A new project by Community Care Durham is hoping to lend a hand to seniors in the region.
The organization has hired two geriatric nurses to deliver rapid, front-line interventions in Oshawa. The nurses will visit clients’ homes, be a first point of contact for clients and act as a bridge of source for services.
“The staff members would send a referral to me, and I would do a bit of an assessment to see what interventions need to be put in place right away and what other resources in the community I can link the clients to,” said Natasha Valentine, a community geriatric nurse specialist.
The organization says the program will cater to those in assisted living, supportive housing and others involved in the various current adult day programs.
By providing early intervention, advocates say more seniors will stay out of hospitals and long-term care homes.
“(Emergency department) visits, hospital stays, and premature moves to long-term care truly could be reduced with the proper specialized connection to specialized geriatric services,” said Anne-Marie Yaraskavitch, a health-care advocate for seniors.
Staff hope the project offers a warm touch to older adults who have been hesitant to leave their homes during the pandemic.
“There are many, many people who can’t get to see their family physician right away,” said Community Care Durham CEO James Maloche.
“They don’t actually recognize themselves when they’re having a decline. And (it’s been) no more self-evident now with COVID, because so many things have gone untreated for the last year and a half.”
The organization says there are no fees associated with the program, which is currently being funded through Ontario Health Team.
More information can be found here.