Stories of success from defunct home-care program

By Matthew Murray

BELLEVILLE –Bonnie Coldham has nothing but positive things to say about Hastings-Quinte EMS’ now defunct home-care program.

She hopes one day it comes back.

“I can’t think of a single thing to say that needed improvement. It was fantastic,” said Bonnie Coldham about the home-care project. The program ended on Jan. 23 because funding for it ran out.

But for a year paramedics with Hastings-Quinte EMS went out into the community to assist 60 patients as part of a research program on the impacts of home-care.

Coldham’s 97-year-old mother, Florence Lennox, was one of the patients chosen for the pilot project. Coldham said her mother received visits every week or so from paramedics. This allowed for preventative care that could deal with medical issues right away before something more serious developed, she said.

“I think the preventative aspect is absolutely critical…. it gets them under control and keeps them under control so that they don’t get out of control.”

The peace of mind that came with preventative care was also important to her, said Coldham. Lennox lives in a retirement home, and Coldham says her mother is looked after by caregivers. However, she said it’s not their role to provide the level of medical assistance that came with being a part of the paramedicine program.

“The peace of mind of knowing that someone was monitoring her…it was that benefit that any change that was detected could be dealt with right away.”

Making her mother more aware of her health also played a role in the care provided, she added. Being aware of health issues and understanding how to control them, she said, is the way to better health, higher quality of life and more enjoyment in life.

Graham Bent, a paramedic with Quinte EMS since 2003, was one of of the paramedics who looked after Lennox. When asked in an interview with QNet News if he would want to be involved if the home-care program ever made a comeback, Bent was quick to answer.

“Absolutely.”

An average day would see Bent make between five and eight visits to patients’ homes. The home-care program allowed him to give patients treatment they normally would not have had access to, he said.

He gave an example of two patients who suffered from a lung disease called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). He was able to refer them to a respirologist to get them medicine they would normally need to visit the hospital for. He said this kept them from having to visit the hospital for treatment they could easily do at home.

The program wasn’t without heartbreaks, however. Bent said its hard to leave his patients, some of whom died over the course of the program.

“After seeing people weekly for an entire year, you form a bond and relationship with the people…it hits you right in the heart strings.”

As the program was wrapping up, Lennox and Coldham sent Bent a letter, thanking him for the care he provided over the year.

They wrote that they see the community paramedicine program as a critical element in home care for seniors. They also wrote that they hope the study and report that will assess the program will support future endeavours like it in Belleville.

Lennox and Coldham also hope reducing the isolation of seniors, promoting better awareness of health  and reducing worry will be taken into consideration when considering the benefits of the program.

“We would like to thank you, Graham,” Coldham and Lennox’s letter ends, “for the thoughtful, responsive and professional care throughout the study. You have given us more than you could ever know.”