Nous sommes tous vulnérables

* l’article est en anglais

When I am out and about promoting West Island Citizen Advocacy (WICA) at community events, kiosks, etc. people always ask me, “what exactly does WICA do?”

The go-to response is always, “WICA provides social, emotional and practical support for the most vulnerable members of the community, including those with physical or intellectual challenges or mental health issues and lonely and isolated seniors”.

But what does that really mean?

Well, it could mean a volunteer visiting with someone who is house-bound, having a chat, sharing a cup of coffee, being a sympathetic ear to someone who doesn’t have a lot of social contact. Active listening is such an important skill.

It could be more practical, accompanying someone on an outing into the community perhaps to the grocery store or the shopping centre to run errands, maybe to Timmies for a coffee or the Public Library.

But don’t confuse WICA as a taxi service, our volunteers are there to make a connection with a vulnerable person. Perhaps that trip to the grocery store is the only outing they get that week. Perhaps the volunteer and the staff at the shopping centre or coffee shop is the only social connection they have in their life.

The volunteer has an immense impact on that vulnerable person. We see it every day.

But sometimes, we encounter situations that make us really understand how vulnerable we ALL can be at any point in our life.

For example, one of our Community Workers has been helping an elderly gentleman for months. He has no family in Canada, his spouse passed away a couple of year ago and he lives completely alone in his own home.

One day last week, she was popping by to check on him, as she typically does on her way home from work, only to find a collection of newspapers and a stack of mail in the mailbox. Totally out of character for this gentleman. His car was still in the driveway as he no longer has his driver’s license.

There was no answer at the door and the house seemed to be dark.

We did what we would normally do in emergency situations, we called 911 only to be told no one was available until perhaps later that evening. Neighbors told us that they hadn’t seen him since he mowed his lawn 3-4 days earlier. With the help of the two neighbors we are able to ascertain that he wasn’t in the house. Don’t ask me how.

The good news is he’s okay but in the hospital.

This is the reality of many of our vulnerable citizens, living in isolation, the invisible person. This is the reality of community, non-profit groups, making a difference every day.

But we can’t help everyone and we can’t do it alone.

WICA has over 200 people on its waiting list, vulnerable people just like this senior gentleman, all waiting for someone to care about them even if only an hour a week, every two weeks, a month.

Don’t we all deserve that?