Closing the Loop
- January 2006
- Français
The recent holiday season marked a celebration of a different kind at Niagara Health System's Welland Hospital Site, with the opening of 40 interim long-term-care (LTC) beds. The beds were opened in a recently-renovated area next to the Extended Care Unit, a 75-bed LTC residence attached to the hospital.
"We are extremely happy to be able to put more LTC beds into Niagara's system," says unit Administrator Gina DeSouza (pictured left in photo). "We are facing increased need and a shortage of beds in area nursing homes, which makes it difficult for residents and family members who have to go outside their home community for long term care."
When patients are treated in hospital for an acute illness, often those frail, elderly patients are unable to return home to independent life. These patients go on a waiting list for placement in a LTC facility, and many times must temporarily go to a nursing home outside their community. With the opening of an additional 40 interim LTC beds, those patients can make an easy transition from a hospital acute care unit to the new beds, and then decide which nursing home they wish to live in. "We find a lot of our hospital patients wish to reside in the Extended Care Unit, and having this interim area gets them familiar with the staff and our routine, so when they ultimately move into the permanent residence, the transition is fairly easy," Gina explains.
"This really closes the loop for our patients," says Patty Welychka, Health Program Director, Transitional Care (pictured right in photo). "The set-up at the hospital is quite unique, in that the hospital owns and operates the Extended Care Unit, and therefore, can provide additional resources to assist our LTC residents, such as hemodialysis."
The additional beds are the first expansion for the Extended Care Unit, which was the first nursing home attached to a hospital in Ontario when it opened in 1974. A unique feature of the LTC area is a hydrosonic bathtub, which is a specialized tub that uses ultrasound waves rather than sometimes overpowering jets to provide soothing and cleansing water activity. The advantages to this high-tech system are many – less water is used, there is reduced risk of infection, the water action is effective without being overwhelming, and the quiet operation provides a pleasant bathing experience.
The unit also features a dental treatment room, and through a partnership with the Niagara College Dental Hygiene program, residents can have dental services provided by dental hygiene students and partnering dentists. Podiatry (footcare) services are also provided.
"The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care is in the process of setting new standards for all nursing homes in Ontario, and we are well on the way to meeting those standards," says Gina. "Our mission is to provide safe, holistic care in a comfortable, home-like atmosphere, and our goal is to be a centre of excellence for long-term-care."