Legion volunteers, under the Outreach and Visitation Initiative (OVI), have visited thousands of Veterans to ensure proper care
OTTAWA, ON, March 24th 2015 – More than 3,500 Veterans living in Long Term Care Facilities who are supported by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) have been visited by Legion volunteers in 2014 under the federal government’s Outreach and Visitation Initiative (OVI).
“The OVI plays a vital role by allowing our Legion volunteers to visit Canada’s Veterans in Long Term Care facilities to make sure they are receiving the kind of care for which they are entitled,’ says Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion, Tom Eagles. “This is one more example of the benefits derived by having Legion members in almost every community. No other veterans’ based not-for-profit organization has this capability nor does VAC have the staff needed to conduct all of the visits necessary under the OVI,” states Eagles.
At our Dominion Convention in 2000, our delegates passed a Resolution asking the federal government institute a transitional care program that will ensure the safety and dignity of the Veteran. Veterans Affairs Canada responded with the Long Term Care Surveyor program which was replaced by the Outreach and Visitation Initiative in 2013. VAC increased their commitment in 2015 for this important initiative which will allow our OVI volunteers to make 8,000 visits to our Veterans in LTC facilities.
This initiative will expire in the Fall of 2015 and the Legion will impress upon the current government the importance of continuing this essential service to ensure the proper care of Canada’s Veterans.
Any Legion member who would like to volunteer for this program should contact the OVI Coordinator, Gary Foster at: gfoster@legion.ca6 .
Related link: Outreach and Visitation7
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For further information please contact Bruce Poulin at Dominion Command, The Royal Canadian Legion at (613) 591-3335 ext. 241 or by cell at (613) 292-8760 or bruce.poulin@legion.ca8.