Our health care team

The interprofessional team at the Geriatric Day Hospital is a vital group of health care professionals that brings expertise to help patients achieve their goals. Upon admission, our team works with patients and their families to provide the highest quality of care in a positive and supportive environment. We also work closely with Geriatric Medicine, which coordinates acute geriatric care at Sunnybrook.

Our health care team poses for a picture together.

Patient care manager

The patient care manager is the liaison between hospital management, staff and patients and their families, ensuring the unit is delivering care that meets and exceeds expectations, as established by the hospital's principles and standards of patient focused care.

Geriatrician

A geriatrician assesses patients referred to the Geriatric Day Hospital. The assessment focuses on diagnosing and treating reversible conditions and optimizing the management of chronic conditions. The geriatrician works in a consultative model with the patient's primary care physician. A geriatrician may take part in case conferences to discuss patient's progress and is available to the day hospital team to help address any medical issues.

Nurse clinician

The nurse clinician gathers the patient's medical history, identifies patient and family concerns and collaborates with the team to determine care planning and goal setting for maintaining and improving health. Support for life-long learning is encouraged through educational sessions and individual discussions with each patient.

Occupational therapist

The occupational therapist provides assessment and treatment for a patient's activities of daily living as well as psychosocial support. This includes educating the family or caregiver regarding the degree of supervision and assistance required to keep the patient as safe as possible in the home. Home safety visits are offered to assess the patient's living environment. Recommendations for equipment and adaptations to the home may be made.

Physiotherapist

Patients of the Geriatric Day Hospital attend physiotherapy to participate in general conditioning, strengthening and balance training. The program is tailored to the individual patient's abilities, with a focus on improving mobility and ability to stay active. Patients participate in 40 minutes of exercise that includes: strength training, cardiac conditioning and balance activities. Patients are encouraged to continue with a form of regular exercise upon discharge from the program, by linking with community based programs, self directed exercise or exercise with a personal trainer.

Recreation therapist

Recreation therapy in the Geriatric Day Hospital aims to facilitate the development, maintenance and expression of a satisfying leisure lifestyle. Recreation therapy may include leisure skill development, education and participation. Goals are developed with each patient upon assessment. Therapy can help patients maintain their cognitive, physical, social and emotional well being. The importance of ongoing leisure is emphasized and patients are encouraged to continue their interests in the community following their treatment at the day hospital. Linkages to the community are provided.

Social worker

The social worker conducts psycho-social assessments and provides support, education and counselling to patients and family members dealing with emotional, social and practical issues arising as a result of illness, disability and life transitions. Assistance is also provided in connecting patients and family members to appropriate community resources and support services as well as co-ordinating Geriatric Day Hospital discharge planning.

A speech pathologist enjoys a fun and productive session with one of our patients

Speech language pathology

Speech-language pathologists have specialized knowledge, skills and experience in assessment and management of communication and swallowing disorders. At the Geriatric Day Hospital, the speech-language pathologist works with seniors and their caregivers to:

improve their ability to communicate which allows them to optimize their health, independence, safety, socialization and overall quality of life
optimize their ability to swallow food, liquids and medications safely and comfortably

Volunteers

Volunteers at the Geriatric Day Hospital help to provide a warm, caring atmosphere for patients attending the outpatient rehabilitation program. They assist patients upon arrival and departure from the program with coats, lunches and directions. Volunteers provide assistance to the patients getting to the various therapies within the day hospital, as well as with the outdoor therapeutic environment and garden adjacent to the day hospital.