Circle of Care is a proud member of the North York Toronto Health Partners (NYTHP) Ontario Health Team (OHT). Currently in its third year, NYTHP is a partnership of healthcare organizations, family physicians, patients and caregivers who are working together to improve care in North York, Ontario.
Along with two other Service Provider Organizations in the NYTHP OHT, Circle of Care has been actively providing services to a program called NYCARES, which stands for North York Community Access to Resources Enabling Support.
NYCARES is part of the High Intensity Supports at Home funding from the Ministry of Health. Through this funding, patients receive three months of transitional support at home while they wait for a spot to open up at a Long Term Care facility or a retirement home.
The program ensures that individuals can receive excellent care in their homes, rather than in a hospital. With increased pressures on the healthcare system as a whole, and with hospital care costing more than home care, this program is able to provide cost savings to the system. These patients would be labelled as ALC (Alternate Level of Care) if they were in the hospital, which means that they do not require hospital care per se, but rather a level of care that can be provided at home with supports. We know that overwhelmingly, being cared for at home is what patients and their families want, and that it contributes to better outcomes for patients.
During the transition time period, patients receive 24/7 care at home, or the specific number of hours they require based on their care needs. Clients eligible to receive this service primarily reside within the Central Home and Community Care Support Services (HCCSS, formerly LHIN/CCAC) geographic boundaries. Circle of Care is currently providing care through NYCARES for clients specifically requiring PSW services and Meals on Wheels support, as well as iRIDE transportation.
This story is featured in Circle of Care’s Annual Report 2021-2022.
