For many people, living in a pandemic can be challenging.
With public health restrictions and a state of emergency in effect to contain the spread of covid19, everyday activities can seem tedious.
For senior citizens, particularly those living alone, the situation is even more stressful.
Cognisant of this reality, Island Living Co Ltd recently launched a paid transportation and delivery service targeting senior citizens in Tobago.
Island Living, headquartered in Port of Spain, caters to the needs of residential care facilities throughout TT and also advocates on their behalf to the authorised bodies governing such institutions.
The transportation and delivery service, called Access, seeks to help senior citizens with typical activities such as paying bills and attending appointments.
“The pandemic has injected fear into a lot of people and so the project aims to assist seniors in accessing grocery items, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, even doctor visits,” the company’s managing director Nigel Walcott said in a Newsday interview.
He said although the project caters to seniors 55 years and over, in the first instance, younger adults would be accommodated depending on their needs.
“So, it is not limited but designed with seniors in mind – those who are afraid to get outside because of covid19 but really need to access goods and services.”
Walcott said Island Living Co Ltd is part of a network of institutions caring for senior citizens.
[caption id="attachment_901524" align="alignnone" width="768"] Nigel Walcott, managing director, Island Living Co Ltd which is offering a transportation and delivery service, called Access, to help senior citizens with typical activities such as paying bills and attending appointments. -[/caption]
It includes the Tobago Association of The Elderly (TATE) and the Sister Martha Foundation, a senior activity centre located in Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord.
A health facility inspector, Walcott has worked extensively in the field of senior citizen care for close to ten years.
The job entails ensuring that residences maintain proper standards for clients.
Walcott said accessing the service is simple.
“The client just has to make a request and if they do not want to venture outside but prefer that items are dropped off at their door, they can have that service.”
They can also prepare a list of all of the things they need and have someone pick up the items and bring it back to their homes.
Walcott said clients are being sourced through the TATE and other senior citizen groups on the island.
“So, basically, we want people to know the service is there. It is available and they can utilise it.”
Walcott said the project was inspired by his passion for the elderly.
“In Trinidad, we have a couple of persons doing delivery systems but it is not naturally geared towards this cohort (the elderly).
“But, I did not see anything like this happening
