Checking in on neighbours could save lives
Not-for profit organization asks residents to support one another as mercury rises
It has been seriously hot for much of the summer, with no fewer than five heat waves. And that means we should be looking out for neighbours who are elderly and isolated.
That’s the word this week from the Réseau québécois de villes et villages en santé (RQVVS), a notfor-profit organization that implemented the Voisins solidaires movement in Quebec. The movement is modelled on one created in France after thousands of citizens, many of them isolated and elderly, died in the wake of extreme temperatures.
“It starts by knowing who our neighbours are, by being present,” said RQVVS director Chloé Dodinot. Call or knock on their door. Often, they don’t go out when it is hot, so offer to run errands or walk their dog. Ask what you can do to help them.
Among suggestions from the RQVVS and Voisins solidaires:
Drink six to eight glasses of water or the equivalent, and eat even if you’re not hungry. (Salads and cold soups are good sources of water and electrolytes.)
Stay out of the sun, and don’t do too much. Seek out air-conditioned spaces like cinemas or shopping centres. Avoid outings between noon and 4 p.m., and walk in the shade when you do go out. Carry water. Keep the home cool by closing curtains or lowering blinds during the day. Use ceiling fans to circulate the air, and dim the lights. Take a cool shower or bath. Wear lightweight clothing. (Older people can sometimes be overly cautious and stay too covered up.)
The goal of Voisins solidaires is to encourage neighbours to connect, to break the isolation of those who are alone and lonely, and to create neighbourhoods in which residents feel a sense of belonging and mutual support.
Those who stand to benefit most are the recently arrived, young families and especially the elderly, 15 per cent of whom live in a state of social isolation, according to the RQVVS. More than 85 per cent of Quebec’s population in 225 municipalities belongs to the organization, launched in 1988.
Looking out for your neighbours helps everyone, said Dodinot. Certainly it helps the neighbours, “but it’s not a one-way street,” she said.
An older neighbour can help out, too, by looking after young children while a parent runs an errand, for instance.
Asking how your neighbours are doing, making sure they’re hydrated and staying cool, “these are small gestures which can save lives,” said Marie-Claude Savard, a Quebec television personality and spokesperson for Voisin solidaires.