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14 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 19, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Phone: 905-845-3824, ext. 248 Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: angela@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 Special Steps helps couple stay at home ll you need is love -- and a little help from some friends. At least, that's what's working for Phyllis and Bob Holliday. The Oakville couple is able to remain at home thanks to several factors -- the most influential being Acclaim Health's Special Steps program. Bob, 83, is a veteran who suffers from memory impairment. He receives some assistance as a veteran. Links2Care provides some home cleaning and Meals on Wheels delivers now and again, but the biggest boost Bob gets is a weekly visit from 78-year-old Acclaim volunteer June McCabe. It's McCabe who, for the last three years, takes Bob on an outing somewhere each week. Not only is it a welcome jaunt for Bob, but it gives his wife, Phyllis, a much-needed break from caring for the home and a spouse with Alzheimer's. The Hollidays started out in Toronto's east end as newlyweds. Their married life saw them raise three children and resulted in six grandchildren, took them out west as far as Vancouver where they lived for a dozen years thanks to a job transfer for Bob who was an electrical engineer, and then saw them move back to Ontario and finally settle in Oakville when they downscaled in their retirement. The two have known one another since Phyllis was 14 -- so the ability to remain together in their senior years is important. "We love each other," said Bob. Their children and grandchildren don't live in town, so they researched what immediate community support their mom and dad could receive in order to remain together in their own home. According to Lilian Kee, volunteer co-ordinator of the Special Steps program, there are many causes of memory impairment, among them Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, strokes and Alzheimer Disease. Not only does McCabe provide the couple a weekly break, but Phyllis also attends a support group run by Acclaim Health for caregivers every two weeks. "Usually Bob is in a good mood, but sometimes he's angry," said Phyllis about her husband's condi- A DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER ACCLAIM HELPS: Bob and Phyllis Holliday want to stay home together in their retirement and a weekly visit from Acclaim Health volunteer June McCabe and the Special Steps program is helping them realize their goal. "We're dealing with a very vulnerable segment of the population." Lilian Kee, volunteer co-ordinator Special Steps program Acclaim Health tion. "Sometimes I'm too sexy, too," jokes Bob whose memory impairment does not hamper his sense of humour and often leads him into being more candid than people expect. "Sometimes he's a pain in the butt," retorts Phyllis, admitting, however, the support group not only provides emotional bolstering, but also assistance. Phyllis said her husband had always attended to the household bills, business and heavy chores -- all of which she has now taken on. "I always looked after the house and kids," said Phyllis, to which Bob quickly adds, "And me." Phyllis said McCabe's weekly visit is more than welcome. "It gives me time to just be by myself, time for myself," she said. Kee said she takes care in matching volunteers with clients because she said it's important the matches are comfortable for everyone -- and successful. All volunteers are carefully screened, go through a police check and must provide two written character references. "We're dealing with a very vulnerable segment of the population," said Kee, noting the program is an offshoot of Acclaim's Friendly Visiting program, but caters to those with memory impairment. With about 70 clients and only 25 volunteers, Kee said sometimes volunteers work with more than one client. "I'm out visiting a lot myself," admitted Kee, who welcomes hearing from anyone interested in donating a few hours of time once a week. For her part, McCabe, a native of England, said she was always used to caring for someone in her life. Her grandfather lived with her in her younger years, she and her husband, Peter, had five children, and her dad moved in with her family upon her mom's death -- "I usually go home giggling. Bob talks to everybody. He'll start a conversation with anyone and I find that good because I'm not a person to start conversations." June McCabe, Special Steps volunteer and then she cared for her husband, but discovered a large void when her husband, who had Parkinson's, passed away five years ago. The decision to "give back" came in the wake of her husband's illness. McCabe said looking after him was a 24/7 job and she was always grateful for a couple of hours here and there -- to get her hair done or just regroup and relax. "I've always volunteered," said McCabe who was a Girl Guide leader and a long-time natural family planning teacher in her younger years. So when she spotted an ad that Acclaim Health needed volunteers, she picked up the telephone. "I come here and take Bob out. We chat and we've become good friends. Sometimes we go down to the lake, Bob used to have a boat. We don't swim, but he's always threatening it," laughed McCabe. When the weather is not so good, they go to the mall. McCabe's regular visit is on Fridays, but they're flexible as sometimes it changes as McCabe also square dances. "I like Bob and Phyllis. I'm living in a condo at the moment so I also like to get out, I like to be doing something," said McCabe, adding that Bob's relentless humour is also fun. "I usually go home giggling," she said. "Bob talks to everybody. He'll start a conversation with anyone and I find that good because I'm not a person to start conversations." Special Steps has been running since 1996. Anyone interested in volunteering with the Special Steps program can contact Acclaim Health located at 2370 Speers Rd., call Kee at 905-827-8800, ext. 2314 or e-mail her at lkee@acclaimhealth.ca.