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Seniors - Treatment and Recovery

Geriatric patient laughing with family members. Robotic pet also pictured.

Welcome to Ontario Shores. This page provides more details for those who have already had a referral submitted to Ontario Shores. If you haven't had a referral yet, please visit our Accessing Care for Seniors page for more information on how to access our programs. 

Geriatric Outpatient Services

After your referral is reviewed, if your loved one is able to continue living in their home, or at a long term care home, you may be offered outpatient or outreach services.  You may be offered service through our Geriatric Mental Health Clinic, located in the Durham Community Clinic in the Whitby Mall or through the Geriatric Transitional Outreach service which offers short-term consultation and/or transitional support at home or a retirement residence for individuals who cannot attend in-person or OTN appointments.  If the client is a resident of a long term care home they may be offered service through our Long Term Care (LTC) Outreach Team. Our intake team will be in touch with you to discuss details. 

Geriatric Inpatient Units

If your loved one is offered service within one of our geriatric inpatient units, we will communicate with the sending facility to gather information and make the transition as smooth as possible. Transportation will be arranged by the sending facility. 

Where applicable, you will be invited to a Welcome Meeting that includes all members of the care team and community supports within one week of arrival on the unit.

Photo Gallery: Geriatric Inpatient Units

Model of Care and Expectations:

The Gertiatric Inpatient team provides care that is aligned with the Health Quality Ontario Quality Standards for the Behavioural Symptoms of Dementia.

Your loved one will have a nurse assigned to them at all times. They play in integral role as a patient advocate focusing on the whole person. Nurses are responsible for ensuring the patient’s daily needs are met including medication administration, one-to-one support, and personal care of those patients requiring assistance.

A social worker and psychiatrist will meet with an identified family member and your loved one to get a medical and psychiatric history to better understand how to best support your loved one.

A variety of leisure opportunities are explored and provided to engage and empower individuals on the unit to achieve quality of life and optimal health. Numerous therapeutic recreation programs are facilitated on and off unit and are outlined on the unit recreation schedule. You can ask the team for a copy of this calendar.

Healthy and nutritious meals and drinks are provided based on your loved one’s therapeutic diet. A referral to nutrition services can be made for additional assessment by a clinical dietician.
 

What to bring for Admission:

  • Casual comfortable clothing for their loved ones (ex. track pants, sweaters, non-slip socks and loose-fitting shirts). The clothes will be sent to marking and could take at least 1-2 weeks to be labeled with your loved one’s name. On occasion if laundry has not returned, we will provide your loved one with hospital clothing.
  • Preferred toiletries, such as body wash, shampoo or conditioner, and lotion. This is often a nice gift that our patients’ appreciate from family and friends to make them feel more comfortable during personal care routines. Ontario Shores is able to provide basic soap and shampoo for hygiene purposes.
  • Things that make your loved one feel comfortable or happy such as unframed family photos, radio, iPad, phone etc. All electric items will first be checked in and approved by maintenance department.

Staff at Ontario Shores will make every effort to label and keep track of belongings but it is recommended that anything valuable (such as rings, watches or jewelry) remain at home to prevent the loss of an expensive or meaningful object.

If you are unsure about whether an item would be appropriate on the unit please check in with the team.

Inpatient Units

For more information visit one of the following unit pages:

Already Offered Inpatient Services?

Middle aged man holding hands with and comforting a senior woman

Resources for Caregivers

Rources for caregivers of people with dementia. 

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