A message from the
Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care leadership team
We are pleased to offer our latest newsletter, an opportunity to share news about our Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care team and initiatives we have undertaken.
In this issue, you will hear how we are expanding our Nursing Only Authorization team model to enable more LPNs to oversee Nursing Only clients rather than care coordinators managing these clients’ health care needs. We also have a new Guide to Receiving Home Care Services in Nova Scotia, which is available on our website and more resources available in French to support Acadian and Francophone Nova Scotians.
There continues to be great need for continuing care services and many opportunities to make a difference in the lives of Nova Scotians. In recognition of Continuing Care month, we would like to take a moment to thank our partners and employees across the province, whose dedication and compassion continues to positively affect the lives of individuals who need continuing care services.
This is an exciting and challenging time to work in health care as our province seeks to transform, renew and modernize how we deliver health care. With Nova Scotia's Action for Health Strategic Plan as our guidepost, we are laying a strong foundation to support health care for generations of Nova Scotians.
- Reviewing our case management approach (role optimization)
- integrate continuing-care programs with other areas of the health system to improve transitions and continuity of care and
- Implementing programming that better meets the needs of specialized populations such as individuals with complex behaviours and young adults.
We also want to share with you that this summer we wished our Senior Director, Susan Stevens, farewell as she embarks on the next phase of her career journey after 27 years with Continuing Care. Glenda Keenan, our Director of Service Delivery Support will serve as Interim Senior Director.
Thank you all once again for your on-going collaboration to continue to provide the quality services that Nova Scotians deserve to enable them to live their best lives.
Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care leadership team
|
|
Tanya Nixon
Vice President, Operations
Western Zone
Kentville
|
|
Glenda Keenan
Interim Senior Director &
Director Service Delivery Support
Halifax
|
|
Erin MacNeil
Director
Eastern Zone & Nursing
Sydney
|
|
Toni Thompson
Director
Northern Zone & Placement
Truro
|
|
Bob Jenkins
Director
Western Zone
Provincial Intake & Nursing Only Authorization Team
Yarmouth
|
|
Cynthia Stilwell
Interim Director
Central Zone &
Behavioural Health
Halifax
|
|
We want to hear from you! |
|
|
|
We would appreciate it if you could complete a very brief survey by Friday, October 27 to let us know how we can improve this newsletter to better meet your needs.
|
|
Meet the Eastern Kings Memorial Health Centre Continuing Care team |
|
L – R: Catherine Callaghan, Care Coordinator; Joyce Kerr, Manager Care Coordination; Ashley Lynk, Clerk;
Tanya Gould, Care Coordinator; Mary Robinson, Care Coordinator
|
The Continuing Care team at the Eastern Kings Memorial Health Centre in Wolfville helps people of all ages that require continuing care. They assess and support people across beautiful Annapolis Valley to navigate next steps on their health care journey whether they need assistance to remain safely at home or need to transition to long-term care or consider other care options. |
Elgiva Forsyth and her son, George Forsyth, meet with Catherine Callaghan, Care Coordinator in Greenwich to complete Elgiva's annual assessment.
|
|
New Guide to Receiving Home Care Services
in Nova Scotia
|
|
The guide is intended to support individuals and families by providing information about how to access home care services, what will happen if they are in hospital, the difference between the care coordinator, home care service provider and home care nursing provider roles, how to know to prepare for service, if there is a fee or a wait list for service, how to provide feedback, who to call when, etc.
|
|
More bilingual continuing care information
for Acadian & Francophone Nova Scotians
|
|
On National Acadian Day (August 15), we announced the availability of more bilingual continuing care information on our website to support Acadian and Francophone Nova Scotians.
Continuing Care consulted with home care service providers, caregivers, clients and members of Acadian and Francophone communities to better understand how to improve quality of care, experience, and access to home care and community-based services for Acadians and Francophones.
Better access to continuing care information in French, opportunities to communicate in the client’s preferred language, and the need for education for those providing care in these communities were highlighted as desired outcomes during these consultations. Key findings and actions arising from this important work can be found in the Improving Home Care for Acadian and Francophone Nova Scotians Summary.
New online education is also now available to enhance the ability, comfort, and confidence of Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care and home care agency employees in delivering Continuing Care services to Nova Scotia's Acadian and Francophone communities.
-
Equity, Culture & Language: Caring for Acadians and Francophones: online education
-
Équité, culture et langue: Prendre soin des Acadiens et des francophones: module en ligne
Improving access to information for Acadian and Francophone communities reduces barriers to accessing health care, which can lead to more positive client health outcomes. We continue to explore ways to enhance access to our services for all Nova Scotians.
Thank you to our partners, clients and community members for their guidance, participation and support to inform how we can better support the health care of Acadian and Francophone Nova Scotians.
|
|
Nova Scotia Health frailty coordinator supports seniors on their health care journey |
|
Lauren Jefferson, Frailty Coordinator, Nova Scotia Health Western Zone |
|
Please note: This is an initiative of the Nova Scotia Health Frailty & Elder Care Network. We are sharing this for interest.
Lauren Jefferson’s passion for her role as a frailty coordinator with Nova Scotia Health is evident when she shares how she is helping seniors to live healthier, fuller lives.
Lauren is one of four frailty coordinators dedicated to each of Nova Scotia Health's four zones. A primary focus of this role is to improve understanding, awareness and identification of frailty among frontline staff and physicians to enable them to provide better care to those that live with frailty.
In June, Nova Scotia Health announced the introduction of the Early Mobilization Program to support continued efforts to improve health services for older adults. On August 3, Western Zone (South Shore, Southwest and Annapolis Valley) was the first zone to launch the Early Mobilization Program at its three regional hospitals. Three mobility assistants are available at each site to encourage patients to increase their physical activity. Read more….
|
|
Continuing Care by the numbers 2022-23 |
|
Continuing Care continues to play an integral role in the health care continuum as the number of clients requiring support within community continues to increase.
In fiscal 2022-23, approximately 33,178 Nova Scotians received home care through Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care, an increase of 3.7% over 2021-22.
During 2022-23, we supported 3,388 people to transition to long-term care, an increase of 25% over 2021-22.
|
|
Shannon Odo (LPN) embraces new team approach to support Continuing Care clients in Nova Scotia Health's Eastern Zone |
|
Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care works with its partners in the community (e.g., the Victoria Order of Nurses - VON and Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care nursing team) to provide services to help Nova Scotians live well at home or to return home following a hospital stay.
Continuing Care’s “home first” philosophy is the cornerstone for its Nursing Only Authorization Team (NOAT) approach. Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone (Cape Breton Island and Antigonish and Guysborough counties) is the latest area of the province to implement the NOAT service in May.
NOAT supports individuals that require only nursing support and typically have less complex and shorter-term health care needs such as wound care, medication management and IV antibiotics. All authorizations for urgent nursing referrals/orders (nursing service required within 24 hours) received from the community (e.g., physician offices) are now authorized by NOAT’s Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
Shannon Odo, an experienced LPN with 14 years’ experience in health care is the team lead for the Eastern Zone NOAT. Based in Sydney, the five-person team of LPNs is responsible for 887 individuals across Eastern Zone that they connect with by phone. “The work we do gives Nova Scotians the opportunity to stay at home, safely, as long as possible”, says Odo. Learn more...
|
|
Reminder: Social History Template
(Long-term Care)
|
|
These tools were developed by a working group initiated under Continuing Care’s Information Transfer at Care Transitions Project and are available at Long-Term Care | Nova Scotia Health. The development process included input from Continuing Care staff, our Patient & Family Advisors, and sector representatives from both home care and long-term care.
A social history is intended for individuals transitioning to long-term care, either for permanent admission or facility-based respite care. It can also support individuals in the community who have complex care needs and for whom it is identified that a comprehensive social history would benefit care planning and delivery of services.
When appropriate, the client, caregiver, or another person close to the individual will be given a copy of the template and guide by our staff. They will be encouraged to complete it and share it with you directly.
It is important to note:
- Completing the social history template is entirely voluntary. They can complete as little or as much as they like.
- The decision to complete or not complete a social history will have no impact on long-term care admission decisions or access to home care services.
|
|
Please submit story ideas, photos and feedback to:
Lauren MacDougall, Senior Communications Advisor, Continuing Care
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
