Scarborough Health Network (SHN) proudly hosted the Scarborough Long-Term Care, Retirement Homes, and Scarborough Health Network Collaboration Conference this fall. The event, held at the Irene Stickland Conference Room in SHN’s Birchmount Hospital, brought together 67 participants from various sectors involved in seniors health to discuss and enhance the care of older adults in the community.

The conference kicked off with a warm welcome from Ivan Ip, Vice President of Organization and System Transformation at Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, Nancy Veloso, Director of Medicine, Transitional Care, and Seniors Health at SHN, and Michele James, Executive Vice-President, People and Transformation who spoke on behalf of SHN’s senior leadership team. As co-chairs of the Scarborough Long Term Care/Retirement Home and Hospital Committee, Nancy and Ivan ensured the tone was set for an afternoon filled with insightful discussions and collaborative learning.

Dr. Seda Rafilovich and Dr. Dhiviyan Valentine, esteemed geriatricians at SHN, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of understanding the complex healthcare needs of older adults and the critical role of collaboration across the healthcare continuum. They highlighted how transitions of care are high-risk times for patients and how collaboration can reduce hospital readmissions and streamline care delivery.

The conference agenda was divided into three main parts:

  1. Speaker series focused on learning about specialized services:
    • Responsive Behaviours Resources: Presented by Cara Macanuel and Kayla Robertson from Baycrest’s Behaviour Support Outreach Team, and Gary Gallagher and team members from SHN’s Geriatric Mental Health Outreach Team, it focused on mental health and behaviour support for older adults in long term care and/or retirement homes.
    • Palliative Care Education: Presented by Scarborough Palliative Care Collaborative Co-Leads, Dr. Raymond Berry and Nash Hassan, it provided insights on palliative care practices and staff education.
       
  2. Table top interactive session to network and learn from one another:
    • Participants engaged in table top discussions that fostered practical learning and collaboration among attendees.
       
  3. Presentations on successes and lessons learned in caring for residents + Q&A panel discussion:
    • Experts from Mon Sheong, Seven Oaks, Rockcliffe Care Community, Extendicare Rouge Valley, Yee Hong Finch, Ehatare and SHN shared their successes and lessons learned in utilizing responsive behaviour resources and facilitating palliative care staff education.

Reflecting on the event, Ivan Ip remarked, “The strong showing of participants attending the event have exhibited a great sense of humility, and key traits and characteristics of a leader, namely, Confident; Good Listener; Always Learning; Supports Others’ Growth and Development; Gives Recognition; Encourages Feedback; and Empowers others.”

Nancy Veloso added, “I would share that it was a true reflection of collaboration with almost 70 participants engaged in sharing practical learnings to improve care for their residents. There was a strong positive energy in the room that reflected the passion and commitment to care.”

The success of this conference underscores the commitment of SHN and its partners to fostering a collaborative environment that enhances the quality of care for older adults in Scarborough. The event has set a strong foundation for future collaborations and continuous improvement in the healthcare sector.