Senior Friendly Hospitals
Bi-Monthly Newsletter
Embracing the Grey Wave!
» Article from Orillia Packet & Times - October 13, 2011- to access click here.
Reports and Analysis
Improving the health and well-being of seniors in hospital
Seniors are three times more likely to be hospitalized than younger people and receive care in nearly every area of the hospital. A hospital stay can have a major influence on the health and well-being of seniors.
However, evidence shows that seniors’ health declines the longer they stay in hospital as a result of complications, lack of activity and infections. This can lead to increased hospital stays and reduce their chances of returning home and regaining their health and independence.
Ontario’s LHINs are leading a Senior Friendly Hospital Strategy – an initiative to improve seniors’ health and prevent their physical and mental decline in hospital. By acting together, hospitals can improve the experience and outcomes of older adults in Ontario hospitals.
The Senior Friendly Hospital strategy aims to:
- Improve the health, well-being and experience of seniors in Ontario hospitals, helping them get back home sooner and healthier
- Improve seniors’ ability to live independently and stay out of hospital
- Enhance the value of health care dollars
- Help reduce Alternate Level of Care through supporting people to transition to the right place of care after a hospital stay
- Promote quality improvement initiatives that can be included in hospital Quality Improvement Plans as part of the Excellent Care for All legislation
As a first step, each hospital assessed their successful seniors’ initiatives, and identified opportunities for improvement and action. All adult hospitals in Ontario have completed a Senior Friendly Hospital assessment. Summary reports for each LHIN were developed in collaboration with the Regional Geriatric Programs of Ontario.
What has North Simcoe Muskoka done so far?
The LHIN has established a Senior Friendly Hospital Task Force comprised of representatives of area hospitals. The goal of this Task Force is to:
- Review findings of the SFHS organization level report, NSM LHIN report and provincial report to define a LHIN-wide approach to senior friendly hospital planning.
- Define key strategies at the local and LHIN level (including the roles of individual organizations, Task Force members and the SFHS Coordinator) to facilitate the roll-out of the SFHS across the NSM LHIN.
- Prioritize strategies at the local and LHIN level to support a coordinated and collaborative approach to SFHS planning and implementation.
- Implement SFHS strategies at the local and LHIN level to achieve desired system outcomes in alignment with targeted timelines.
- Increase local and LHIN level capacity in regard to senior friendly environments, including standardization of practices, program and policies where appropriate.
- Evaluate and monitor the roll-out of the SFHS, including the development of standardized evaluation criteria.
- Ensure regular and timely communication regarding SFHS progress is disseminated to key stakeholders and others as appropriate, including communication as per the provincial SFHS communication plan.
- Develop and implement a community engagement plan to facilitate the uptake and roll-out of the SFHS across NSM hospitals.
- Collaborate with the NSM LHIN in the roll-out of the provincial SFHS, including developing and submitting relevant literature, briefing notes and reports.
- The LHIN has supported the recruitment and retention of a SFHS Coordinator to support the SFHS activities in the region. Ryan Miller (right) comes to this North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN-wide position from Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital where she has over fifteen years of progressive nursing and management experience in a variety of areas of health care. Ryan also brings a wealth of geriatric experience to this position. Ryan holds a Masters in Nursing Degree as well as a Canadian Nurses Association certification in Geriatrics.