• 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Caregivers only
• 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Caregivers and Service Providers
• 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Service Providers only

The post Couchiching Ontario Health Team To Host 2026 Caregiver Appreciation And Collaboration Event appeared first on Muskoka411.

OHT is pleased to announce that Couchiching Health at Home will be supporting this event by providing support for attendees who may want or need to bring the individuals they care for. This support ensures that all caregivers can participate and enjoy the event without worry.

The event will feature presentations on how to prepare for an appointment, advanced planning, and insights from the Helping Hands organization and the Ontario Caregiver Organization and more! These sessions aim to equip caregivers with valuable knowledge and resources to enhance their caregiving experience. 

Join OHT as they honour the invaluable contributions of caregivers and reaffirm their commitment to the values that guide the health care community. 

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Creative Nomad Studio, Orillia

Register here: Couchiching OHT Third Annual Caregiver Appreciation Event

In addition to this significant event, the Couchiching OHT is proud to announce its commitment to the Patient, Family, and Caregiver Declaration of Values for Ontario. By integrating these values into their operational practices and patient care strategies, OHT aim to enhance the quality of care and ensure a more compassionate, equitable, and patient-centered health care system.

The Declaration of Values emphasizes accountability, empathy, compassion, equity, engagement, respect, and dignity. Couchiching OHT is dedicated to upholding these principles by fostering open communication, individualized care plans, and inclusive policy development that involves patients, families, and caregivers.

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Quick Facts

Key Features

Quotes:

“We are thrilled to introduce the Children’s Clinic to the Couchiching community. Our goal is to provide high-quality, timely care for children and to support families by offering a reliable alternative to the Emergency Room. With the help of the Pediatric Emergency Department Diversion Funding, we can ensure that our young patients receive the care they need when they need it most.” – Malcolm Morum, Executive Director, Huronia Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic

“On behalf of the County of Simcoe, we are pleased to have collaborated with the Huronia Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic to open up this new Children’s Clinic. Initiatives like these are crucial to building up our communities, by not only providing extra care for children in the Couchiching area but also by alleviating some of the stress on the local Emergency Department.” – Warden Basil Clarke, Warden, County of Simcoe

“The Couchiching Ontario Health Team is thrilled to strengthen our collaboration with local primary care providers, including the Huronia Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, as we work together to expand access to care within our community. This fall, one of our cornerstone initiatives is the launch of the Children’s Clinic, which will help ensure families can access the right care, in the right place.”– Jillian Fenik, Executive Director, Couchiching Ontario Health Team  

“The Children’s Clinic represents a unique partnership in the Couchiching area, with multiple providers working together to improve the health and well-being of the youngest in the communities we serve.” – Carmine Stumpo, President & CEO, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital

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Operating 7 days a week, the Care Clinic provides unattached patients with an opportunity to book an appointment and be seen fairly quickly by a healthcare provider.

“With upwards of 20,000 people without a primary care provider in our area, it’s a team model of integrated care that’s working and it’s making an immediate and positive impact on the health of our community,” said Dr. Kim McIntosh, Couchiching Ontario Health Team Primary Care Lead.

Last week the Couchiching OHT was able to showcase the early success of the Clinic through a presentation and tour to Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, alongside Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities.

“It was a proud moment for the team to be able to share our excitement and enthusiasm for the Care Clinic and demonstrate the art of the possible to the Ministers,” said Melanie Moore, Co-Director of the Couchiching OHT.

To further address the gap in care, Moore points out that the primary care team has been working hard to address the current shortage of primary care providers and has submitted a joint proposal to the Province to expand both the Care Clinic in Orillia and integrate nurse practitioners within the current Huronia Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic in Oro-Medonte.

The largest primary care organization in Couchiching, the Family Health Team located at 119 Memorial Avenue has also requested an expansion of staff to better meet the needs of the community, including those patients who are unattached and to collaborate amongst all primary care providers cohesively in our Region.   This exemplifies the true purpose for Ontario Health Teams to serve in a more integrated and seamless manner for patients in our Region.

Dr. McIntosh added, “As some physicians retire in our community, we are working hard transferring those patients to other primary care providers in our network, trying to ensure they continue to receive the care they are accustomed to.  This process is and has been underway for months now, but takes time for the transfers to finalize. Our family doctors locally continue to look after approximately 60,000 people while also teaching medical learners and participating in recruitment efforts”.

The Couchiching Ontario Health Team Care Clinic is open seven days a week, and anyone without a primary care provider wanting to book an appointment is encouraged to contact the clinic by calling 705.325.2201 ext. 8250 or onlineCOHT.ca.

The post Couchiching OHT Care Clinic Well-Positioned To Further Narrow The Care Gap For Unattached Patients Across The Region appeared first on Muskoka411.

Anyone who serves as a caregiver to someone is welcome to attend at no charge, and are encouraged to RSVP to the event by registering here.

“Caregivers contribute greatly to our community through their gift of support, which can ultimately be challenging for the Caregiver’s own responsibilities of day-to-day”, according to Andrea Rovazzi and Barb Shakell-Barkey, COHT Patient & Family Advisory Committee Co-Chairs.

During this important gratitude event, COHT will:

1. Recognize caregivers and the tremendous contribution they make
2. Share stories about caregivers’ experiences
3. Learn what matters to Caregivers most
4. Share Caregiver resources and valuable tips

Light refreshments and snacks will be provided.  Please RSVP for this event: www.eventbrite.com/e/couchiching-caregiver -appreciation-event-tickets-549461442967

Tuesday April 4^th, 2023, is Caregiver Appreciation Day. According to Stats Canada, in 2018, there were an estimated 7.8 million Caregivers (aged 15 and older); equating to 25% of the population. In Ontario there are an estimated 4 million Caregivers alone, according to the Ontario Caregiver Organization.

Unpaid Caregivers can be family, neighbours or friends, who give unselfishly to support someone emotionally, physically and/or mentally with the activities of daily living and/or along their health journey.

The post First Ever Caregiver Appreciation Event Coming To Orillia April 4th appeared first on Muskoka411.

Open 7 days a week, the COHT Care Clinic is solely designed for patients without a family doctor or nurse practitioner.  It is located in the Kiwanis building at the West Entrance to the hospital, which has been home to the COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Clinic for the past several months.

COVID-19 testing and vaccination will still be available to all those eligible in addition to support for patients without a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Providing the right care in the right place is a goal we strive to provide to our community. Population health management and equity in healthcare access is a top priority for all Ontario Health Teams.

“There are multiple benefits to this approach,” explained Dr. Kim McIntosh, COHT Physician Lead.  “First and foremost, it’s delivering much needed care to a growing segment of our population, particularly as more clinicians retire or leave the profession.  Second, it will help relieve pressure off hospital emergency departments where many of these patients would attend, simply because they had no other alternative.”

In addition to care for respiratory illnesses, the Care Clinic will also provide services such as a Cervical Screening Day on Thursday, December 15, 2022.  Screening is particularly vital for patients who have not had a cervical screening in three years or more.

The Care Clinic is now open 7 days a week. Appointments are required and can be easily booked online at https://www.osmh.on.ca/covid-19/ OR www.care-clinics.ca Phone number for the Care Clinic is 705.325.2201 ext. 8250

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