Scarborough Health and Community Care News

Issue 2: April 2024

Your Scarborough OHT Community Newsletter

Newsletter Highlights

Receive our Newsletter in Your Preferred Language

Scarborough Ontario Health Team is Seeking Client and Family Advisors

Social Prescribing Programs Near You

Sleep Changes in Older Adults

Scarborough Health Network and Partners Held Screening Event for Breast Cancer in South Asian Community

Helping a Loved One With a Mental Illness Accept Treatment

Scarborough Food Banks

Receive our Newsletter in Your Preferred Language

Already subscribed to receive our newsletter? Scarborough Health and Community Care News is now available in French, Traditional Chinese, and Tamil. To receive future issues in your preferred language, submit your request here.

Scarborough Ontario Health Team is Seeking Client and Family Advisors

Contributed by Lori Berger Hegyi

Did you know that the population of Scarborough is over 630,000, and the population the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT) is meant to serve over 850,000? That means that a lot of people experience health care in Scarborough!

My name is Lori, and I am a member of the Client and Family Advisory Council (CFAC) of SOHT.

Ontario now has Ontario Health Teams - whose work is to connect and coordinate our health care system in ways that have not been done before, to help ensure that Ontarians receive the best possible care.

And that is where you come in - SOHT needs your voice with your experience with health care in Scarborough!  SOHT is seeking people from diverse backgrounds, with a variety of experiences with health care.  You can be the patient, family member, caregiver, or friend with experience in the many aspects of health care - hospital, home care, long term care, community services and more.

SOHT CFAC is a group of volunteers that meet regularly (usually virtually) and bring their voices to the many initiatives, working and policy groups of the SOHT.  Your unique and diverse experiences can help SOHT and its partners to understand how services may impact people differently.

CFAC currently has 16 members, and we would like to welcome more. My experience is that the SOHT staff are so supportive in ensuring that we can contribute our experiences in a way that works for each member.

If you would like more information on this, please contact ScarboroughOHT@shn.ca.

Social Prescribing Programs Near You

Contributed by Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities and Carefirst Seniors and Community Services Association.

Social prescribing is a healthcare initiative that aims to address the diverse needs of individuals by connecting them with non-medical support services and community resources. This may include joining social groups, engaging in physical activities, participating in arts and cultural programs, accessing mental health support services, and much more.  This month, we are highlighting two social prescribing programs being offered by Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) and Carefirst Seniors and Community Services Association.

Social Prescribing at SCHC:

To make sure individuals can easily access the SCHC Social Prescribing program, primary care physicians, allied healthcare professionals, and community workers such as caseworkers and social workers can all recommend individuals for this program. 

SCHC’s dedicated team of social prescribing link workers then conducts comprehensive assessments with individuals to understand their unique needs, challenges, and goals.

Based on the assessment, SCHC social prescribing link workers “prescribe” personalized interventions, which serve as a roadmap to guide individuals towards improved well-being. These prescriptions connect individuals with the relevant community resources and support services. 

SCHC link workers work closely with individuals to connect them with the identified resources and services, providing ongoing support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the process. 

If you are interested in using the program or want to learn more, please contact SCHC at (416)-847-4134. You can also visit SCHC’s website for further details and to access the online referral platform. 

Social Prescribing at Carefirst Seniors and Community Services Association:

The Carefirst-led Building Neighborhoods of Care - Social Prescribing Project for older adults is designed to improve well-being of isolated seniors by linking them with local activities, programs, resources and support to improve their physical conditions, social connection and mental health.

Eligibility: Those aged 55 and above, experiencing significant chronic isolation due to limited family or social support, mobility and accessibility barriers are eligible for this program. The social prescribing navigators provide wrap around support through connecting and or offering a wide range of social, recreational, and physical activities, transportation, food security, housing and financial support. We also recruit and train older adults to be peer seniors to help support the seniors in the program.

Accessing this program: If you would like to access this program, speak to your healthcare providers, social services organizations, settlement agencies OR contact Carefirst directly at 416-502-2323 ext. 6191 or email Carefirst at info.socialprescribing@carefirstontario.ca. You can learn more about this program on Carefirst’s website here.

Sleep Changes in Older Adults

Sleep patterns naturally evolve with age, so it’s common for seniors to feel more tired in the evening, wake up earlier in the morning or experience disrupted sleep through the night. In many cases these are normal changes caused by lower melatonin levels—or the hormone that promotes sleep—and an increased sensitivity to variations in one’s environment like noise and light.

If sleep is becoming more difficult and you routinely feel tired, click here to learn some tips that can help you get a good night’s rest.

Scarborough Health Network and Partners Held Screening Event for Breast Cancer in South Asian Community

On March 2, 2024, Scarborough Health Network (SHN) hosted a South Asian Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Event at Centenary Hospital, in partnership with Scarborough Ontario Health Team, Toronto and Central East Regional Cancer Programs, Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, Canadian Tamil Congress, Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario and Vasantham Health and Wellness Centre.

The event offered expert panels of healthcare workers and patients with lived experience to bring awareness to breast cancer and share information on preventative screening, treatment options and how mental health and nutrition play a role in breast cancer risks and recovery.

Lamia Chowdhury, an event participant, commented on the information sessions stating, "The panel discussions were very informative, especially when they talked about the specific stigma within the south Asian community and how speaking about certain body parts can be a barrier to early detection."

Another attendee, Sonya Venugopal said she "learned more about the other early symptoms of breast cancer to look for besides checking for lumps.”

“South Asians have lower breast cancer screening rates and often have more progressive disease at the time of diagnosis. Screening is the best way to catch cancers at an early stage when the disease is most treatable. As a surgeon, this is why I feel raising awareness about screening, especially among underrepresented communities, is so important.” –  Dr. Gayathri Naganathan, Breast Surgery Oncology Fellow at UHN and event panelist

Community members who attended the event also had the opportunity to receive same-day screening and 24 participants opted to receive a mammogram. Overall, community members in attendance enjoyed the event and expressed the need for more preventative screening and education events in the future to help spread awareness and save lives.

Breast health screenings in Scarborough

 In Scarborough, there are  breast health clinics at all three SHN hospitals. To book a mammogram, call 416-431-8167. A requisition from your doctor may be required. For more information or questions, you can reach one of SHN’s breast navigators at 416-284-8131 ext. 5264.

Helping a Loved One With a Mental Illness Accept Medical Treatment

Contributed by VHA Home HealthCare 

If someone you care about is struggling with a mental illness and refusing to get help, it can be very distressing. While every individual and situation is different, click here to read general strategies to help you approach the person and help in a sensitive way.

Scarborough Food Banks

Contributed by Dr. Abdul Fattah, Feed Scarborough

With the cost of living skyrocketing, more and more people are turning to food banks to meet their needs. If you live in Scarborough and need food, there are places you can go and people who will help you.

One organization that operates food banks in the community is Feed Scarborough, which was founded in 2018 and now operates 6 food banks. If you are a new client wishing to use the services, please visit this website or call at 416-936-3975 to arrange for an ID. Once you receive a client ID, you will have access to in-person or online services. Learn more here.

Below is a list of Feed Scarborough food banks:

Other Food Banks in Scarborough & Vicinity:

Sign up to receive our newsletter

If you have not already signed up to receive our newsletter, click here to register for more Scarborough Health and Community Care News.