What is the Multi-Services Center?
Taking care of retirees and meeting their needs is a priority at Cogir Senior Living. With the Multi-Services Center, you can consult an optometrist, book an appointment for podiatric care or take advantage of the services of a notary directly in the comfort of your own home, without having to travel!
The idea came directly from Frédéric Soucy, President of Cogir’s retirement home division:
“As we thought about what else we could do for our residents and their families, we thought about bringing into the residence an array of services offered by health, wellness and consulting specialists from many fields, which they use on a daily basis. Our residents’ families were telling us that they had to take time off work to accompany their relative to appointments, and our residents were telling us that they missed appointments when the weather was bad, for example.”
The project is simple: making life easier for retired people and their families, by offering them quality services at equivalent prices to those available to the general public.
A Multi-Service Center manager welcomes customers for consultations and appointments in his office. Outside opening hours, it is still possible to request an appointment via the Cogir Senior Living website, or via the appointment terminals which are present at all times in the residences.
The Multi-Services Center’s unique offering
The Multi-Services Center offers a wide range of over 35 services grouped into 3 main categories:
- Our experts solve problems: practical services such as home accompaniment, tire changing, sewing, moving, car detailing and more.
- Our experts relieve: Health care including hearing aids, optometry, oral care, massage therapy, physiotherapy and more.
- Our experts advise: Administrative and professional support with services in accounting, notary, real estate brokerage and more.
The Multi-Services Center is exclusive to Cogir Senior Living, and it is a decisive factor when it comes to choosing a home for some of our retirees.
“I can book all my appointments and get there myself, without going through my family. Audioprosthetists, dental care… it’s all there. I’m proud to be able to do all this, and it feels like I’m making business decisions!” explains one resident.
The priority clientele of Multi- Services Centers is residents, but in some retirement homes, services are also open to external customers, as long as appointments are available and there is a direct entrance to the outside so as to not disturb the peace and quiet of the retirement home. The range of services on offer may vary from one residence to another, depending on needs and local partners.
“It all started in 2014, with the opening of the first Multi- Services Center, followed by two more in the same year. Today, there are nearly 30 Multi- Services Centers in Quebec, and the expansion continues!” explains Sophie Doré, Regional Director of Multi-Services Centers, who has overseen the project since day one.
On average, Multi- Services Centers offer 15 services that can be booked directly in the retirement home. Our partners come from a wide range of fields. From medical to administrative and beauty care, a wide range of choices is available to satisfy every resident.
Nearly 45,000 appointments are made every year at the Multi- Services Centers in our retirement homes. That’s 45,000 times when a senior doesn’t have to go out of his or her way and ask for help to get to an appointment. That’s 45,000 times when he or she has been supported in his or her need.
A network of local professionals to meet seniors’ needs
At Cogir Senior Living, the culture of consuming local is very important, and this is also reflected in the choice of professionals with whom we work. Each professional working in retirement home at a Multi- Services Center has been chosen by us for the quality of their services and their proximity.
The Multi-Services Center is a win-win situation for seniors and their families, as well as for the professionals who work in the retirement home. The variety and quality of the services on offer mean that seniors can centralize all their appointments directly in the residence, without having to travel or search for a competent, reliable professional.
“We’ve found a win-win solution: with our Multi- Services Centers, seniors have access to over fifteen services, offered by accredited providers. These providers have access to their clientele without paying the price of traditional commercial rent, because the premises are shared, and families can know that their relative is not missing an appointment. We thought, this is an approach that serves everyone and makes a difference in people’s daily lives.” says Sophie Doré.
From the provider’s point of view, the advantage is significant, with a direct presence in the retirement home without having to deal with scheduling appointments. The various suppliers share the premises and reserve them on a time-slot basis. It’s not just a space that’s rented to them, it’s a well-organized structure that enables them to offer service to our customers.
This service department is constantly improving, and we’re always on the lookout for new professionals to enhance our offering. We welcome suggestions from residents about services they would like to see added, but also new proposals we may receive from partners.
Professionals renew our partnership agreements at a rate of 98%, a rate we’re proud of, as the link with partners is very important to us.
According to Sophie Doré, Regional Director of Multi-Services Centers: “The success of the Multi- Services Center can be summed up in a few words: a shared experience between residents and partners. Everyone involved in this project is satisfied, and the level of appreciation of the services offered in the Multi- Services Centers is very high, according to our annual satisfaction surveys. We want to continue along this path to offer even more services and continue to improve the quality of life for residents and their families.”
Click here to visit the page dedicated to our Multi- Services Center. Find out about the different professionals available in the nearest retirement home.
Multi-Services Centers are currently only available in Quebec. Stay tuned for future openings outside Quebec.
