NEWS RELEASE
COMMUNITY AND HOME ASSISTANCE TO SENIORS
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CHATS - Community & Home Assistance to Seniors Whiskys Around the World… The Journey Continues raises over $18,000 to help combat the impacts of social isolation among older adults and their caregivers.
I received a call today from someone who recently attended our scotch tasting event. Her voice joyful and sad at the same time determined to share her gratitude for CHATS, Anita shared her CHATS journey of “Storytelling with Grampa.”
“My sweet Grandpa has always looked forward to birthdays, especially his own. His amazing smile never fades but on that one day of the year you’ll find him singing and smiling from ear to ear. Over the past two years of COVID-19, we celebrated his birthday as best we could. I believe my Grandpa's energy comes for the joy he feels when he is in the company of those he loves. Sadly, COVID has taken the wind our of his sails despite our efforts to keep him going. So, we moved to storytelling. We found an amazing organization that not only provided a program for seniors on how to use a tablet, but let him borrow one too. The same organization would deliver meals to his door. He loves meal day and always jokes with the drivers. Then he would prepare his meal, make a date with me and his grandkids, log in together virtually and settle in to hear one of Grampa’s many stories. He began telling us about how he would walk for miles back in the day to get a nice birthday bouquet every year for my mother (who passed away in 2019) and bake her cupcakes to share with all her friends. He never missed one celebration when it came to his children and grand children. He had seven children, by the way, so that’s a lot of birthdays.
“I would like to thank the amazing people at CHATS for the help getting us through the impacts of COVID-19 with my Grandpa. His “storytelling” is catching on as today he has an entire group of friends he meets with virtually and he is considered the technology expert within the group, which is all because of you. Our family is truly grateful. ”
CHATS – Community & Home Assistance to Seniors has been combating the effects of social isolation for decades. Anita’s grandfather is just one of over 8,500 seniors and caregivers supported by CHATS programs and services and a shining example of the life-changing work CHATS provides. CHATS mission is to advocate for and deliver high-quality person-centred home and community support services to older adults and caregivers like Anita and her grandfather. Seniors and older adults can grow with CHATS as their needs evolve or change and the level of care required increases.
Having incredible community-minded and generous friends like the Aurora Whisky Society gives the community an opportunity to be social while combating the impacts of social isolation in seniors and older adults within our community. Through our Whiskys Around the World event, we raised over $18,000 to support programs and services at CHATS.
We are very grateful for Anita reaching out to share her journey, and joining us for our journey around the world. It is supporting “Story Telling with Grampa” that drives us to keep moving forward and help more and more seniors and their caregivers each year.
Save the date for our 9th annual scotch tasting be in person February 2023. Follow chats.on.ca/events for information.
Kelly Broome
Vice-president Philanthropy & Communications
CHATS – Community & Home Assistance to Seniors
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