ABLE2 is a charitable organization that empowers individuals of all ages across the disability spectrum and their families to lead fulfilling lives by supporting them with programs, services, and resources. Three quarters of this population has more than one disability and one third are over the age of 65. This marginalized population is diverse in ethnicity, age and type of disability. By the yea
r 2050, Canadian seniors and people living with disabilities will have the highest rate of poor physical and mental health outcomes than any other demographic (Mental Health Commission of Canada [MHCC], 2020; Whalen, 2013). Social isolation, depression and loneliness are negatively impacting the mental and physical well-being of seniors and people living with a disability. ABLE2’s programs tackle the basic human need for social connections. This need is recognised in research that shows that there is a strong and positive association between quality of life and social participation (Canadian Community Health Survey, 2008, 2009). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this need for social connection for all community members. ABLE2 has been proactively adapting all their programming to continue to offer support and resources to Ottawa’s most vulnerable citizens. ABLE2’s programs channel the power of compassionate people to provide hope and support to the city’s most vulnerable citizens in several ways.
• Matching Program – volunteers are matched one-on-one with people living with disabilities of all ages, across the disability spectrum.
• Build Community aims to build relationships for individuals living with a disability, by building a network of unpaid people who support the individual in their daily life.
• Person Directed Planning and Facilitation (PDPF) for individuals and families - focuses on helping those living with disabilities to discover their dreams and aspirations, and then to develop a plan to reach their goals, based on their strengths, interests and abilities.
• Fetal Alcohol Resource Program (FARP) - draws together the resources, skills and knowledge that exists in Ottawa and provides clinical support and community navigation for individuals with FASD and their families.
• Family Support – ABLE2 offers a series of educational workshops on a variety of topics including a Caregiver Retreat, a therapeutic Siblings Group (children and teens) and a Funding Brokerage. ABLE2 strives to deliver programming that helps build an inclusive community in Ottawa where everyone can participate, according to their abilities, as full community members. Impact evaluations clearly show that inclusion, the reduction of loneliness and isolation and the resulting improvement in mental and physical health has a significant positive benefit on the lives of people with disabilities, their families, the volunteer cohort and the community at large.
