Par-Aîné Project

This project is intended for women and men aged 65 and over identified by the residential centre as being autonomous and alone. By offering Par-Ainé Project, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Montreal, wishes to provide isolated seniors, the benefits of a mentor/ mentored relationship.

The relationship with a mentor allows the senior to break the isolation sharing a privileged bond. In order to do that we pair autonomous seniors who demonstrate a desire to participate in the program with volunteers who care about the well-being of the clientele. This pairing is normally and ideally of a minimum duration of one year.

A Few Statistics

Seniors represent one of the fastest growing segments of the population in Canada. In 2000, the number of Canadians over 65 years of age was estimated at 3.8 million, an increase of 62% when compare to the 2.4 million in 1981. Consequently, more than 1 Canadian out of 8 is a senior (source: Statistics Canada).
The aging index, the proportion of people aged 80 years and older in the 65 years and over population, has seen a continuous increase in Quebec during the last few years, going from 16% in 1971 to 23% in 2001. The index should follow this course to reach 26% in 2011 (source: Institut de la statistique du Québec).
Montreal distinguishes itself from the rest of Quebec and Canada by its higher proportion of seniors. Data from the 1996 census indicates that the proportion of people aged 65 years and over is 15%, compared to 12% in Quebec and Canada. We also see that more seniors live alone in Montreal (39.3%) than in the rest of Canada (29%).
If you wish to get involved with a senior, take a few minutes to complete our online questionnaire. Upon reception, we will contact you.