As population ages, Montreal groups shine light on loneliness among seniors
Posted October 1, 2023 1:57 pm.
Last Updated October 1, 2023 6:57 pm.
Montreal seniors participated in a march Sunday morning as part of International Seniors Day.
The day is meant to raise awareness about the wellbeing and dignity of elders in their old age.
A major theme: ended the feelings of isolation among seniors.
“It’s not a subject we pay attention to,” said François Grisé, the founder and director of Un et un font mille. “It’s not sexy, we don’t want to talk about it – especially since the pandemic. But today is an occasion to say ‘we can do something.’
“People need to be visible, people need to be a part of a community that says ‘yes we can do something.’”
The three-kilometre walk kicked off at Jeanne-Mance Park.
“I received an invitation and I told myself I can’t miss this, I have to support the cause,” said 86-year-old participant Gaston Loubier.
There are more people over 65 than people under 20 years old in Quebec.
“The demographic of Quebec is changing, and we need to work as hard as we can to be sure that seniors are going to participate in society,” said Catherine Harel Bourdon, the president and CEO of Les Petits Frères de Montréal.
#WATCH: "It’s not a subject we pay attention to," says François Grisé, founder of Un Et Un Font Mille about International Seniors Day on Sunday. Over 600 Montrealers participated in a walk to raise awareness about isolation among seniors. pic.twitter.com/8NFPBLOdXI
— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) October 1, 2023
And many challenges remain in Quebec to combat the isolation of seniors, a phenomenon that continues to grow with the aging of the population.
“Its’ a harsh reality,” said Grisé. “The challenges are numerous and difficult. But there are people that are acting everyday at a very personal level or in bigger organizations for the well being of aging people.”
The need for some is greater than ever. The organization Les Petits Frères de Montréal needs more than 300 volunteers to help serve its mission of alleviating seniors’ social isolation
“The majority of our seniors with little brothers live on low income, and they have multiple health problems, so it’s really important to have someone to talk about it, to have some affection,” said Bourdon.
In Quebec, one-in-five seniors say they have no one to turn to.
“I am still happily married, so I am lucky enough to not be isolated or alone but I know many people who are alone and I find it sad,” said Loubier.
“The next epidemic is loneliness,” added Bourdon. “There’s a lot of impacts on health of this loneliness. You’re going to spend a lot of time at the hospital for many reasons. So you need to have support, you need to have someone who takes care of you.”
