October 2018

EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER

UPDATES

One small change can have a huge impact: Make a Change Day pledge today! Renowned spine surgeon is transforming the way Ontario deals with back pain Better supporting Francophones in the south west Specialist care in the South West LHIN

Big White Wall is an online safe space where you can access mental health support 24/7. A place where you can share and get help anonymously. No judgement. No stigma. Free in Ontario.

Update from Ron Sapsford, Interim CEO, South West LHIN  I hope that you all had a safe and happy summer, and are ready to move forward with our busy fall season.   Over the summer months, the South West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has gathered input for the development of our next Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) 2019-2022. This plan sets out the overall direction for the health system and outlines a collective plan for improvement.   We have received very high quality feedback from service providers, local residents and staff through our various IHSP engagement activities. Read Ron's full message in our online newsletter.

Improving musculoskeletal care through Rapid Access Clinics The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the South West LHIN are committed to improving appropriateness of care for people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. One way to improve care is to expand MSK Rapid Access Clinics, a central intake, assessment and management model that has proven benefits to patients and providers. Rapid Access Clinics have been introduced across the province to help people with musculoskeletal conditions access the right care - starting with moderate to severe hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) and low back pain.   Primary care providers, including family doctors, will soon have one point of contact to refer patients (i.e. central intake).  Full article available in our online version of this Exchange newsletter.

Better supporting families in the community through adult day programs Adult day programs promote physical and mental wellness, and help prevent caregiver burnout so families can live at home together longer.   Mary-Jean Bowman Muir doesn’t know how she managed to care for her husband, Lachlan, before he started attending the adult day program at the Salvation Army twice a week. She uses the time he is at the program to not only check off tasks from her to-do list, like banking, appointments, grocery shopping, and household chores, but to take care of herself.  Read more about how adult day programs help the Muir family.

Mary-Jean Bownman Muir, pictured above, relies on adult day programs as caregiver for her husband.

An additional $2 million to support people living with dementia and their caregivers   “Overnight respite provides a break from my ongoing caregiver challenges and enables me to recharge my batteries. The end result is that I have been able to keep my husband at home as long as possible,” says Patty, a family member at McCormick Dementia Services. “When I pick him up after an overnight respite stay, he is so happy!”. As a result of Ontario’s Dementia strategy, providers like McCormick Dementia Services are able to offer care to more patients and their caregivers in the community. This strategy is focused on improving access to high-quality care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.  Read more about the Dementia strategy and how it's making a difference.

Patty Hutchison, pictured above with her husband Dick, says overnight respite allows her to "recharge her batteries".

Ensuring that end-of-life needs of patients and their families are better met through MAID  As planning and dialogue continues with stakeholders related to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), the ultimate goal is to ensure that end-of-life needs of patients and their families are better met.   With the passage of Medical Assistance in Dying legislation in June 2016, and Ontario’s MAID Statute Amendment Act coming into force in May 2017, the South West LHIN has began building systems in response to the legislation which allows for MAID and protects all those that support patients in their journey. More on this and our new MAID navigator in our online newsletter.

Providing Indigenous patients with culturally safe palliative care In May 2016, a report developed by the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) found that culturally safe palliative care services are not equally accessible to Indigenous people, particularly those that live on reserve. The report identified 14 recommendations to address the current gaps in palliative care for Indigenous people living in the South West LHIN. Read about culturally safe palliative care in our online version of this newsletter.

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