniors have a new service at their disposal.
Called the Beaconsfield Resource Project, the year-long pilot project, which was created with a $37,000 grant from the Quebec government, is aimed at making seniors more aware of the activities and services in their community and giving them some input into what interests them.
“By dialing 514-505-GOLD (4653), seniors will find out what services and activities are available for them in and around their neighbourhood,” said Ann Davidson, Executive Director for the West Island Community Resource Centre which is working with the city on the project.
“One of our aims is to raise awareness to seniors about resources available to them; that will help facilitate their extended autonomy,” she said. “Another goal is to mobilize seniors to participate in the development of the service... eventually we are hoping to recruit seniors as volunteers....
Davidson the project will also offer monthly personalized and individual clinics for seniors at Beaconsfield City Hall.
“If someone has a problem, we can help by advising they how to deal with it and through what services,” she said adding that those clinics will be by appointment only.
As well, said Davidson, the project will include neighbourhood workshops to recruit three volunteer seniors advisory committees to discuss seniors and neighbourhood issues.
Besides the telephone reference service, the city and resource centre will organize information seminars and workshops to encourage mutual support, organize meetings with seniors associations or groups and visits to senior residences to provide information as well as to distribute a resource guide to Beaconsfield senior citizens.
“Our model, developed in partnership with the City of Beaconsfield, is a test drive that we are hoping will be picked up by other municipalities and boroughs in the West Island in the future”, said Davidson who is also a Voices of the Community columnist in the West Island section of The Montreal Gazette.
The Seniors Project can be reached at 514-505-4653 (GOLD).
The West Island Community Resource Centre can be reached at 514-694-6404.