New program reaches out to socially isolated

A December 2023 National Institute on Aging (NIA) report drew significant attention to social isolation by indicating that “as many as 41 per cent of Canadians aged 50 years and older are at risk” of this phenomenon.

Additionally, 58 per cent of nearly 6,000 survey respondents said they have experienced loneliness.

Fortunately, Compassionate Community Care (CCC), a non-profit striving to improve the well-being of vulnerable persons — senior citizens in particular — physically, socially, psychologically and spiritually, is determined to reverse this unsettling reality. CCC executive director Kathy Matusiak Costa underscored the severity of this problem.

“Many seniors are experiencing chronic loneliness, which may lead to obviously feeling socially or emotionally isolated, which then can lead to depression and other risk factors,” said Costa. “It’s very concerning because of the aging population that there’s so many seniors that are simply, you know, in a sense, forgotten or abandoned.”

CCC has launched a new nationwide calling service called Community of Hope Outreach: Connecting with Seniors Project. Trained volunteers will conduct regular check-in phone calls or Zoom confabs with Canadians aged 55 and older unable to receive in-person visitors. All recruits are required to complete volunteer screening and vulnerable sector verification with the police.

Costa characterized the participation in this new program as “very impressive.” The non-profit leader declared there is “a strong draw among the communities” the non-profit, headquartered in London, Ont., liaises with routinely. She also accentuated that Communities of Hope is in “beginning phases at this point,” but CCC aspires to accrue “the manpower, support and means” to engage with thousands of seniors in short order.

Costa has implemented an industrious ground game to build awareness and generate interest in this new calling service. She delivered speeches at many Catholic parishes, including St. Philip Neri and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Toronto, St. Joseph’s in Mississauga, Our Lady of Grace in Aurora and St. Justin’s of London. She has also travelled to Winnipeg to engage with pro-life leaders in Manitoba’s capital.

During an appearance at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Thornhill, Costa met Lino DeFacendis, a lay Catholic who launched the Life Care Network earlier in 2024. The Life Care Network is a calling service connecting in-need seniors with pro-life personal support worker candidates. An alliance appears to be budding between these two charities as both are keen on providing hope and renewal to Canadians of advanced age.

DeFacendis lauded the efforts of Costa and the CCC.

“I think Kathy and CCC are doing just incredibly valuable work in getting our dear seniors actively engaged and feeling sincerely appreciated,” said DeFacendis. “CCC’s simple yet practical activities I’m sure bring true joy and sense of fulfillment to everyone who participates — all for His greater glory.” 

On Nov. 9, Costa will venture to Saskatoon accompanied by Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) executive director Alex Schadenberg to lead a “Being With” volunteer training event at the Cathedral of the Holy Family. This event is different as Costa and Schadenberg will focus on imbuing participants with the confidence to visit the suffering, socially isolated, sick or dying face to face.  

CCC and the EPC are also joining forces with St. John the Compassionate Mission and St. Mary of Egypt Refuge on Nov. 20 for a Project Anna and Simeon Euthanasia Healing Retreat at St. John the Compassionate Mission at 155 Broadview Ave. in Toronto. This evening event features a pastoral talk on grieving by Fr. Lui Santi, testimonial discussions and a memorial service.

“I am so humbled to be able to be part of this initiative, which is so vital for these times that we’re living in,” said Costa. “We get calls on our helpline, which I like to call our ‘hope line,’ from people who have experienced the euthanasia of their loved ones or friends. Even people who work in the industry of health care — medical professionals — and have experienced euthanasia notice how they have changed. They’ve been impacted so deeply.”

To learn more about CCC, visit https://www.compassionatecommunitycare.org/.