WATCH: Annabel on homelessness and hope
Ask Annabel, a Community Transition Team (CTT) client, about what it was like to be homeless and she doesn’t hesitate.
“It was the most terrifying experience of my life,” she says.
Today, Annabel is hopeful about her future and generously shares her story to give others hope, too.
Vancouver All-Staff Forum on homelessness
Through group discussion participants explored potential solutions for resolving barriers to discharge and providing quality integrated care in the community for people who are homeless.
More than 160 people attended the Vancouver All-Staff Forum on homelessness last Wednesday, December 2. If you couldn’t join us, you can still watch the webcast .
Special guest Annabel, along with Vancouver Acute and Community staff who have supported her in her journey, attended for the premiere of our latest “Home is Best” video. Starring Annabel and featuring members of her care team, the video is a testament to Annabel’s courage and celebrates the very real difference our colleagues make in people’s lives. For the full story, click the image below (video is 3:18 minutes).
Tackling the tough questions
All ideas generated during the forum will be provided to the appropriate clinical practice committees and working groups for their consideration in future planning.
In 2014, the GVRD reported 2,777 homeless people in Metro Vancouver – 80% of which have one or more health conditions. Almost one-quarter reported concurrent mental illness and addiction.
Many of these residents rely on our care and services, but when it comes time for discharge – what do we do? What does Home is Best look like for people who are homeless?
Much of the forum was devoted to group discussion about the questions, concerns and feelings we grapple with when working on cases where our shared client/patient is homeless or marginally housed. Participants explored their experiences, the challenges they face, and solutions to support one another to resolve barriers to discharge and provide quality integrated care in the community.
All ideas generated during the forum will be provided to our Home Support and Home Health clinical practice committees, as well as the Downtown Eastside integration working group, for their consideration in future planning — but first we need to compile our copious notes. Once compiled and summarized, we’ll share the results with you, too. Watch VCH News for updates in the new year.
We want your feedback
Developed in consultation with Vancouver staff, December’s Vancouver All-Staff Forum was the third instalment of our “Home is Best” series.
Whether you attended the forum, plan on watching the webcast — or even registered but couldn’t attend — we want to hear from you. Here is a link to our brief and confidential survey.
Please complete the survey no later than December 18, 2015.