Seniors support agency takes its plea for volunteers to CBS council

By Craig Westcott

A national agency that helps ailing seniors cope with life and the complexities of navigating the health care system is looking for volunteers in Conception Bay South.
Amy Way of Nav-Care addressed CBS council last week on the role of the organization.
Way said while Nav Care is new to Newfoundland it’s not new to Canada.
“It has been in British Columbia and Alberta for about 20 years,” said Way, who joined the organization earlier this year and started recruiting clients and volunteers to help them.
“We find volunteers, we train them, and we find clients in the community with declining health,” Way said. “These are clients whose trajectory is life limiting with their diagnosis. We find volunteers, we train them, and we match them with these clients to help them stay in their homes longer.”
Way said the clients typically don’t want palliation, or to hear about hospitalization.
“They want to stay in their homes,” she said.
Way said her “hub” is the first one in Canada to be under the wing of a health care authority, in this case Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, NLHS.
“That gives me kind of a streamline to social workers, (and) community health nurses,” said Way. “We get to have our clients avoid the tangle of trying to get through the process of the health care system.”
Way said Nav-Care volunteers help seniors navigate their way through the health system for appointments.
“It’s just that little bit that makes that senior more comfortable,” she said. “I’ve found so many barriers for seniors that you don’t recognize; (for example) the new parking systems and the QR codes that you have to scan. People won’t leave their home because they don’t know how to scan a QR code (for parking). So, we train our volunteers to go out with these people and help them be comfortable in the community with the new technology that’s happening and help them bring the community into them. They could just want someone to sit with them and have a cup of tea and play a game of cards, so be it. If it’s that little bit that’s going to make their day a little bit happier, then that’s what Nav-Care is here to do. We don’t do homecare; we don’t do personal care. There are establishments out there that do that. We are here to fight the barriers of isolation. We want to get social integration happening in their lives again.”
Way said clients don’t need a referral from a doctor or a health professional – they can seek Nav-Can’s help themselves if they want to.
“Neighbours have referred clients, friends have referred clients, that’s fine, it all comes to me, I am the face of Nav-Care for Newfoundland, so if you call any of the contact information you’re going to get connected with me,” Way said.
Way said the volunteers who join the group are “on-boarded” through NLHS. “We go through the vulnerable sector check of the RNC screening and TB testing, and then they do the specific online module training for Nav-Care and they’re taught how to deal with emotional situations and deal even with family members who could be a little disgruntled or disagreeing about mom or dad’s trajectory,” she said. “And I’m always close with the volunteers. I’m literally at an arm’s reach, I always have my phone so they can easily contact me, and I can help them with any barriers that they get to.”
Bent pointed out that Way was addressing council because Nav-Care has clients in CBS who are looking for volunteers.
“That is literally why I’m here,” way agreed. “It is my plea for volunteers. There are seniors in your community who are sitting in their homes who have reached out and said, ‘I want your help.’ But I need the volunteers to come forward, so I can train them and get them out in the community. So spread the word, that’s basically what I’m after tonight, to spread the word that Nav-Care is here, we want to help, we’re willing to help, just say the word and please come forward with your volunteer willingness. I’ll be happy to have you.”

Amy Way of Nav-Care addressed CBS council as Mayor Darrin Bent looked on.