myNurse health management program helps the elderly and millions of Canadians
without a family doctor
- New service provides regular home visits by registered nurse who offers health and wellness consultations, monitoring, planning and education -
MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 4 /CNW/ - Bayshore Home Health announced today the introduction of myNurse. This new health management program helps prolong independent living amongst seniors who don't yet require home care. People who have health conditions that must be closely monitored also benefit from the service, as do individuals who have mobility issues which make it difficult to visit their doctor or who are among the more than four million Canadians without a family doctor.
"myNurse identifies and pro-actively manages health concerns amongst the elderly - such as poor nutrition, home safety risks and taking medication incorrectly - before they lead to injury, hospitalization or even death," says Holly Quinn, chief nursing officer at Bayshore Home Health. "It also gives the extended family peace-of-mind, knowing the health of their loved ones is taken care of."
Bayshore Home Health developed the new service based on marketplace needs and innovative European practices designed to extend seniors' independence while reducing admissions to hospitals and long-term care facilities. According to estimates from the College of Family Physicians of Canada up to 15 per cent of Canadians are without a family doctor. Studies have shown that these people will be sicker and cost the health care system more money than those with a dedicated physician.
"Taking care of your health is especially challenging for Canadians who do not have a family doctor," Quinn says. "A visit to the family doctor can also be a difficult task for seniors and people of all ages with chronic health conditions - arranging transportation, scheduling timely appointments and mobility issues can make it frustrating."
A recent national study conducted by Bayshore Home Health also indicates that 97 per cent of seniors are trying to be proactive about their health and that 24 per cent would pay for a nurse to visit their home to provide check-ups. Adult children aged 40-64, who are concerned about their aging parents' health, are also ready to pitch in by paying for a nurse to visit their parents' home regularly. Ninety per cent expressed concerns about their parents' health and more than 50 per cent said they would spend their own money to have a nurse visit their parents for regular health check-ups.
In Denmark and Sweden, health care policies are designed to help the elderly stay at home as long as possible through a variety of home-care services and regular house calls by doctors. In Denmark, regular monitoring of an elderly person's needs begins with monthly, government-funded home visits by a nurse when a person turns 75. Over the past two decades, the country's emphasis on in-home health management and prevention has virtually resulted in a stoppage in construction of long-term care facilities. Now Danes are finding they need few such facilities, and they're leading the world in creating small nursing homes where the focus is on what people are able to do.
The myNurse service starts with a complimentary consultation from a Bayshore nurse that allows individuals or family members to learn more about the service before visits begin. All clients who purchase myNurse receive a personalized health and wellness plan during the first visit.
Subsequent health and wellness monitoring visits enable the registered nurse to regularly evaluate the client's physical health including skin health, risk of infection, medication use, nutrition needs, mobility and flexibility, home fall and safety risks and mental health. Ongoing health management and education is also provided. All visits include a comprehensive client report that can be shared with family members and other health care advisors.
"The goal of myNurse is to give clients the most comfortable service possible in the comfort of their own home," concludes Quinn. "There's really nothing more reassuring than the familiar face of a health care professional who understands your personal health needs."
myNurse is currently available throughout Ontario and will be available through Bayshore's offices in the rest of Canada later this year. Monthly visits cost $109 per person and $169 per couple. Quarterly visits cost $129 per person and $199 per couple, as do single, one-off visits. People interested in the service can call 1-877-289-3997 to get started or visit www.bayshore.ca or www.mynursehealthcheck.com for more information.
About Bayshore Home Health
Bayshore Home Health has been enhancing the quality of life, dignity and independence of Canadians in their homes since 1966. Canadian owned and operated, it is the country's largest provider of home and community health care services, with more than 50 home care offices, 20 community care clinics and 8,000 employees. Its core services are in-home nursing, personal care and home support - which can be purchased directly by individuals and also accessed through government care programs, personal and group insurance plans and workplace safety insurance. Its caregivers deliver more than 5.2 million hours of home care annually to over 57,000 clients. It also provides nurse/ caregiver staffing services, health education programs and treatments in its dialysis centres. Its subsidiary, Bayshore Specialty Rx, offers infusion pharmacy, infusion clinic and pharmaceutical support services to a variety of health care and pharmaceutical organizations.
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