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VIRTUAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS
The new Baycrest@Home initiative is evidence of this impact already
being felt today. Begun as a pilot project in 2019 thanks to generous
donor support, Baycrest@Home was testing virtual programs and services
for physically and cognitively frail older adults and their families in the
community when the pandemic hit. The team quickly launched a pilot Virtual
Day Program for 50 members of Baycrest's adult day programs, including
those with dementia, who could no longer attend the on-site program for
psychosocial support. As a result of this pilot, Baycrest@Home debuted a
website in June 2020 offering virtual social and recreational programming
for older adults with dementia and support for their family caregivers.
REACHING OUT TO FRAIL SENIORS AT HOME
At the end of 2019, Baycrest became a core partner in the North Toronto
and North York Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) announced by the Ministry
of Health. These OHTs bring healthcare providers together to work as one
team to coordinate and provide care for frail seniors in the community.
At the start of the pandemic, Baycrest worked swiftly to lead a COVID-19
Community Response Team to provide primary healthcare services to
seniors in 10 Toronto Community Housing buildings. The team is now also
providing virtual care, wellness calls and food delivery to help keep
over 3,000 senior tenants safe, and prevent unnecessary emergency
department visits.
For more information about these virtual programs, please visit
www.baycrest.org. To support the Baycrest Foundation's fundraising
efforts in Safeguarding Our Seniors, visit www.baycrest.org/sos.
