Three local social service agencies have stepped in to take over the community services that were provided by Catholic Family Services (CFS) which recently announced its closure. Good Shepherd Centres, the Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton and St. Matthew’s House have worked to transition all existing clients from CFS seniors’ programs into the partner agencies’ services. This includes clients served by the following former CFS programs:
• Intensive Case Management for Seniors at Risk
• Intensive Case Management for Seniors Living with Dementia
• Gatekeepers
• Senior Peer Volunteers
In consultation with Ontario Health West, the Alzheimer Society, Good Shepherd and St. Matthew’s will also implement a new collaborative approach called Seniors at Risk in Hamilton (SaRiH). SaRiH will support the same populations of seniors previously served by CFS. This includes a centralized referral and intake process to facilitate timely interventions and supports for seniors impacted by issues such as dementia, abuse/exploitation, mental and physical health challenges, precarious housing, food insecurity and social isolation.
“We have identified the opportunity to transform the way our agencies work together and leverage the integration of processes, reduce barriers to services, and streamline referral pathways,” said Brother Richard MacPhee, chief executive officer of Good Shepherd. “This collaboration will help to ensure equity of access to services, local system transformation, and support the professional growth of our staff to meet the needs of these populations.”
Referrals to SaRiH will be managed through a central access point and reviewed by representatives from the Alzheimer Society, Good Shepherd and St. Matthew’s. Each referral will be assigned to the appropriate SaRiH partner.
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