CHCA Project ECHO Integrated Seniors Care
All Teach, All Learn
Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Home and Primary Health Care
Project ECHO Integrated Seniors Care (ISC) is a transformative initiative to enhance primary and home care providers’ skills, knowledge, and attitudes to deliver integrated, patient-centered care for seniors with complex chronic conditions. According to recent surveys, 23% of primary care providers (Commonwealth Fund Survey 2022) and 42% of home care providers (CHCA Survey 2018) report knowledge gaps in meeting the complex care needs of individuals with chronic conditions. Project ECHO ISC offers collaborative, expert-led presentations and case-based learning to bridge these gaps. The Project ECHO Community Hub provides access to sessions and evidence-based resources for ongoing learning.
2024 Theme:
Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementias
In 2024, Project ECHO Integrated Seniors Care (ISC) is focusing on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Dementia, a critical issue impacting Canada’s aging population. Although 58% of people living with dementia receive home care during their care journey, many still experience fragmented care due to knowledge gaps in early identification and management (CIHI, 2024). Project ECHO ISC is addressing these challenges by helping primary care and home care providers develop the necessary competencies to deliver integrated, person-centred care for seniors living with dementia and their care partners.
TeleECHO Educational Sessions
Linking Healthcare and Community: Social Prescribing in Integrated Senior’s Care
Feb 12, 2025
Krista Mulbery, Social Prescribing Project Manager, Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council, Colleen Derksen, Social Work Manager, Sage Seniors Association, and Tatiana Kastner, Program Manager for Older Adult Services, Jewish Family Services Edmonton, discussed the profound impact of collaborative social prescribing and integrated health and community services on the well-being of seniors living with dementia.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Seniors with Cognitive Impairment
January 22, 2025
Tim Stultz, MD, Medical Director of the COACH Program, and Amy Garrett, Nurse Practitioner, Provincial Geriatric Program, Summerside, PEI, shared their expertise on improving care for older adults through COACH’s interdisciplinary collaboration, with a focus on essential skills, knowledge and attitudes.
Building Competencies in Integrated Care: Lessons from Vancouver’s Home ViVE Program
December 4, 2024
Dr. Judith Hammond, MD, Dr. Conrad Rusnak, MD, and Joti Bagri, RN of Vancouver’s Home ViVE program shared practical insights into team-based, interdisciplinary care highlighting the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed for an integrated approach to care.
When is it Normal, Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia?
October 1, 2024
Dr. Andrew Kirk, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Head of Neurology at the University of Saskatchewan, and Jennifer Letkeman, BSW, RSW, Primary Health Care Facilitator at Weyburn Special Care Home, discussed the early identification and management of dementia, including recognizing risk factors, identifying early warning signs, and developing a collaborative approach to screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Continue your learning
The Project ECHO Home and Community Care Learning Hub offers a variety of resources for healthcare providers delivering home- and community-based care. Through the hub, you can access:
- On-demand TeleECHO session recordings that feature expert presentations and case-based discussions.
- Presentation slides from subject matter experts
- Evidence-based resources, including articles and reports supporting clinical practices.
- 10-minute micro-learning courses on key learning content for a selection of TeleECHO topics.
Project ECHO Integrated Seniors Care is made possible through the support from the Canadian Medical Association in partnership with the Canadian Home Care Association.
The Palliative Care ECHO Project is supported by a financial contribution from Health Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada.
This post is also available in: French