Updates and Information for VHA’s Valued Clients and Families
Issue 84, May 2026
There’s still time to nominate your VHA care provider for a Client Choice Award
In every role, VHA team members lead with purpose, build bonds that matter, and are passionate about providing high quality care, with great heart, to vulnerable populations in the communities we serve.
Until Sunday, May 31st, 2026, nominations are open for this year's selection process. This week is your last chance to nominate a care provider for consideration. Nominations are all carefully reviewed by our selection committee, including a client partner with up to 10 winners and 10 honourable mentions selected.
If a VHA care provider has had a meaningful impact on you and your family, we encourage you to nominate them for a Client Choice Award. Don't wait! Nominate your care provider before this year's deadline.
Celebrating Personal Support Worker Day at VHA
Every year on May 19, we celebrate Personal Support Worker Day across Ontario. PSWs and HSWs (Home Support Worker) are an essential part of Ontario’s health care system. Their dedicated care, delivered with compassion, allows so many of our clients to live independently in the comfort of their own homes with dignity.
“Being a PSW is more than a role—it’s a commitment to stand beside someone with compassion and respect in their most vulnerable moments. As a coach and preceptor, I carry that same purpose in guiding others to care with heart. Recognizing PSWs matters because the impact we make is felt deeply, every single day.” - Van Bation, PSW, PS Care Team Coach.
Join us in looking back on this year's Personal Support Worker Day and sharing in the appreciation we feel for the difference VHA PSWs and HSWs make every day.
Celebrating National Nursing Week and The Power of Nurses to Transform Health
Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17 marked National Nursing Week across Canada. This year, the Canadian Nurses Association adopted the theme of The Power of Nurses to Transform Health, which highlighted the incredible impact nurses have in shaping health care, driving innovation and advocating for client- and family-centred care.
This inspiring theme aligned perfectly with the spirit of care provided by nurses at VHA each and every day. VHA nurses continuously ensure our clients receive the best possible care when and where they need it. They can be found in a wide variety of environments transforming the care our clients need. VHA nurses provide wound care, foot care pediatric care, palliative care and so much more both from the comfort of our clients’ homes or from community locations like clinics or partnership locations such as Michael Garron Hospital’s Kew Beach Unit.
Celebrating Physiotherapy Month:
The Mind-Body Connection
Each May, during National Physiotherapy Month, we recognize and celebrate the important role physiotherapists (PTs) and physiotherapist assistants (PTAs) play in supporting the health and well-being of Canadians. At VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) and Champlain Rehab Solutions, our physiotherapy teams (opens in a new tab) support clients in their homes, schools, and communities through a wide range of services, including pain management, chest therapy, fall prevention, return-to-work assessments, and assistive device recommendations.
To help us recognize Physiotherapy Month, we’re highlighting an important and often overlooked impact of physiotherapy. It is not only about physical care, but is also deeply connected to mental and emotional well-being. This connection is an important part of how physiotherapy supports person-centred care.
Preventing Pressure Injuries: A Guide for Caregivers
Caring for someone who is bedbound or uses a wheelchair comes with many challenges, and one of the most important yet often overlooked is protecting their skin. When someone has limited mobility or spends extended periods in bed or seated, their risk of pressure injuries increases.
Pressure injuries, also known as bedsores or pressure ulcers, happen when skin is damaged from too much pressure over time. They can develop quickly and worsen without early intervention, which is why consistent daily care and regular skin checks are essential. Small changes can happen fast, but when caught early, they are much easier to manage. If you notice any signs of skin breakdown, persistent redness, or open areas, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider immediately for proper assessment and treatment.
Are you registered for the myVHA Client Portal?
Have you joined myVHA yet? Designed with our clients' needs in mind, the myVHA Client Portal is secure and simple to use. Anytime, from anywhere, find your schedule in real time, cancel visits, message your coordination team and more!
Registering for myVHA is easy. If you’re a VHA client receiving personal support services, shift nursing services, or visiting one of VHA’s nursing clinics, you’re eligible to use the portal. All you need is your date of birth and health card number to validate your identity on the registration page at https://myvha.vha.ca/auth/register. Once successfully validated, you will have full access to the service.
To learn more about the portal, please visit www.vha.ca/myvha. If you encounter any issues feel free to email a member of our myVHA Support Team at myvha@vha.ca.
