The Montréal West Island IUHSSC and the Red Cross Mobilized to Train Volunteers

POINTE-CLAIRE, QC, April 18, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Montréal West Island Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (IUHSSC) has taken the initiative to partner with the Red Cross to organize training for volunteers, with the aim of providing additional support to the long-term care facilities and senior residences on its territory.

Forty people will be trained every day starting today, for an indeterminate period and according to identified needs. Depending on their profiles and whether they are nurses, orderlies or other types of volunteers (caregivers, administrative employees, educational personnel, etc.), volunteers will benefit from adapted and accelerated half or full-day trainings in order to then support the employees of seniors' institutions in the West Island of Montréal.

These trainings will be run by the Red Cross and IUHSSC professionals. They will be held in three separate rooms with cohorts of eight people at a time, in accordance with ministerial social distancing instructions. At the end of the training, each person will be given the name of the long-term care centre (CHSLD) or private senior residence where they will be deployed, as well as the schedule and instructions for their reception.

Major Mobilization to Provide Support
Many people have come forward, especially in response to the call for support in the CHSLDs through La force du NOUS!/The Power of US!, an internal initiative launched by the West Island IUHSSC among all of its staff and managers, and also via the "I contribute" COVID-19 platform launched by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS).

This initiative aims to stabilize the situation on IUHSSC territory by ensuring that the necessary personnel is available on the front line when needed. The increase in personnel will provide additional support to the teams already in place to ensure the health and safety of residents and employees.

This close collaboration between the Red Cross and IUHSSC is in addition to several initiatives already in place in the West Island of Montréal.

IUHSSC wishes to reassure the population that all actions are being taken to ensure that our facilities are well equipped to deal with the pandemic, in accordance with best practices and instructions issued by the MHSS and the public health authority.

SOURCE Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal