Canada’s senior population is growing. And it’s growing fast.
According to a recent report released by Ontario’s Ministry of Longterm Care,
Living Longer, Living Well, Ontarians aged 65 years and older represented 14.6 per cent of the province’s population in 2011. And the number of Ontarians in that age bracket is expected to double over the next two decades.
These facts invariably beg the question, given our already stressed health care system, how do we ensure that older Ontarians are getting the best possible care? And how do we do that without bankrupting the system?
According to the Living Longer report, one essential strategy is to take advantage (and to bolster) existing community healthcare networks.
In response to the Ontario report, the
Toronto Central CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) has released a
short video demonstrating the advantages of these community networks. The five-minute animated short focuses on 80-year old 'Miranda' and her daughter, her primary caregiver. We follow Miranda as she gets help navigating Ontario’s complex health care system with the help of a CCAC "care coordinator." Thanks to the care coordinator, who communicates with Miranda’s multiple healthcare providers and consolidates all her health information into one easily transferable document, Miranda is able to get the most efficient care and can continue living in her own home.
According to Stacey Daub, chief executive officer for the Toronto Central CCAC, the video demonstrates the power of what is called the Integrated Client Care Program (ICCP) . ICCP, a patient-focused model that coordinates care providers, helps seniors stay in their homes longer and have autonomy over the care they receive.
"We are an ardent supporter of the recommendations made in Dr. Sinha's report [Dr. Shina is the lead writer of the Living Well, Living Longer report] and have worked tirelessly to transform the care experience of the elderly while supporting family members and caregivers," says Daub. "Early evidence shows our programs help seniors avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and stay at home longer; our Integrated Client Care Program is one example of how we connect seniors suffering from complex conditions with health care professionals and services at home and in their communities."
The Toronto Central CCAC is part of an Ontario-wide non profit network that connects Ontarians with in-home and community-based health care.
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Stacey Daub, Toronto Central CCAC