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October 19, 1998
(Health and Community Services)


Regional Seniors' Care Program launched

Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced today that funding will be provided to the Health Care Corporation of St. John's for a new Seniors' Care Program to service the needs of seniors and their families. The Seniors' Care Program will work in partnership with Health and Community Services St. John's Region and St. John's Nursing Home Board to ensure that programs and services which have been shown to be efficient for the care of seniors be coordinated and integrated to provide a comprehensive continuum of care.

The Seniors' Program will encompass an integrated approach to care for seniors with complex health needs, particularly the frail and elderly. The program will include an interdisciplinary Referral Coordination Team that can assist elderly clients with complex needs to access timely and appropriate care whether that be day programs, sub acute and acute geriatric inpatient care, speciality outpatient clinics and services, rehabilitation, mental health services and assistance with smooth transition to community or long term care settings as needed.

The launching of the program today represents over two years of intensive research and consultation into the evolving needs of seniors in the region. Seniors and their families as well as community groups, health care providers, and experts in the field have been involved extensively in the development.

The minister anticipates that the Seniors' Care Program will become a centre of excellence in education and research in this field in addition to influencing healthy public policy sensitive to the needs of seniors. Seniors themselves will be an intricate part of the planning, operations, and evaluation of the program.

"The health of our seniors is an important priority for government. Trends indicate our population over 65 years will double in the next several decades. The Seniors' Care Program is an important direction that will further enhance optimal care and service for our seniors and their families," said the minister. "The collaboration between the stakeholders in the region to develop this program demonstrates the type of client focused health and community service we must build in all areas.

Media contact: Glenn Bruce, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

1998 10 19 1:45 p.m.


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