Because You Care Campaign
Because You Care more families can get the help they need! Are you in?
Acclaim Health is launching our BECAUSE YOU CARE campaign to proactively meet the needs of our community as we recover from the pandemic and to support Patty’s Place as it ramps up to full speed.
With a total goal of $1,000,000 per year, the BECAUSE YOU CARE campaign will ensure people continue to get the help they need. Help that forms the heart of our community.
All donations will be matched by 50% (up to $50,000) by the amazing JIM (the people behind JIM’s Suites).
A 100% match is available if you’re able to commit $10,000+ each year, for three years, from long-standing donor families June and Ian and the Walmley Foundation.
Below are some of the issues the BECAUSE YOU CARE campaign will tackle. The issues are complex, which is why we’re asking for three year pledges – it gives us time to make meaningful leaps forward.
Care Needs
The pandemic has stretched capacity beyond our limits – sometimes in ways you would not expect.
Care for People Dying at Home
We are caring for a significant number of hospice patients at home, and demand for bereavement support continues to increase sharply. These are all downstream effects of hospitals being full, families trying to keep their ailing family members at home to avoid COVID-19 exposure, and the inability to observe the normal ceremonies of grieving due to pandemic restrictions. Of course, being us, we are not content to sit idly by and do nothing. In this instance, we are restructuring our Hospice and Bereavement intake process to streamline access to help, freeing up our Counsellors to provide more direct help and increase capacity.
Social Isolation
The devastating, cumulative impact of social isolation on older adults over the course of the pandemic is shocking. The waitlist for our Friendly Visiting program reached a new peak of 225 older adults during the pandemic – the highest it’s ever been in the decades the program has existed. Right now 176 extremely isolated older adults are waiting for support, friendship, practical help and meaningful connection. Isolation is dangerous, it slowly, inexorably deteriorates your physical and mental health. Reducing this waitlist means happier, healthier people and far fewer downstream impacts on our healthcare system. Yes!
Dementia Care
A staggering increase of 172%. That’s the story in our Adult Day Programs that support people living with dementia and provide respite for their family caregivers. Pre-pandemic, the waiting list hovered around 109 people, it’s now 297 people and growing – an unprecedented level. It’s also heartbreaking. I know the exhaustion, frustration and emotional toll on each of those 297 families is acute. This campaign will help Patty’s Place get to full capacity, increase capacity for caregiver support, and increase capacity for music therapy.
Questions?
Call Melissa Cameron at 289-259-5648 or send her an email at [email protected]
