Immigrant and Francophone Seniors’ WrapAround

OCASI, Fall 2009 Professional Development Conference

Presenter: Dharshi Lacey

Seniors’ WrapAround is:

• A new program led by the London InterCommunity Health Centre

• Funded by the South West Local Health Integration Network as part of its Aging at Home Strategy

Programs Core Purpose

• To help Immigrant and Francophone seniors live healthy and independent lives with dignity in their own homes for as long as possible.

Community Impact

1. Assist the broader system to increase accessibility of their services for immigrant and francophone seniors

2. Successfully access the wealth, knowledge and experience of Internationally Trained Professionals

How Does WrapAround work?

Life DomainsFamily Financial

Language Spiritual/emotional

Residence Safety

Neighbourhood Educational

Social Vocational

Cultural Health

The WrapAround Process

• The senior meets with a WrapAround facilitator; if appropriate this first meeting would include the senior’s primary care giver

• Senior (and care giver) identifies needs • Facilitator works with senior to identify potential

team members • Team formation: Natural/Professional supports • Plan development and implementation • Transitional phase

Case Study

78 yr old immigrant man – Widower– Experienced war trauma - late 1990’s – Lives alone– Experiencing hearing loss– Isolated, unable to socialize

Identified Needs: Anxious and unable to sleep at night, feels isolated and lacks intellectual stimulation

Life DomainsFamily Financial

Language Spiritual/emotional

Residence Safety

Neighbourhood Educational

Social Vocational

Cultural Health

Community Change Objectives

Systems Change

• 1. Assist the broader system to increase accessibility of their services for immigrant and francophone seniors

Community Economic Development

• 2. Successfully access the wealth, knowledge and experience of Internationally Trained Professionals

Systems Impact

Broader System – leadership level:• We have 9 partner agencies sitting around

an advisory table• We meet 4 times a year• We bring case studies to this table:

• to increase understanding of the issues• to increase engagement and participation• to create opportunities to provide assistance to the

project

Systems Impact – Front Line

Front Line: As we identify services that the senior may benefit from.

• We invite front line workers to be part of a senior’s team

• We create these linkages one agency at a time one front line worker at a time

• We build relationships with front line workers to benefit our “common” client

Lessons Learned

Success Measurement

• Access to more services for immigrant and francophone seniors

• Our staff report that more agencies are willing to sit on WrapAround Teams

• Organizations within the system report that they made changes and modifications within their systems to serve this community better

• More agencies have joined the partners advisory table

Community Economic Development

Effective Recruitment of Immigrant Professionals

• Strategic Advertising and Promotion of Position

• Interview package and preparation• Interview process

Community Economic Development – Strategies for Successful Integration

• Training and Coaching• Competitive Salary and Benefits• Supervision and Mentorship• Professional Development• Team Development

Lessons Learned

Success Measurement

• Successful integration – low attrition• Recruitment model is being used by

others within the agency, community• Immigrant staff are advocates of the

benefits of accessing the wealth of experience they bring to the community

Thank you