Scarborough Health Network Foundation (SHN Foundation) has received $500,000 as one of 13 Toronto hospitals and four national organizations to benefit from a landmark $30-million gift made by The Slaight Family Foundation Seniors Initiative. In partnership with Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, SHN will use the gift to establish a transitional care program for senior patients that will expand access to day programs and community services post discharge.
“Seniors are integral to a community’s fabric, and it is critical we continue to ensure they receive and benefit from exceptional care at our hospitals,” shares Elizabeth Buller, President & CEO of Scarborough Health Network. “Both SHN and Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities are committed to ensuring quality of life, improving health outcomes for seniors and supporting seniors living in their homes longer. Now, thanks to the support of The Slaight Family Foundation Seniors Initiative, we will take a significant step forward in bringing this vision to life for current and future generations of Scarborough’s seniors.”
Through this new collaboration and the support of a dedicated service coordinator, SHN patients with dementia, chronic disease or other co-morbidities will have expanded opportunity to attend community-based day programs during their hospitalization while encouraging and enabling their participation once released. Given the noted success of these programs in improving patient outcomes and mitigating risks for future admission to hospitals and/or long-term care facilities, subsidies will be available for seniors to continue participating in the programs post discharge, while patient feedback will be used to monitor the program’s performance and evolve the operations for future patients.
“SCHC is grateful to The Slaight Family Foundation Seniors Initiative for directing their gift to help a very underserved segment of the Scarborough community. This project will provide a coordinated approach to ensuring Scarborough seniors get access to services and programs they require to keep them living in their homes. Not only by improving their overall physical health but also by connecting them to a wide variety of social programs which will alleviate the social isolation that most seniors feel to improve their emotional and mental health and well-being,” states Jeanie Joaquin, CEO of Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities.
The gift by The Slaight Family Foundation follows the June 2019 historic announcement of $15 million to create the Allan Slaight Seniors Fund at the United Way Greater Toronto, bringing the total to $30 million. The announcement also coincides with the designation of October 1 as the UN International Day of Older Persons.
“Seniors are the fastest growing demographic, yet a very under-supported sector. Finding new ways of assisting seniors, particularly those who have trouble accessing our health and social services due to poverty or other barriers, is essential to helping keep people healthier longer and in their own communities,” said Gary Slaight, The Slaight Family Foundation. “This gift is only possible due to our father Allan Slaight’s foresight, business acumen and philanthropic leadership. We hope these new models and programs will serve as change agents in moving seniors’ healthcare forward for years to come.”