EILEEN HAS BEEN IN THE GRACE’S RCM PROGRAM SINCE FEBRUARY 2024 AND HAS BEEN USING THE CHAPLAINCY COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.
Eileen is eighty-nine years old and has lived in her Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) building for over twenty-five years. TSHC provides subsidized, rent-geared-toincome housing for seniors and adults with disabilities. In February 2024, Eileen, who was experiencing impaired mobility and showing some memory problems, was enrolled into the Toronto Grace’s Remote Care Monitoring (RCM) program. She received an electronic pendant, which allows for 24/7 monitoring of her movement by RCM staff and functions as a call button for her emergencies.
While touching her pendant, Eileen says,”I never take it off; it makes me feel secure. I even take it off the charger at night and put it on when I go to the bathroom just to be safe.”
In May 2024, a personal support worker noticed that Eileen wasn’t feeling well and was unable to move. An ambulance was called and Eileen was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital’s Emergency Department, where she was admitted for testing to see what was causing her immobility and postural hypotension — a sudden drop in blood pressure. It was determined that Eileen was suffering some side effects of the medications she was taking. The healthcare team at Mount Sinai slowly reduced her dosage. Eileen’s mobility gradually improved and she was able to gain some functional independence.
Following her treatment, the Mount Sinai healthcare team recommended that Eileen receive rehab. She was admitted to the Toronto Grace Health Centre in June 2024. The healthcare team at the Grace continued to monitor Eileen’s medications and also provided her with rehabilitation to improve her functional independence. She was also seen by a psychotherapist for her clinical depression.
“I really like the Grace,” says Eileen, “they took such good care of me. They helped me get my mobility back.”
“This was very important for my mother,” says her daughter, Leslie. “All her life she was athletic, fit, and very active. She taught fitness classes, ran a marathon, and was a member of the Toronto Bicycling Network where she would cycle long distances. She still to this day tries to keep to a fitness regimen.”
In July 2024, after regaining her mobility and independence, Eileen was discharged and returned home. Later that month, she was referred by her rheumatologist at the Grace to the hospital’s Outpatient Geriatric Medicine Clinic for an assessment by a nurse practitioner. This included a follow-up for her postural hypotension as well as her mobility, medications, and mood concerns.
The nurse practitioner thought Eileen would be a good candidate for the Toronto Grace’s Chaplaincy Community Care program. The program extends the support chaplains provide to patients at the Grace, offering a listening ear to those outside the hospital experiencing social isolation. Also helpful, chaplains are able to alert medical staff if they feel there is a problem when they check in on a client to see how they’re doing.
The nurse practitioner asked if Eileen would like to receive a call from the Community Care program and she agreed.
“I really appreciate getting that call,” says Eileen. “I look forward to them. Sometimes, I have to miss them because of a doctor’s appointment and that is unfortnate. My family is good to me and very supportive, but it’s just nice to get a call from someone besides my family who I can talk to about daily things — no pressure, no judgment. Sharing my thoughts with someone other than a family member gives me a sense of community.”
Eileen pauses for a moment and says, “It’s odd, you know. I’ve been talking to this person for over a year and half and I don’t know what they look like. I really enjoy our conversations and that’s the important part.”