Growing deafness, arthritic hands and an unsteady gait didn’t stop him. But he did need help coping at home. The Community Outreach Team visited to assess the 85-year-old’s situation and referred him to the Saul and Rae Saltzman Day Treatment Centre at Baycrest, where he was outfitted with a hearing aid, hand splints and a walker to help him move around safely – especially at the Air Canada Centre.

In 2008, the multi-disciplinary outreach team made close to 470 home visits to frail seniors like Joey. Team members assessed and recommended solutions for complex medical, functional and social problems – falls, for example, or difficulty with bathing or swallowing, or isolation. They referred some clients to Baycrest Hospital for inpatient assessment and treatment; others were recommended for outpatient care. In cases where a mental health issue was identified, clients were referred to Baycrest’s Geriatric Psychiatry Community Service.