Between July 5 and August 7, 2020, in the scope of the Visit an isolated senior operation, all neighbourhood police stations were asked to go door to door as part of mixed teams made up of police officers and local stakeholders to locate isolated seniors.
Conducted in collaboration with the Direction de la santé publique de Montréal (DRSP) (public health service), this operation aimed to promote awareness to these individuals on prevention of abuse, theft and fraud which may be committed against them. Stakeholders from over 32 different community organizations took part in these visits after which they provided personalized counselling based on the needs of the people they met.
In fact, the SPVM, the DRSP and their partners were very concerned by the precarious situation in which some vulnerable seniors found themselves during the pandemic, especially those who live alone, isolated in their home or who are not known to the health, social or community services.
The teams vast operation knocked on 13,600 doors and met 4,274 individuals aged 65 and over, including 910 aged over 80. Thanks to the vigilance of two patrol officers and their colleagues, a 65-year-old man suffering from untreated mental and physical health problems was admitted to hospital, which saved his life.
