These temporary beds will be in place for two years. The beds will help reduce the number of Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients waiting in hospital for long-term care at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Alternate Level of Care is when patients no longer need to be in hospital but are waiting to be moved to the appropriate level of care – a setting that is right for their care needs. That could be home with community supports, rehabilitation, complex continuing care or to a long-term care home.

“We expect these beds will have a significant, positive impact on our hospital’s ability to improve access to acute and emergency care services while providing a more appropriate care setting for our current patients who are waiting for a nursing home bed,” says Mark Balcaen, President and CEO of Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

While the beds are a short-term solution, the North West LHIN continues to work with the hospital, the North West Community Care Access Centre, and community partners including the long-term care sector, to identify a variety of longer-term solutions to address Alternate Level of Care pressures in Kenora.

This multi-pronged, collaborative approach to health care planning at the community level aims to reduce emergency department visits and streamline patient flow from hospital to home with appropriate supports in place.

The North West LHIN has invested more than $1.3 million over the past year for community support services in the Kenora District to improve access to quality health care, closer to home. Some of these programs include:

Home First – Kenora

First Link – Alzheimer Society, Kenora/Rainy River District

There is a recognition that Alzheimer disease is increasing. This initiative provides early intervention to help individuals living with dementia remain longer in the community by linking and coordinating access to learning services and community resources. For 2011/12, the Alzheimer Society of Kenora & Rainy River Districts is projected to provide 160 units of caregiver support services to 100 clients.

Respite Services (Kenora/Rainy River) – Wesway

Wesway expanded self-directed respite to caregivers of frail seniors to the Districts of Kenora and Rainy River this year. Respite care is essential for dedicated family caregivers who require temporary breaks from their caregiving role. For 2011/12, Wesway is projected to provide 10,200 hours of respite service to 45 clients.

Supportive Housing – Benidickson Court, Gardner House and Parkview

Over the last few years, the North West LHIN has funded supportive housing services in Kenora over two phases: 25 clients in Phase 1 and 20 clients in Phase 2, which was announced in December 2010.

“Wait at Home” Program

The “Wait at Home” program offered by the North West Community Care Access Centre has been implemented in Kenora. The program aims to help reduce the number of Alternate Level of Care patients who are eligible for long-term care in Lake of the Woods District Hospital. Hospital patients who are assessed as requiring long-term care (LTC), return home and are provided with the support services they need in the community while they wait for a long-term care bed to become available.

Ambulatory care clinic – Lake of the Woods District Hospital

The clinic, which provides wound management (dressing changes) and IV therapy to individuals without a family physician, has reduced the number of procedures at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Emergency Department by about 1,000.

“We want to thank the providers and the community for their support as we have been working with our partners to find local solutions to address the health care pressures in Kenora,” says Laura Kokocinski, CEO of the North West LHIN. “The 10 interim beds are just one piece of the puzzle. This is about system transformation from the ground up, to deliver the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”

The North West LHIN continues to work with Pinecrest Home for the Aged to ensure all necessary steps and procedures are taken prior to the opening of the beds. Patient transfers are expected to begin later this month.

Home First is a significant shift in health-care thinking, a new philosophy designed to identify and support care in the community for high-need seniors who can wait safely at home with supports rather than in hospital before making those next, sometimes life-changing decisions. Planning for this change in philosophy is underway in Kenora.