South Etobicoke has one of the largest population of seniors in the City of Toronto and officials say some of them may require our help as we fend off COVID-19.
Residents are being asked to check up on their elderly neighbours and see if there is anything that they can do to assist them such as picking up groceries or items from the drug store.
‘Every trip that they don’t have to take helps to reduce their risk of getting sick,” according to Toronto Public Health officials.
They are reminding residents to only purchase what is needed and not to overbuy since it takes away from what is available for the most vulnerable in the community.
Pharmacist Soroush Nejati, of Lakeside Pharmasave Pharmacy, says many residents are suffering from loneliness and are encouraged to check up on friends, family, and other loved ones by phone or online platforms.
Some community agencies, like Storefront Humber, offer support to seniors including Meals on Wheels, friendly visiting, transportation to appointments, personal support, and adult day programs. Seniors and caregivers should check with the agencies to find out about service delivery.
Help is available at Toronto Seniors Helpline at 416-217-2077 or 1-877-621-2077, for support and referral to services.
For Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) home care call 310-2222 (no area code required) to find out about services in the area.
Or the Seniors Safety Line (Elder Abuse Ontario) is at 1-866-299-1011.