Compassionate Communities

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Join our caring community

The Residence is always looking for people with a heart of gold and a smile that can light up a room! We rely on more than 300 carefully chosen and trained volunteers who provide 29,000+ hours of palliative care per year.

Our incredible volunteers assist with every non-medical aspect of care, from greeting families and delivering meals, to spending time with patients and supporting grieving families.

For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Debbie Elvidge, Volunteer Program Manager, delvidge@tdpcr.ca or 514 693-1718 ext. 264.

What is a Compassionate Community?

A Compassionate Community is a community of people who are passionate and committed to improving the experiences of those who are isolated and those who are living with a serious illness, caregiving, dying and grieving. A Compassionate Community takes an active role in caring for people affected by these experiences, it connects people to resources, it raises awareness about end-of-life issues, and it builds supportive networks around them. The Montreal Institute develops and enables community-based programs that foster connection and support for citizens of all ages. Whether they’re living with a declining health illness, caring for others, grieving a loss, or simply navigating a difficult time, these programs help vulnerable people to feel more surrounded and equip communities and their members with the tools and confidence to care for one another in meaningful, practical ways.

The Institute develops community-based programs that provide supportive environments and connections for citizens of all ages who are dealing with serious diseases or are in the later stages of their lives.

Nav-CARE

Nav-CARE is a free volunteer service of navigation and accompaniment for adults living in the community. Nav-CARE is offered in the broad area of the West Island of Montreal, representing over 400,000 citizens and providing accredited volunteers who are trained, supported and managed through the Montreal Institute for Palliative Care. We have over 10 community partners and over 40 clients & volunteers engaged in the program.

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Intergenerational Connection

Intergenerational Connection is a collaborative Compassionate Communities program facilitated by the Institute. It brings together high school students (ages 13–15) and seniors living in residences for a six-week series of shared activities focused on legacy, storytelling, and connection.

 

By fostering mentorship, emotional support, and mutual understanding, the program helps reduce isolation, challenge age-related stereotypes, and build stronger ties across generations. It currently runs in partnership with several high schools and senior residences across the region.

SAFE – “Seniors Against Fraud to Educate” – a Project in Collaboration with the Local SPVM

The SAFE project is a powerful example of how Compassionate Communities are born – from an idea to a conversation, to an initiative, and ultimately to an official program adopted across all SPVM stations in Montreal.

 

It began with a local police officer who sought to create the first Fraud Support Initiative. Unlike other existing SPVM programs that focus solely on fraud prevention through education, this initiative emphasized post-intervention support for senior victims of fraud.

 

This in-person support group was piloted in 2024 in collaboration with the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Residence and the Montreal Institute of Palliative Care.  The officer reached out to us for guidance in planning, goal setting, and group development.  This partnership enabled the SPVM to provide meaningful follow-up with registered victims and benefit from the Institute’s expertise in managing difficult conversations, offering emotional support for grief and loss, and helping participants rebuild trust and confidence.

 

Monthly sessions were launched by contacting local seniors who had recently reported fraud-related crimes to the police.  Fourteen seniors were invited to take part in the pilot, which involved three to four group sessions held at a local SPVM station. The goal was to create a safe and supportive space where participants could share their experiences, build friendships, learn fraud-prevention strategies, and support one another in regaining their independence and confidence.

The specific goals of the SAFE project are:

  • To unite seniors who have been victims of fraud
  • To break the isolation and shame they may feel
  • To allow sharing their situation without being judged
  • To create a circle of friendship between participants
  • To educate them on types of frauds and prevent risk of revictimization
  • To offer resources and support

After just four sessions, the success of this project prompted the Montreal SPVM to take over the initiative and establish it as an official program across all stations in the city. They subsequently partnered with the CLSC to enhance the program with additional professional support. Since then, ongoing SAFE groups have been launched, each serving forty or more senior victims, along with growing waitlists, a clear indication of both the need for this type of support service and its meaningful impact on the well-being of our senior citizens.

 

We are proud to have been part of the initial development of this program, and through our ongoing partnerships with the SPVM, we continue to participate in community operations to reach vulnerable citizens and connect them with the resources they need.

Community Presentations and Workshops

We work with community groups, organizations, and care teams to assess needs and deliver tailored presentations and workshops, in person or virtually.

 

Offered in both French and English, our sessions cover a range of topics including caregiving, grief and bereavement and advance care planning. We address common misconceptions, share practical tools and create space for meaningful conversation.

 

Each session is adapted to the audience and setting, from workplaces and schools to seniors’ residences, municipalities and community centres, making compassionate, relevant information more accessible to all.

 

Our efforts here are driven by the goal of identifying strategic partners who can support and accelerate our growth at scale.

With the financial contribution from:

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