Queens County Home Support is expanding their services into North Queens.

The agency celebrated the opening of their Caledonia satellite office in the old Credit Union building on Highway #8 on Monday afternoon.

Executive Director Annette Hartlen says with the launch of the satellite office, the agency can expand their services beyond home care in North Queens.

Hartlen said the new location is, “basically a one-stop shop for seniors to get information about supports that may be available to them, whether it’s supports to stay in their own home or whether it’s information on what grants they may qualify for housing and repairs.”

Hartlen says services at the Caledonia office will mirror some of those already in place in Liverpool such as providing clients with help to navigate, print and complete government forms.

She says home care workers have already identified a specific need in North Queens for people to be able to do laundry when wells run low.

“There’s no public laundry facilities there, so we’ve put a washer and dryer in our office. For our clients, that service is authorized through the department of health but they’re scared their well may run dry. Our workers will take their laundry, or bring them if they want to come, to our building and have their laundry done for them,” said Hartlen.

The office will also act as a home base for the agency’s home support workers.

“They have gaps between client visits. They have no place to go. They either sit on the side of the road in their car, or whatever,” said Hartlen. “So this office will enable them a spot to come in, eat their lunch or bathroom break, whatever it may be.”

Hartlen says initially, administrative staff from Liverpool will rotate through the Caledonia office to ensure someone is there to assist during the day Monday to Friday but she hopes to hire people to staff the local office full time.

She says the office is a one-year pilot project to determine if the model can provide better services to seniors by setting up in a smaller community.

If it is successful, Hartlen would like the provincial government to replicate the model across Nova Scotia.

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