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Aging At Home
Aging At Home Funds at Work in Your Community
In August, 2007, the WWLHIN was allocated $37 million from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Aging At Home provincial initiative (province wide, $700 million over three years is being invested in the initiative).
The WWLHIN’s Aging At Home strategy is to provide a suite of services for seniors to enable them to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible, in a safe home of their choice
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet on Aging at Home programs reviewed in Year 2 |
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WWLHIN Investing in More Care for Seniors and Community Services
The following Aging at Home funded programs are currently offered in the WWLHIN:
1. Access to Care and Housing
The Working Centre
This program involves 3 components:
Street outreach service to prematurely aged adults experiencing absolute homelessness. The program aims to stabilize and improve access to outreach supports that respond to crisis, link people with existing medical services and stabilize individuals experiencing homelessness.
At home outreach for prematurely aged adults who have housing that is unsafe or unstable and are at risk of homelessness. Work with these individuals to support safe access to WWCCAC professionals to provide after-hospital care and preventive supports and timely attention to health issues.
Hospitality House is a non-medical supportive housing project for prematurely aged adults experiencing homelessness or living in unsafe housing who are between acute care and palliative care. The program provides these individuals with sustainable access to supported care, access to existing health and rehabilitative services.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $668,868
2. Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Services
Traverse Independence
Traverse Independence offers a range of customized programs and services for adults with acquired brain injuries (ABI). Each of their programs focuses on maximizing ABI clients’ abilities to live independently. Aging at home expanded the suite of services offered at Traverse for seniors living with ABI and included an adult day program and transitional living services.
The ABI Adult Day Program offers an opportunity for seniors to relearn skills, socialize, and build friendships in a small, accessible setting where attendant services, behavioural facilitators, and life skills staff are available.
Traverse was also funded through aging at home to provide transitional living and rehabilitation for local residents living with ABI who have the capacity to live independently in the community with ABI specific supports. Individualized care programs are developed by an ABI clinical team. Clients have access to support services 24 hours a day, seven days a week if required.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $983,398
* The year 2 review of the Aging at Home services at Traverse Independence was inclusive of the Transitional Living Services component, which is part of a larger suite of services funded at Traverse that support ABI clients.
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program3. Adult Day Services Network
City of Cambridge, City of Waterloo, St. Joseph's Health Centre and Trinity Village (Lutheran Homes)
The WWLHIN's network of existing day service providers has expanded some of their programs to include hard-to-serve senior populations, including seniors with physical limitations and multiple health considerations, as well as those with complex needs as a result of dementia, or Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). These programs are vital to providing social stimulation and therapeutic recreation to affected seniors while allowing for much needed caregiver respite.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $826,924
4. Assisted Living for At Risk Elderly
Guelph Independent Living
This program provides support services to low income seniors within three existing rent-geared-to-income housing sites. Seniors have access to a menu of services that correspond to their personal support needs. This includes personal care, housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation assistance support with medications, crisis intervention, emergency response, safety checks, reassurance and emotional support, social and recreational programming, coordinated shopping and errands, and accompaniment to medical appointments.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $539,400
5. Connections to Healthy Aging
Fairview Mennonite Homes
The activity centre at Fairview Mennonite Home extends services to the broader community of seniors, providing physican activity, healthy eating and advice on dietary needs, education on chronic diseases, and social connectedness. The centre has a warm-water therapy pool, a bowling alley, a woodworking shop, and a new fitness and exercise room.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $291,035
6. Expanded Attendant Outreach
Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region
Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region (ILCWR) expanded its Attendant Outreach Services by adding capacity to provide comprehensive physical supports to help seniors with physical disabilities live independently in the community. Individuals using the program are involved in identifying their needs, determining their service plan and directing the staff who provide the service. Consumers using the outreach program receive assistance with personal care enabling them to remaining in their home of choice.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $575,000
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
7. First Link
Alzheimer Society of Guelph-Wellington, Alzheimer Society of Cambridge, Alzheimer Society of Kitchener-Waterloo
This program provides early access to coordinated services for caregivers and individuals recently diagnosed with dementia by building better linkages between diagnosing primary care physicians, other members of the primary care team, community service providers and the Alzheimer Societies.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $203,500
8. Geriatric Emergency Management (GEM) Nurses
St. Mary's General Hospital
GEM nurses are now available in each emergency department to assist older adults in returning to their home and accessing needed services following their emergency department visit.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $1,600,000
9. Geriatric Lead
St. Mary’s General Hospital
The Geriatric Lead provides leadership in developing, implementing and evaulating a model of care for geriatric services throughout the WWLHIN.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $75,000
10. In Home Primary Care
Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre (WWCCAC)
The Guelph Family Health Team (FHT) provides in-home primary care to frail, isolated seniors in the City of Guelph. Nurse Practitioners provide community-based primary care with physician consultation. Senior residents are referred to community based supports to enable them to live as independently as possible in the home of their choice.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $161,457
11. Integrated Assisted Living Program
Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre (WWCCAC)
The Integrated Assisted Living Program (IALP) provides personal support and homemaking services in combination with assisted living elements to support "aging in place". The goal of the program is to ensure that their senior clients have basic activation, recreation and social needs met through access to appropriate services and programs as well as access to 24 / 7 support, which maintain or enhance their health outcomes.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $4,760,853
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
12. Intensive Geriatric Services Worker
Trellis Mental Health and Supportive Services
Intensive Geriatric Services Workers (IGSWs) provide intensive support and transition for frail seniors with complex needs, through integration of, and collaboration with, health and community support services. This program provides support and transition to frail seniors with complex needs.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $1,061,784
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
13. Linking Survivors with Survivors
Grand River Hospital
This program connects stroke survivors to more recent stroke survivors in a peer-to-peer support and assistance model. It also provides access to a toll free information line and online educational resources.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $148,179
14. Overnight Weekday Respite Care
Sunnyside Home, Regional Municipality of Waterloo Region
Sunnyside Home extended their weekend-only provision of overnight stay care through the entire week, year-round. The project provides caregiver respite as well as supports / linkages to those marginalized seniors / families effected by serious health illness and / or dementia related behavior difficulties. Six new clients with cognitive impairments are admitted twice a week on an ongoing basis to the Sunnyside Home locations. This totals an additional 2,190 overnight stay care beds days per year.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $171,681
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
15. Community Hospice Palliative Care Teams
Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre (WWCCAC)
Three community palliative care teams were created, one in each of Cambridge and North Dumfries; Kitchener-Waterloo and rural Waterloo; and Wellington County. The teams work with all health care sectors, settings and primary care providers. Services are provided in either a home or clinic setting as appropriate to the patient's condition. Team members may accompany primary care providers on patient visits to assist in the development of individualized care plans, to provide point of care teaching and to improve communication among the care providers in the circle of care.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $765,463
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
16. Parish Nursing
Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre (WWCCAC)
Parish Nursing offers services within a faith-based community as well as the surrounding geographic community. It facilitates a broad range of health and wellness programs including health education, exercise, weight management, blood pressure screening clinics and support groups.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $114,568
17. Seniors Centre for Excellence - Close to Home
Township of Mapleton
This program provides seniors with a central point of access to transportation, preventative care, friendly visits, exercise programs, social and recreation programs of interest, and one on one support programs and services in the Township of Mapleton, Town of Minto and the Township of Wellington North.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $179,300
18. Sunnyside Supportive Housing
Sunnyside Home, Regional Municipality of Waterloo
The Sunnyside Supportive Housing initiative provides assisted living services to 17 frail elderly and 13 seniors requiring mental health supports in a 30 unit apartment complex. The service includes access to 24-hour care that bridges the gap between independent living and long-term care. Based on individual need, clients may access personal support, homemaking, and attendant care, which will enable them to live independently in the community for a longer period of time.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $663,673
*New* Click here for an infographic fact sheet of this program
19. Transitional Care Program
St. Joseph's Health Care Centre and Grand River Hospital
The transitional care program includes putting additional beds in place to assist with the flow of Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients from hospital beds to their final destination, whether that is a long-term care home, hospice or other facilities. This includes interim long-term care beds located throughout Waterloo Wellington as well as restorative care beds.
Current annual funding allocation (as of April 1, 2012): $2,060,960
What is an Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patient and how do ALC patients impact ED wait times?
ALC patients are people in hospital beds who would be better cared for in an alternate setting, such as long-term care, rehab, or home. Having more home care and community services enables ALC patients to leave hospital sooner, making more beds available to ED patients who are waiting to be admitted to hospital.
How does the Aging at Home strategy help reduce ED wait times?
Our ED wait times strategy committed to reducing the time that patients wait from the moment they arrive at the ED to when they leave.
A small number of patients, approximately ten per cent, are admitted to the hospital for further tests and procedures. In order to reduce their time waiting for a bed, we need to decrease the number of patients that are waiting for discharge home with supports or space in a long term care home. Our Aging at Home and ALC strategies help to ensure that patients can transition out of the hospital safely to make room for ED patients waiting to be admitted.
WWLHIN Aging At Home Strategy
View the Year 1 (2008/2009) Project Materials
View Year 2 Call for Proposals