By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS held an editorial table on Oct. 17 at the CLSC in Cowansville to discuss services available to the elderly in the La Pommeraie and Haute-Yamaska regions. The meeting emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining autonomy for seniors. Officials highlighted various services offered across the region, with a focus on accessible healthcare, support for caregivers, and innovative plans to address future demographic changes.
Planning for future demographic changes
The CIUSSS and its partners are preparing for the increasing aging population in the region. From 2018 to 2024, interventions for elderly individuals have doubled, rising from 62,000 to 125,000. An official explained, “This increase reflects not just more clients but a higher intensity of services being provided.” The focus remains on maintaining autonomy at home, with officials stressing the importance of collective responsibility: “It takes a village not only to raise a child but also to support an elderly person.”
To address the expected rise in elderly residents, the CIUSSS is working on expanding home care services further. This includes increasing the availability of support staff and enhancing coordination between various service providers, such as local community organizations and healthcare professionals. The future plan emphasizes supporting elderly individuals in their preferred environment—their home—through comprehensive and accessible services. This strategy aligns with the findings that seniors prefer to remain at home for as long as possible before requiring institutional care.
Officials also acknowledged that the rising cost of living and closures of elderly residences have made this approach even more vital. The focus will remain on using available resources efficiently to address the evolving needs of the elderly population while ensuring collaboration with municipal authorities to maintain accessible infrastructure, such as safe sidewalks to prevent falls.
