Allyson Beauregard
Allyson Beauregard
SHAWVILLE – In order to enhance the efficiency of the services it offers and meet the growing needs of people with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders as well as their caregivers, the Société Alzheimer de l’Outaouais québécois (SAOQ) announced the opening of a new day and respite centre at the Shawville CLSC (290 Marion Street) to serve clients in the MRC Pontiac region.
The centre, scheduled to open November 30, will be able to welcome about 10 participants every Monday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. “We can accept between 8 and 10 people depending on the group and the state of their diseases,” said Cindy Fullwood, the person in charge of the SAOQ day and respite centre projects.
Each week, in addition to having an opportunity for social interaction,
participants will be offered a wide range of physical, sensorial, musical, intellectual,
cultural and other activities. The services will cost about $10 per day, which will include snacks, coffee, and lunch.
“This new day and respite centre will enable affected persons to take part in stimulation
activities led by two
specialists, stated the SAOQ, in a press release.
In order to benefit from the new centre those interested can
contact the SAOQ at
819-777-4232. “A meeting will be planned where we meet the patient and their caregiver to assess their needs and see if
the centre can fill
those needs or if they would benefit more
from another service,” explained Fullwood.
“The goal is to provide beneficiaries with a warm and secure environment that fosters their general well-being and improves their quality of life.”
“The time they regularly spend with the
specialists will also give their natural caregivers
a much-needed break for a few hours.”
One of the SAOQ’s goals, in order to refocus on its primary mission, has been to extend
its services beyond Gatineau. Early this year, the organization received a subsidy from the Conférence régionale des élus de l’Outaouais (CRÉO), making the Shawville project achievable; the subsidy also allowed another one-
day-per-week day centre to open in the MRC des Collines and Vallée-
de-la-Gatineau.
“When CREO was abolished, the SAOQ file for the day and respite centre was transferred to the government so we now apply for yearly funding directly through them,” said Fullwood.
The SAOQ is a
non-profit community organization whose
mission is to support, assist and accompany persons affected with Alzheimer’s disease, their families and other loved ones, helping them to meet, with the greatest degree of dignity possible, the challenges presented by this disorder.
