Updates and Information for VHA’s Valued Clients and Families

Issue 81, January 2026

Looking Ahead to a Positive and Impactful 2026: Reflections from VHA’s President and CEO
Dr. Kathryn Nichol

With 2026 well underway, VHA Home HealthCare's President and CEO, Dr Kathryn Nichol, shares her reflections on insights provided to us from clients, their families, our partners and, our staff and service providers from the previous year.

Bolstered by the feedback we've received, Dr. Nichol shares her unique insights on the year ahead as VHA continues to deliver excellent care at home, delivered with heart and led by science.

A New Year Reset for Family Caregivers

The start of a new year often brings a sense of reflection and possibility. For family caregivers, the season isn’t about making sweeping resolutions or setting unrealistic expectations. Caregiving is already demanding and traditional New Year’s resolutions can add unnecessary pressure.

Instead, the new year can serve as a gentle reset. A chance to pause, look back and realign priorities with intention. Rather than aiming for perfection or major change, caregivers can focus on small, meaningful adjustments that support both their own well-being and the needs of the person they are caring for.

Nutrition Tips for Winter Wellness

With colder weather, more time indoors, the circulation of new viral infections like the cold and flu, and added stress, winter creates conditions that can challenge your immune system.

In addition to strategies like handwashing, staying up-to-date with vaccinations, regular physical activity, and stress management, good nutrition is another powerful way to strengthen your defenses. Here are some key nutrients and foods that can help support your immunity throughout the winter.

Searching for Primary Care?

Finding a primary physician or nurse practitioner can be a stressful experience. Thankfully there are programs and community partners at your fingertips ready to help connect you with healthcare providers in your area.

Regardless of which region you live in, resources are available to connect you with primary care and help you find a permanent primary care provider. 

Meet our 2026 Champions of Change Fellowship Recipients: Claudia, Maria, and Tanan!

VHA's Research and Innovation Team is excited to announce this year's Champions of Change fellows. This group is selected to help design and lead a quality improvement project to support PSWs in peer-to-peer information sharing, which improves client care.

Our fellows will spend the next year working to understand current peer-to-peer communication strategies and develop ways to promote better communication. Congratulations to this year's team of fellows!

Are you a client or caregiver who is interested in integrated care at VHA?

You’re Invited to a Workshop for Creating an Evaluation Framework for Integrated Care

About the project:
The Research and Innovation department is creating an evaluation framework to guide future evaluations of integrated care programs to determine their progress, impact and identify areas for growth.

Your Participation is Needed! 

• Attend an in-person workshop with other clients and their caregivers, home care providers, and program managers and administrators to discuss important topics related to the evaluation of integrated care programs 
   
  • Two date options: February 18 OR February 24, 2026 (9:00am-12:30pm, followed by lunch)
  • Where: VHA Home HealthCare Office, 30 Soudan Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M6A 1V6
• For those unable to attend the in-person dates, you can participate in a virtual focus group or interview 

Compensation and Reimbursement 

• $25.00/hour 
• VHA will reimburse:
  • Parking or mileage expenses to a maximum of $25 per day
  • Caregiver relief up to a maximum of five hours
  • Accessible transportation and TTC

Please RSVP by February 5th, 2026!
Madison Brydges (Research and Innovation) mbrydges@vha.ca 

The Mental Impact of Living with a Chronic Illness

Living with chronic illness affects more than physical health. Day-to-day life can revolve so heavily around appointments, treatments and symptom management that it can feel like there’s no time or energy left to live your life. The impact of chronic illness can also influence mood and affect work, relationships and independence.

As these changes accumulate, you may experience isolation, grief for what has been lost and ongoing stress about the future. For many, mental health challenges develop alongside long-term physical illness.