When Maureen Stevens’ mother-in-law passed away, she decided it was time for a change when it came to her family.
Her father-in-law, who was a social butterfly, had recently lost his drivers licence due to old age and refused to be cooped up in his Langford home by himself. In the mornings, he would fire up his scooter and use it to get around and visit friends.
But Stevens, a Colwood resident, found it difficult to keep in contact daily with him to ensure he was healthy and safe. That’s when she found out about the Keep In Touch program.
“If he didn’t have this program, he could be seriously hurt in his home and we wouldn’t know,” said Stevens, who has since become a volunteer with the program.
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As part of the Keep in Touch program, which runs out of the West Shore RCMP detachment on Atkins Avenue, volunteers make calls at specific times to patients on the West Shore – most of whom are seniors, live alone or in assisted living facilities, or have medical issues – to check on their well-being.
Patients are responsible for advising volunteers if they will out be during the call time. However, if volunteers call and there’s no response, they phone the patient’s emergency contact. If no one knows where the patient is, the volunteer calls the RCMP’s dispatch centre and an officer is sent to check on their well-being.
“It’s for people who, quite often, don’t have family members and or even friends,” said Heather Allan, community policing section clerk with the West Shore RCMP.
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It’s a program that started roughly 24 years ago, and, after jumping around to various locations, eventually partnered with the local RCMP’s community policing section in 2004. Since then, it has grown with roughly 13 volunteers, many of whom have been volunteering for more than five years, calling the roughly 31 patients on the list daily.
At times, it has helped save lives. About a year ago, a patient had a stroke while on the phone with a volunteer, who was able to call 911.
Aside from checking on the well-being of patients, volunteers create a connection with clients as well.
“It’s just being able to talk to somebody and make them feel comfortable and make them feel that they’re wanted,” said program co-ordinator Donna Ensor, who has been volunteering with the program for the last 16 years. “Some of them, you just let them talk and some they want to talk to you.”
Volunteer Karen Crowther agreed.
“It brings me up. You get to meet friends over the phone and you get to know someone. You know what they like and dislike,” she said.
To volunteer with the Keep in Touch program or if you or someone you know wants to be included on the list, call the office at 250-474-8791.