Better health outcomes for older adults living with complex health conditions and their care partners.
About Us
Seniors Care Network is responsible for the organization, coordination, management and governance of specialized geriatric services (SGS) within the geographical areas of Scarborough, Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Peterborough. Key services include the planning, design, implementation, delivery, evaluation and ongoing quality improvement of clinical SGS. Additionally, applied heath research is a key component of Seniors Care Network’s mandate.
Specialized Geriatric Services are defined as a comprehensive, coordinated system of health services that assess, diagnose, care and support older adults living with complex health conditions (including frailty, dementia and multidimensional impairment), and their care partners. These services are provided by interprofessional teams with expertise in care of older adults across the continuum of care including in primary care, hospitals, home care, community service agencies and the long-term care. In addition to interprofessional geriatric teams, SGS are inclusive of the medical sub-specialties of Geriatric Medicine, Geriatric Psychiatry, and Care of the Elderly.
Working as a regional network of partners, our mission is to create a coordinated, senior-friendly, high-quality system of care that optimizes the health and quality of life of older adults living with complex health condition (including frailty) and their families. Over the past decade, Seniors Care Network has played an instrumental role in the expansion of SGS in the Central East Region and continues to support Ontario Health Teams.
What are Specialized Geriatric Services?
Specialized Geriatric Services deliver comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGA) and interventions for frail seniors. Specialized Geriatric Services are delivered by interprofessional teams of geriatric and geriatric mental health care providers specifically trained to assess and support frail seniors experiencing multiple and complex medical, functional, and psychosocial problems.
The interprofessional team often includes:
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Specialist physicians such as Geriatricians and Geriatric Psychiatrists;
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Nurse Practitioners
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Clinicians such as occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, social workers and registered nurses, dietitians and speech language pathologists
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Personal support workers
Specialized Geriatric Services are provided in a variety of settings across the continuum of care including home, community, long-term care, and hospital settings.
Did you know?
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15% of the Region's 1.6 million residents are seniors who may require additional support to remain living at home, and this is expected to grow by 27% over the next ten years.
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There are almost 96,500 seniors in the Region who may be considered frail.
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The majority of seniors live in the community, and only 9% of frail seniors reside in Long Term Care or Hospital settings.
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Different approaches to care are required for older adults living in rural and urban areas.