Member, Vanderhoof Alternative Senior Housing Facility Design Committee

Northern Health, in partnership with BC Housing and Nechako Valley Community Services, is looking to design and build an alternative seniors housing complex in Vanderhoof. We are looking for patient partners who have an interest in seniors housing for people, particularly dementia care, to provide recommendations around the design of the building.

Open to: Patient partners in the Vanderhoof area

Lead Organization or Department

Northern Health Authority, Elder Services Department

Aim

The goal of the Alternative Seniors Housing project is to create a home-like environment that is an integral part of the community. Independence and function will be maximized through the combined efforts of staff, volunteers, and family members, which is proven to help seniors to remain in the community successfully. The purpose of engaging patient partners in this work is to have a patient or family members perspective on the design of the building. We are looking for patient partners who can review proposed options and provide suggestions and ideas.

Level of Engagement

This opportunity is at the level of consult on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will listen to and acknowledge your ideas and concerns, and provide feedback on how your input affected the decision.

Eligibility

Open to volunteers in Vanderhoof who:

• Have experience with seniors housing or dementia patients
• Preference is to recruit one senior and one family member who has supported a senior with dementia
• Are comfortable sharing experiences and working in groups

If you have a strong interest in this work but have not yet completed a PVN orientation and Volunteer Agreement, are unsure if your experience is a good fit or feel another format of engagement would work better with your availability, please contact Cassy Mitchell

Logistics

• Vacancies: 2
• Date and time: Weekly meetings from 1-2pm every Tuesday
• Location: Teleconference (this may change to in person meetings in the future)
• Commitment: 6 months

Reimbursement

No expenses expected initially. If the meetings change to in person attendance then mileage/parking will be reimbursed as per Northern Health reimbursement policy.

Background

There are ways we can better meet the needs of many seniors and support them in their living environment. Our goal is ensure that people who transition into higher levels of care such as Assisted Living and Long Term Care Homes, can be supported to do so in a seamless and time sensitive manner. At times, there is a level of care that is needed for our loved ones that is too complex for Assisted Living but not complex enough for a Long Term Care Home. There is an opportunity to provide an Alternative Seniors Housing model where a range of services are provided to assist people and bridge this gap in care. Northern Health is exploring, in partnership with municipalities and community organizations, the opportunity to offer more options for seniors housing. The Alternative Seniors Housing model will shift from an institutional approach to a provision of community based person-centred care. This housing model is an opportunity to support people with mild to moderate dementia to continue to live in a small home like environment that will accommodate between 5-10 people. This project currently includes representatives from Northern Health, Nechako Valley Community Services and BC Housing.

Health Care Partner Contact Information

Cassy Mitchell
Engagement Leader, Patient and Public Engagement | Northern Interior
250.279.0717
cmitchell@bcpsqc.ca