Congratulations to the Community Rehabilitation Worker Graduates!

Through a joint partnership with Eabametoong First Nation, Bearskin Lake First Nation, Sandy Lake First Nation, North Caribou Lake First Nation, Lakehead University, Indigenous Services Canada First Nation and Inuit Home and Community Care, and St. Joseph’s Care Group, Confederation College is excited to announce the first cohort of graduates from the Community Rehabilitation Worker Program.

The program, led by the eight institutions and funded by Indigenous Services Canada First Nation and Inuit Home and Community Care, trains students to support rehabilitation needs in the communities while rehabilitation professionals (Kinesiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists) are not in the remote communities. Community Rehabilitation Workers work with home care teams to assist clients with exercise, assistive devices, home safety, as well as ensure that clients follow through with their care plans provided by rehabilitation professionals.

“The initiative helps bridge the gap and bring better healthcare to isolated communities within the region. We are proud to offer flexible programming, through partnerships, to meet the needs of students and their communities,” explained Kathleen Lynch, President of Confederation College.

The partnership between the eight institutions invited students from Bearskin Lake First Nation, Eabametoong First Nation, North Caribou Lake First Nation, and Sandy Lake First Nation to participate in the program.

The students began their studies in March and have travelled to Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout and each other’s home communities to learn rehabilitation principles and practical skills. They are in training one week a month and the other three weeks they return home to practice their rehabilitation skills with clients in their community.

Six students have successfully completed the program and graduated November 25, 2022. CRWs names and contact information are listed on the Services Map of the rrcp.sjcg.net website in their communities Eabamet Lake, Sandy Lake and Weagamow Lake. .

Pilot Project to Bring Rehabilitative Care Closer to Home Throughout Northwestern Ontario

St. Joseph’s Care Group’s Regional Rehabilitative Care Program (RRCP) has recently been funded to pilot a program that aims to increase access to rehabilitation services across Northwestern Ontario. Called the Regional Rehabilitative Care Outreach Program (RRCOP), it marks the first time that the RRCP has included a clinical service component. Planning is currently underway with two pilot site communities (Terrace Bay’s The McCausland Hospital and Marathon’s Wilson Memorial Hospital). The pilot will run from February until June 2021.

The RRCOP will offer outreach Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy services in the region, both in person and virtually, depending on client need, and across the continuum of care (inpatient, outpatient, long-term care). If sustainable, the RRCOP will act as a “float” rehabilitation team for hospitals throughout the region with temporary rehabilitation service needs.

In addition to the outreach service, the RRCOP will offer a “Shared Care” service to assist rehabilitation professionals in our region to assess and treat clients with more specialized rehabilitation needs. The Shared Care model will provide client’s the opportunity to stay closer to home, as well as provide a mentorship component, assisting with professional retention.

The RRCP will continue to support regional system evaluation, quality improvement, and best practice capacity building.

They didn’t want to go to rehab. But some COVID-19 survivors have a long road back to normal

Toronto Star June 21 : The value of rehabilitation for COVID survivors is highlighted at both an inpatient and outpatient level.

Non-Insured Health Benefits June 2020 update

Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program will be launching a new Health Information Claims Processing System (HCIPS) used for NIHB claims processing and other vendor and client services, now including mental health and vision care. Medical Transportation will continue to be processed by NIHB.

o   More information here.

Non-Insured Health Benefit (NIHB) Changes

As of April 15, 2019, Registered Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists are able to recommended select in-scope medical supplies and equipment. This saves a step of acquiring a physician or Nurse Practitioner prescription, ultimately getting the appropriate equipment and supplies for our Indigenous clients/patients faster.

For more information see Guide for Medical Supplies and Equipment Benefits- April 2019

Elder Exercise Programs Launch in Eabametoong, North Caribou Lake and Fort Severn

The Regional Rehabilitative Care Program with Eabametoong First Nation, North Caribou Lake First Nation, Fort Severn, Victoria Order of Nurses and the Ontario Telemedicine Network are pleased to share the success of a new Elder Exercise program in these communities, delivered locally. The programs were made possible by funding from the Senior Community Grant from the Ontario government.