Over 150 long-term care leaders participated in the South West LHIN Long Term Care Home Network Forum yesterday in Stratford, ON. The full-day event, hosted at the Unit 261 Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Hall, provided an opportunity to celebrate local achievements, discuss future directions, and address common challenges in long-term care.
Forum attendees also saw the launch of HealthChat – a new online platform, created by thehealthline.ca Information Network with funding from the South West LHIN. HealthChat was based on an existing model for health leaders, administrators, and care providers to connect and collaborate.
Steven Crawford, CEO of WCA McCormick Home in London, ON, was among the many excited Network members to demo HealthChat.
“I was so impressed when I saw the recent update to healthchat.ca, with its new look, improved capability and enhanced ease of use. Thanks to those at thehealthline.ca for all their support in creating this important resource for the South West LHIN Long Term Care Homes Council as well as all those that work in long term care homes in the South West LHIN.”
The South West LHIN Long-Term Care Network is a representative body on issues of common interest to long-term care homes. As a registered group on HealthChat, Network members have access to a shared-document management system and events calendar, in addition to communication features like bulletins, private and group messaging, live online conversations, and more. HealthChat offers networking opportunities between groups, to form regional partnerships.
Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) – also registered with HealthChat - has received tremendous praise at the South West LHIN Long-Term Care Network Forum for its recent success in South West Ontario. BSO is transforming care for seniors who exhibit responsive behaviours associated with dementia, mental illness, addictions, and neurological conditions. Since 2011, the BSO initiative has trained 3,500 health providers to better manage responsive behaviours with evidence-based practices.
Healthchat is integrated with thehealthline.ca – an Ontario directory of health and social services. Please visit healthchat.ca or email Gabriele.Robbins@thehealthline.ca to learn more about HealthChat.