During the pandemic, the Maison Gilles-Carle de Brome-Missisquoi completed a years-long expansion of its space to help meet the region's needs for more caregiver supports. This week, the non-profit presented the results of its expansion.<\/p>\n
The Brome-Missisquoi Caregiver Support Group (BMCSG) was created in 1996 after the CLSC La Pommeraie consulted the population that fell within its administrative region.\u00a0<\/span>The consultation revealed that there was a need of more support for caregivers in the region. The BMCSG has been offering support services to caregivers throughout the Brome-Missisquoi territory ever since.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A major undertaking of the non-profit organization is the Maison Gilles-Carle de Brome-Missisquoi, a physical space where the BMCSG could offer critical services, like respite.<\/p>\n The Maison Gilles-Carle de Brome-Missisquoi was constructed in 2012, but it recently underwent an expansion.\u00a0<\/span>The expansion project was launched in 2021 after a fundraising campaign that took place between 2014 to 2019.\u00a0<\/span>This week, the BMCSG was finally able to show off the results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFrom the beginning, the BMCSG was to help caregivers; our clientele is caregivers. As a service to the caregivers, we offer respite. So that\u2019s why the Maison Gilles-Carle was built and recently expanded,\u201d noted Christine Tougas, executive director of the BMCSG. \u201cThey can go on vacation, they can simply have a rest for a day, go shopping, or do nothing, it\u2019s just time for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Tougas said that the board of directors for the BMCSG worked on the expansion project for a couple years, but it was officially launched in 2021 with construction taking longer than expected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t have enough materials and people to work, it\u2019s longer. We have to wait for something, then wait for something else, but now it\u2019s done and we are really happy,\u201d mentioned Tougas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The total cost of construction falls between $650,000 and $700,000. The expansion project was made possible as a result of community support.<\/p>\n \u201cWe collected $300,000 from the community and the rest is from Desjardins,\" said Tougas.<\/p>\n The BMCSG has a day service and an overnight service for the loved ones of the caregivers seeking respite. Prior to the expansion, the BMCSG could welcome eight people per day, four for the day respite and four for the overnight respite.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have two more rooms so we may welcome six people every night instead of four and same thing for just the day service (expansion of common areas). There may be 12 people here every day. Downstairs we have spaces for three people to work to offer counselling and psycho-social help,\u201d highlighted Tougas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are support groups, coffee meetings for the caregivers, and special support groups for those caregivers dealing with the loss of a their loved one or a loved one that is put in a residence.<\/p>\n The assisted person is taken care of by the BMCSG\u2014from helping with food, to showering, to getting dressed\u2014until the caregiver\u2019s period of respite is finished.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really like a family here, it\u2019s not like a hospital. It\u2019s a house, we know almost everybody, they know us, they come downstairs to see us when we work. I think it\u2019s appreciated by the caregivers and those being being assisted,\u201d said Tougas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now that the expansion project is concluded, Tougas said the BMCSG wants to \u201cstabilize\u201d its finances to ensure the organization has reoccurring funding to support its mission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n