CHATS is truly a not-for-profit, charitable organization that York Region can call its own. It was launched by local residents in 1980, to assist seniors exclusively in York Region.

Based on a passion for caring and community, volunteers are the heart and soul of CHATS – they make a positive difference in the health and wellness of more than 3,500 York Region seniors and caregivers each year.

CHATS is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, United Way of York Region, and generous community donors. All our funds are spent to enhance and develop our services and programs.

CHATS’s quality achievements and service delivery model have been commended by the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation.

Building a showcase community wellness model for senior care in York Region

CHATS prides itself on being an organization that focuses on the potential of what can be; bringing light and life to fresh ideas, and achieving beyond what was thought possible.

It is in this spirit that we’ve developed a new Vision for CHATS – a Vision that looks ahead to our next quarter-century, positioning CHATS as a leading-edge, ground-breaking organization that paves the way toward excellence in the seniors sector.

CHATS is embarking on a remarkably innovative journey, by re-focusing our approach to wellness. What is wellness and what does it mean to CHATS? To us, wellness is about more than the absence of illness: it embraces a holistic approach that nurtures our clients’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.

On a practical level, this Vision will be reflected in all that we do, from the exceptional ways we meet our clients’ individual needs, to our focus on relationship-building with our stakeholders.

We encourage you to join us on our journey to embrace wellness in both your personal life and as a member of our CHATS community. Copies of our Vision brochure are available – please let us know if you’d like one.

Walk with us down the path to wellness!

• A recognized, innovative leader in the home and community support sector that paves the way toward a new standard of excellence.
• Client-centered, meeting the individual needs of each and every client, and enhancing our customer service with a “one contact and satisfied” philosophy.
• Wellness-focused, responding to the wellness and social support needs of seniors and caregivers.
• An exceptional relationship-builder among our clients, volunteers, staff, partners and policy-makers.

CHATS is dedicated to assisting seniors with an independent lifestyle in the culturally-diverse communities of York Region. CHATS is also committed to providing care and support to caregivers, addressing their unique needs and concerns. Our values:

• The client’s right to choice, dignity and independence
• Building trust, caring and respect
• Promoting community participation
• Commitment to ethics and quality improvement
• Excellent customer service and client safety practices
• Innovative leadership and advocacy
• Developing staff and volunteer commitment
  

Wellness and healthy aging: a priority

It’s a fact: our local population is growing by leaps and bounds. By 2011, there will be more than 55,000 seniors aged 75 and older living in York Region, and more than 70,000 by 2016.

This “new senior” age group will double in the next 10 years. Baby boomers will be their caregivers, and they will begin hitting age 65 in 2012. These “new seniors” and “boomer seniors” will have different expectations of senior life – they will expect a positive attitude toward aging and services that support optimum health and lifestyle.

* Statistics source: Regional Municipality of York