COVID-19 - The Pair Program

If your loved one is independent or semi-independent, falls or other accidents can unfortunately happen. During this period in which visits are limited, these worries are an extra stress that increases your mental load. To give you some comfort, you could register for the Pair program. The Pair program, which has been running for over 25 years, is a free, automated call service that contacts your loved ones at a predetermined time , one or more times a day, to ensure that they don’t need anything and that they are not experiencing any difficulty. This service has been very popular in recent months and many caregivers have been able to use this extra resource to give their loved ones some security and to benefit from some respite.

How the Pair program works

As a caregiver, you agree on a time for the calls with the people in charge of the service and in agreement with your loved one. During the call, the automated system will ask the your loved one to confirm that everything is OK by pressing a certain key. If they do not respond to this request, the system will them call back twice. If there is no answer on the third attempt, an alert will be issued, and a telephone operator will check with you or the other contacts specified in advance on your registration sheet. To prevent false alerts, it is important to inform the Pair program coordinators anytime your loved one will be absent. 

Register for the Pair program

The Pair program is for people in the following situations:

• A caregiver who wants to be able to ensure the safety and well-being of their loved one, every day.
• A senior living alone, with or without a health problem.
• A senior couple, one of whom has health problems.

This service is free and multilingual. You or your loved one can register online or call 1 877-997-7247. You may also consult the list of municipalities and organizations served by the program, by clicking on “Find a service,” submitting a request via email at info@programmepair.ca, or again calling 1-877-997-7247.

In this time of crisis more than ever, the Pair program remains available for caregivers and their loved ones.

Do you want more information on this program and the organizations that offer it? Do not hesitate to contact our caregiver counsellors. Although there is an increase in requests, they are still ready to listen to you. To connect with them, call 1-855-852-7784 or write to info-aidant@lappui.org.

Reference

List of agencies that offer the Pair program (in French)