Helping Disabled Adults Through Respect and Dignity
Volunteers from the Society of Sharing (SOS) have been helping an elderly husband wife both of whom are blind. They had been initially referred to SOS which was asked to help them with processing their rent cheque, reading mail and helping them with grocery shopping. The wife has been blind since birth and her husband’s sight gradually deteriorated over time until he became legally blind. Both live in a Toronto Housing complex located in downtown Toronto.
Today, an SOS volunteer continues to help this ageing couple with reading their mail and shopping, all under the umbrella of a paying a friendly visit. When their friendly volunteer visitor who also helps them go to their medical appointments was ill herself, she still stayed connected with them by telephone.
Since 1997, Society of Sharing (SOS), a Catholic Charities member agency, has sought to improve the quality of life, and reduce isolation and vulnerability among seniors and adults with disabilities in the community. They have achieved this by providing services and programs with the support of a corps of very active and dedicated volunteers.
The vision of SOS is to ensure that seniors and adults with disabilities are able to live independently and stay connected to their community with our support. Drawing its strength from Catholic Social teaching, SOS believes that seniors and persons with disabilities have a right to live in dignity and with respect. SOS is committed to the effective and compassionate delivery of meaningful services to those in need.
Another SOS volunteer is helping the wife of another couple visit her husband in a Palliative Care Residence. He has only a short time to live as he has been diagnosed with cancer. She is struggling to accept the situation as he has been everything to her. She describes him as her soul mate. With the support and caring of an SOS volunteer, she can visit with her husband every day.