In July 2011, The Change Foundation, a healthcare think tank, announced $3 million in funding for the first project of its kind in Ontario: Partners Advancing Transitions in Healthcare or, simply, PATH. Twenty-seven communities and organizations competed for this unique project focused on improving experiences for seniors with chronic conditions and their caregivers as they move in, out of, and ac
ross the healthcare system. In June 2012, the Northumberland Community Partnership—a newly formed partnership of patients, caregivers and 12 other partners—was announced as the successful coalition.
“Northumberland showed the smarts, the heart, the team, the ideas, and the experience to set PATH up for success,” said Cathy Fooks, CEO of The Change Foundation, when explaining her organization's rationale for selecting Northumberland as the successful community. Among the questions that the Northumberland PATH project teams are now examining are:
• where are transitions working well from one healthcare provider to another?
• where are transitions not working?
• what is required to improve healthcare transitions for seniors and their caregivers? Thanks to The Change Foundation's funding, Northumberland seniors, caregivers, healthcare providers and support agencies have come together as equal partners in the PATH project. This "experience based co-design" is one of the key elements that make PATH unique. Together the partners aim to:
• improve experiences for seniors and their caregivers as they move in, out of and across Ontario’s healthcare system;
• seek solutions to the real needs of patients and caregivers;
• test a totally new approach for Ontario - experience-based co-design; and
• prompt system-wide change that will enable seniors and caregivers to live the highest possible quality of life, at home, for as long as possible. PATH is an exciting local effort with provincial -- and, arguably, national -- potential! Who are the PATH partners? Funded by The Change Foundation, the Northumberland PATH partners include:
• Seniors and caregivers
• Central East Community Care Access Centre
• Central East Local Health Integration Network
• Community Care Northumberland
• Golden Plough Lodge Long-Term Care Home
• Health System Performance Research Network
• NHH Community Mental Health Services
• Northumberland Family Health Team
• Northumberland Hills Hospital
• Palisade Gardens Retirement Residence
• Patients Canada
• QoC Health
• YMCA Northumberland
Visit the new PATHway to Aging Well website to complete your own Aging Well Plan and share feedback (www.pathwaytoagingwell.com). Subscribe to our local e-newsletter, PATH News to receive regular updates (www.changefoundation.ca/projects/path). Visit The Change Foundation’s interactive PATH hub (www.changefoundation.ca/projects/path). Questions? We’d love to hear from you! Email [email protected] or call 905-377-7791
