Team care helps seniors stay at home
Baycrest’s unique day programs and community services have long supported that all important continuum of care which helps older adults live independently and safely in their own homes for as long as possible and provides them with increased support if and when they need it.
In the past two years, Baycrest has expanded its community-focused programming by becoming a key part of new initiatives that support the Ontario government’s Aging at Home strategy.
One example is the New Heights Seniors Health Project, a collaborative primary care and specialized geriatric care model that serves frail, at-risk and marginalized seniors in a number of priority neighbourhoods with in-home health care and social services. The objectives are to reduce inappropriate admissions to emergency departments and inpatient units in hospitals, and link seniors to community services that support aging at home.
Baycrest’s role in the program is facilitated by advanced practice nurse Aysha Bandali who liaises between the primary health-care team and the specialized geriatric services provided by Baycrest. “I work with the team to assess, recommend and connect seniors in the community to appropriate geriatric services at Baycrest,” she says. These services include, among others, geriatric medical and psychiatry outreach programs, a day treatment centre, an assessment and treatment unit and an acute care unit in the Baycrest Hospital, Ben and Hilda Katz Building, and outpatient clinics. The integrated team also includes partners from the Toronto CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) and a number of seniors support agencies.
“The New Heights Project is a great example of a collaborative aging at home strategy that reaches vulnerable seniors living in the community who are at great risk of hospitalization and emergency department visits,” notes Linda Jackson, Executive Director of Community and Ambulatory Programs at Baycrest.
“We are very committed to working with partners who have expertise that complements Baycrest’s specialized knowledge in geriatric medicine and psychogeriatrics. We are very pleased to be part of this innovative model of community-based care delivery.”
Related Links