One of the main goals of the Parya Trillium Foundation is to assist Iranian-Canadian families in caring for their elderly family members. Due to a variety of factors (language, lack of mobility etc.), senior members of the Iranian-Canadian community are often not able to access appropriate services designed for their age group. Parya’s goal is to bridge this gap by offering services to Iranian-Canadian seniors in their own language.

Parya would like to offer two types of services to Iranian-Canadian seniors:

Home Care Services:

Parya believes that it is important to allow seniors to live independently in the comfort of their own home. Our goal is to arrange for home support services as needed. When living independently is no longer possible or desirable, Parya programs will assist those individuals to secure appropriate accommodation and services to maximize their quality of life in a safe environment.

Parya Community Centre – Senior’s Facilities:

As Parya’s goal is to be a true community recreation facility, serving all members of the community becomes pivotal. Our goal is to provide an extensive range of social, health, recreational and educational opportunities for adults ages 55 plus. We will encourage active living and life-long learning for all seniors associated with the centre. In conjunction with geriatric specialists and other interested stakeholders, Parya will work to create a holistic grouping of services for Iranian-Canadian seniors.

Services will include:

• Social services referral

• Interpretation and translation

• Assistance in completing forms and applications

• Advice on nutrition, self-care, budgeting and legal matters

• Household management

• Information on available long-term care

• Inter-generational counselling and mediation

One of the main goals of the Parya’s senior programs is the creation of a long-term care facility to better meet the needs of the seniors in our community once they are no longer able to live in their own homes.

Paryahas expressed an interest in establishing a facility devoted entirely for geriatric care.  Once realized, the proposed long-term care centre will not only enhance the quality of life of the respected and valued seniors of the community, but will also initiate an on-going commitment towards community development and education. This project will be executed in four different phases

The Seniors’ Community Centre will encourage a full and healthy lifestyle by promoting social interaction, physical activity, and mental stimulation. In addition, health awareness will be provided through educational programs for seniors and their families. With a floor area of 25,000 S.F., the Centre will consist of the following spaces:

• Administration Offices

• Drop-in Area where relatives can entrust their loved one to the capable staff for the day

• Medical Centre

• Multi-Purpose room with fixed seating that can accommodate 500 people and can be rented out for different functions

• Library and reading room

• T.V. and Newspaper rooms

• Service Areas

• Kitchen and Cafeteria

• Caregiver's room

• Future expansion of the Centre will include additional services such as day care for the volunteers' children, ESL classes, Art classes, Green house, sunrooms, private meeting rooms for social counselling, and gymnasium for light physical activities

This next phase will emphasize the long term health care of the Centre’s users. This facility will house the various modern medical services offered while providing a warmer, more nurturing environment in comparison to traditional hospitals. The design will focus on the well-being of its users, both physically and mentally. With a total of 24,000 S.F., this phase of the project will accommodate 64 beds that may be expanded to 128 beds if the need arises. The 24 hour nursing services will include Medical care, Physiotherapy and Recreational as well as Therapeutic programs.

The 2 non-profit apartment buildings will each have 96 one bedroom units and a total floor area of 76,800 S.F. Each unit will be designed with great sensitivity to the daily needs and limitations of its occupants. Priority will be given to a barrier-free design for ease of use and comfort. The provision of this type of housing will give a sense of independence and privacy to its tenants while providing easy access to support facilities for their medical and social needs. In addition, an underground passage to the Community Centre will be provided for their convenience

The Seniors Townhouse will include 36, two storey, two bedroom units with a total floor area of 40,000 S.F. Similar to the apartment buildings, each unit will offer to its resident both privacy and independence without compromising the benefits of a support system. Its proximity to the Community Centre and its facilities will guarantee a healthy, stable and safe environment

The importance of fresh air and sunshine to the overall well-being of residents will be emphasized in the design of the outdoor facilities. The paved walkways, ponds, planted areas and gazebos will facilitate and encourage the outdoor activities of the seniors. Other provisions such as gardening facilities will be provided for seniors interested in gardening to enhance their quality of life. Practical needs such as the provision of required parking for the residents, visitors and volunteers will be dealt with most efficiently.