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Sunday November 7, 1999 Oakville Beaver Weekend Total amount raised 13 1999 United W ay of Oakville Campaign - OUR GOAL $3.1 m illio n To receive a brochure call (905) 842-7733 Established 1998 To Y o u r H e a lth To reach this section call 845-3824 Fax:337-5567 t United Way For more info: 845-5571 S e r v ic e ConnectCARE gives users a panic button to summon help in medical emergencies By W ilm a Blokhuis OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Margaret Robichaud could hardly contain her emotion. She broke down at the podium, apol ogized, and told the story of a patient who left a simple note at the bottom of a page, shortly after a home emergency tele phone device was installed in her home. A mere push of a button summons help. O f all of the thank-you notes she had received, "the most touching for me was the simple note I received on the portion of our patient menu that describes our service. "At the bottom of the page, the patient had simply written `you saved my life' and put her initials. "Our system had been installed only the day before she had to use it in a severe medical emergency." The patient ended up at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Robichaud had worked there for 20 years. But for the past 3 1/2 years, she has been program co-ordinator of the Home Emergency Lifeline Program - often referred to as Lifeline. And, on Oct. 29th, Lifeline's ninth anniversary, Robichaud spoke to a small gathering at the OTMH lobby to announce the program 's new name, ConnectCARE. "Our clients' reasons for belonging to the service vary," she said, "whether they are in their 20s coping with MS or are older adults living alone, perhaps with chronic Illness. Since its inception, ConnectCARE has served almost 3,000 people across Halton, and currently has about 840 sub scribers in the region. Subscribers receive a two-way voice unit that connects to the hospital's moni toring centre through their telephone. "A simple push of a button worn by the client activates the system," explained Robichaud. "On receiving an alarm, monitoring staff have immediate access to the client's personal informa tion and pertinent medical information. "So even if the client is unable to communicate the problem, we know where to send help, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year." Helping ConnectCARE, a non-profit organization based at OTMH, are 32 vol unteers, providing over 2,000 hours of service annually. One of them is installer George Layt, a volunteer since October 1991. Once he has installed a unit at a subscriber's home, he teaches the client how to use it. He visits subscribers to check if their equipment is working properly. In addi tion, Layt, a former Burlington resident who now lives in Oakville, works as a volunteer in the admitting department of Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital. can b e life -s a v e r fo r t h e In short, says Robichaud, the program provides peace of mind. For Roger Sharman, CEO of Halton Healthcare Services (OTMH and Milton District Hospital), it's a practical exten sion of hospital services. "By the year 2007, about 80% of our patients will be over 65," he said. "ConnectCARE supports early dis charge, because it provides 24-hour access to emergency help, seven days a week. `Today, there's more emphasis on community health care versus hospital care. The service was launched nine years ago with the support of Oakville's four Rotary clubs, and is supported by other service clubs, community groups, churches and individuals. The name change to ConnectCARE is in keeping with the mandate of Halton Healthcare Services (HHS), concluded Robichaud, which is "caring for today and growing for tomorrow." The ConnectCARE logo incorporates the HHS colours - blue and green. For more information about ConnectCARE, call 338-4357 or 1-800-6657853. in fir m Layt explained he volunteers for ConnectCARE out of a desire to help those living with health problems, "the lonely and the physically challenged in our community. "I've enjoyed a relatively stress-free life, so why not put something back into the community." And, he added, the "appreciation from the clients is very rewarding." Statistics show about 40% of people over 65 fall at least once a year, with 6% incurring serious injury, explained Robichaud. About 50% of the actual medical alarms result from falls in the home. "But not all of our alarms are about sending ambulances," said Robichaud. "Sometimes it's about calling staff to locate a missing hamster in a group home for the developmentally challenged, or calling a family member because mom needs a plumber. "Sometimes it's about lending a com passionate ear to someone trying to cope with a recent bereavement and providing them with the number of a local support group. "Sometimes it's reassurance for the shut-in in coping with feelings of isola tion." Photo by Riziero Vertolli Long time Volunteer George Layt and Margaret Robichaud, Connect CARE coordinator. Acupuncture L y n n e C. G a n o n g , B.Math, D.Ac. L ym e C. Ganong u &metabolism Rome Aronson MDFRCPCFACE o · Medical Weight Management Program · Multi-disciplinary Health Care Team · Metabolism Assessment · Computerized Diet Analysis ARE YOU IN PAIN? Come to a FREE Acupuncture Clinic on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12/99 Endocrinology by physician referral (9 0 5 ) 3 3 7 - 0 0 4 0 or visit www.lmc.ca Trafalgar Road at OEW, Oakville DO YOU SUFFER FROM HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT WONT GO AW AY? Receive a A c u p u n c tu re T re atm e n t. L earn a b o u t A c u p u n c tu re a n d how it can help YOU. 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