How Ottawa West Community Support helps seniors stay connected to the communities they know best

Imagine waking up in the morning, making a cup of coffee and settling into your favourite chair. Outside the window, the neighbourhood you've known for decades slowly comes to life. 

Moments like these may seem ordinary, but they represent something deeply valuable to older adults hoping to remain at home. They offer the comfort of staying in the place where memories were made, friendships were built, and daily routines have become second nature. 

“For most people, home isn't just a place. It's their life,” said Jennifer Lalonde, executive director of Ottawa West Community Support (OWCS). 

Since 1968, OWCS has helped seniors and adults with physical disabilities remain independent, connected and safe in the communities they call home. 

“People want to age in place,” she said. “We give them the tools they need to be able to do it safely.” 

From one phone and one chair 

The story of OWCS began in the basement of Parkdale United Church, where a volunteer-led Senior Citizens Support Program set out to help older adults remain safe and independent in their own homes. 

There was no large office, no fleet of vehicles and no network of programs across the city. 

“We started with one phone, one chair and some volunteers,” Lalonde recalled. 

In those early days, support often meant helping with simple home maintenance tasks, such as checking fire alarms, installing air conditioners or lending a hand around the house. Small acts of support often made the difference between struggling alone and remaining safely at home. 

As Ottawa's population grew and the needs of seniors evolved, so did the organization. By 1977, the volunteer program had expanded into a dedicated community support service for seniors, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Ottawa West Community Support. 

The organization moved into its Wellington Street home in the early 1980s and became a registered charity in 2003. 

Over the decades, that modest church-basement operation grew into one of Ottawa's largest community support organizations. Yet despite the growth, the spirit behind the work remains the same. 

“It's still about people looking out for one another,” Lalonde said. 

Today, Ottawa West Community Support serves more than 4,000 clients across the city and has a presence in 21 locations, including 19 Ottawa Community Housing sites.  

From its office in Hintonburg to community housing locations across Ottawa, the organization's work reaches seniors and adults with physical disabilities where they need support most. 

“Our role is to help people stay independent, safe and connected,” she said. 

The support in between 

Staying at home doesn't always require around-the-clock care. Often, a little support can make a big difference. 

OWCS offers a range of services that help seniors and adults with physical disabilities remain connected to their communities, navigate support systems and receive assistance at home when they need it. 

Some services focus on reducing isolation. Transportation to medical appointments, Meals on Wheels, congregate dining programs and adult day programs help people stay engaged while ensuring they can access the care and services they need. 

Other programs help navigate the often-complicated network of healthcare and social services. Through social workers based at 19 Ottawa Community Housing locations, residents can access resources and support before small challenges become larger issues. 

Home-care services extend that support even further. Personal support workers help with meal preparation, homemaking, personal care and respite services, allowing clients to maintain their independence while continuing to live at home.  

Many of those workers travel between clients’ homes throughout Ottawa each day using their own vehicles. As a CAA Business Member, OWCS provides their employees with access to roadside assistance, helping support them while they’re on the road.  

“Ottawa West Community Support is filling that gap between full independence and needing full-time care and support,” Lalonde explained. 

Many of the seniors OWCS supports have been part of the fabric of their communities for 50 or 60 years, Lalonde said. Remaining in those neighbourhoods allows them to stay connected to the people, places and routines that have shaped their lives. 

Without that support, she said, health can decline more quickly, increasing the likelihood that someone will need long-term care earlier than necessary. 

Caring for the people who care 

Behind many seniors aging at home is a family member helping to make it possible. 

Many seniors rely on spouses, children or other family members for support. While caregiving can be rewarding, it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. 

Caregiver burnout is one reason seniors may move into long-term care sooner than necessary. That's where OWCS's adult day programs come in. 

Several days a week, participants gather for activities, meals, music and conversation tailored to their interests and abilities. Some programs are designed specifically for people further along in their dementia journey, while others focus on social connection for seniors experiencing isolation.  

Most participants are transported to and from the centre through OWCS's transportation program, helping make the service accessible to families. Inside, the atmosphere is far from clinical. 

“We meet people where they are and build a day around their abilities and interests,” Lalonde explained. 

A typical day might begin with conversation over coffee before moving into gentle exercise. Lunch is shared together, followed by music, whether that's a live performance, a sing-along, or an interactive activity.  

Throughout the day, staff tailor programming to participants' interests, creating opportunities for social connection, stimulation and joy.  

“There's laughter, music. It's about creating moments of joy and connection,” Lalonde said. 

The programs offer companionship, routine and meaningful engagement. They also give caregivers something equally valuable, the time to recharge. 

“Supporting caregivers is one of the key ways we help people stay at home longer,” Lalonde noted. "Even a few hours of relief can make an enormous difference." 

The little things matter 

The impact of community support isn't always measured in life-changing moments. More often, it's found in the small acts that help people maintain their independence and dignity. 

One winter, shortly after Jennifer Lalonde joined the organization, a 100-year-old woman called looking for help after a major snowfall. She couldn't get her garbage to the curb and didn't know who else to call. 

A volunteer stepped up. 

"He said, 'I've got this,'" Lalonde recalled. 

The volunteer pulled the bins out to the curb and brought them back when the job was done. “Sometimes it's something as simple as taking the garbage out that changes someone's day,” Lalonde said. 

Lalonde recalled another instance when a volunteer was delivering a care package to a client's home. The client wasn't answering the door, so the volunteer stayed and continued checking. 

The client had fallen and needed urgent medical attention, and because someone stopped to investigate, help arrived quickly. 

“Every single thing we do matters to someone,” Lalonde said. 

A well-kept secret 

Despite supporting thousands of people every year, Jennifer Lalonde believes community support organizations remain one of Ottawa's best-kept secrets. 

“Community support services are often a well-kept secret,” she said. “There's help in every neighbourhood. You just have to reach out.” 

Volunteers remain an important part of that effort, just as they were when the organization began in the basement of Parkdale United Church in 1968.  

“Our staff are on the road every day. Without them, none of this works,” Lalonde said. “We're always looking for ways to show them they're valued.”