Senior isolation is a major issue in the West Island – according to the 2011 Statistics Canada census, 15% of the West Island’s population is over 65 years old. Little Brothers West Island is a nonprofit organization committed to alleviating the pervasive, never-ending loneliness that isolated seniors feel. The organization accepts seniors over 75 who find themselves alone, with no family to visit them.
Since 2015, the West Island branch of the organization has been serving Anglophone and Francophone seniors alike, providing them with a network of volunteers who visit them, host activities for them, and celebrate holidays with them, aiming to give them a feeling of family, love, friendship, and belonging.
Dedicated volunteers are the backbone of this organization. One of these volunteers is Claudia, who says that volunteering has opened her eyes to the many ways in which isolation affects the daily lives of those who suffer in it. She adds, “I love visiting my Elder Friend, we laugh a lot together, and I know I make a difference in her life; I find it crazy that I’m the only one who visits her regularly”.
Little Brothers brings over 1,300 seniors out of the darkness of isolation across the province with the help of caring volunteers.You can help support their life-changing mission by becoming a volunteer.
For more information about Little Brothers West Island or to refer someone who can benefit from these programs, call 514-247-1282.