Priorities
Great Care. Close to Home.
The Foundation works with healthcare leadership to identify priority projects for our community to support. Below we have highlighted some of our current projects in acute, long-term care and community. The list represents a snapshot in time given that needs are continually being identified. While we aim to keep the priority list up-to-date, we also extend the invitation to reach out for additional information or to discuss projects within specific departments or sites that are of interest.
Through the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation, we have the opportunity, via giving, to bolster local healthcare so that our loved ones receive exceptional support at every stage of their lives. Together, we have the capacity to influence change and make a difference. We can bring new medical equipment and services to our hospital. We can help seniors thrive and be re-abled after a setback from an injury or surgery. We can find new ways for people to thrive at home for as long as possible. We can enhance long-term care. We can find ways to bring joy and comfort to the elderly. We can do remarkable things for local healthcare together!
For more on how your giving can help you and your loved ones live well, please reach out to the Foundation office at 250-331-5957. We look forward to working with you!
Acute Care Priorities for the Hospital
$175,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
An echocardiogram is a non-invasive ultrasound imaging test used to examine the heart. It assesses rhythm and examines the movement of blood throughout the heart. It provides a wealth of information such as the size and shape of the heart, pumping capacity, location and extent of tissue damage and assessment of valves. This special ultrasound machine can also be used to assess the impact of medicines, and cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, on the heart.
Echocardiogram images enable cardiologists to accurately assess and diagnose the best path of patient care.
Each week, 140 patients require echocardiograms – more than 6,500 annually. This is both for patients who are in hospital receiving acute care, and members of our community needing cardiac images to inform treatment plans. The echocardiogram is one of the most widely used diagnostic imaging modalities in cardiology at our hospital. The Comox Valley Hospital is also the only site that provides echocardiograms to children across the North Island. On average, 2 to 3 children every week come to our hospital for this testing.
This advanced equipment offers features that provide superior cardiac imaging to help determine the best possible care. These portable machines can be used anywhere in the hospital to provide rapid and precise assessment. This versatility is especially important when ER and ICU patients cannot be safely transported to other departments.
$30,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
External cardiac pacemakers send electrical pulses to help your heart beat at a normal rate and rhythm. Pacemakers can also be used to help your heart chambers beat in sync so your heart can pump blood more efficiently to your body. These devices often accompany patients requiring transport to Victoria for cardiac care. 6 new pacemakers are required at the Comox Valley Hospital.
$20,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
Code Blue is a hospital emergency code used to describe the critical status of a patient, including cardiac arrest, respiratory issues, or another advanced medical emergencies. When a Code Blue is called, a team of healthcare workers respond in a rapid, yet organized manner. Improvements in response times during cardiac arrest increase survival rates and fewer long-term complications.
According to research, it is estimated that one life would be saved for each active mock Code Blue practiced per 100 beds per year. It is essential our staff have access to the Resusci Anne torso manikin and to training to improve code blue response and outcomes for survival rate when Comox Valley residents experience in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest.
$15,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
There is a growing prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders among children and youth in British Columbia. Seventy percent of mental health problems begin in childhood/adolescence, with suicide being the leading cause of death for thirteen to eighteen year olds.
By the end of 2021, almost 190 children and youth will have come to our Emergency needing care for mental health/substance use.
Our hospital has an incredibly dedicated, skilled healthcare team. This training has provided them with the ability to respond to and care for an intense variety of needs.
To ensure that emergency staff are equipped to provide the best possible care for this increasing need among our community’s youth, this fund will enable Emergency staff to take tailored training in areas such as:
Suicide Response to build understanding of how to support people who have thoughts of suicide.
Trauma Informed Practice to increase understanding of the prevalence and impact of trauma in the lives of the people requiring care.
As well as training in courses such as Addictions, Family Engagement, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Harm Reduction, Legislation around Mental Health, and Withdrawal Management.
$10,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
Bringing a baby into the world is emotional, exciting, and admittedly stressful for many new parents. Knowing that when they come to the Comox Valley Hospital, they are receiving top of the line care can help ease the minds of anxious parents knowing that their newborns are receiving the best possible care. Babies in the Comox Valley occasionally require stabilization prior to transport for higher levels of care if they become unwell or are at risk of becoming unwell in the first few hours or days after birth. Therefore, the Comox Valley Hospital is currently seeking funding for 16 perinatal staff to participate in ACoRN training – a program designed to teach a broad variety of skills focusing on stabilization and transport for newborns.
Long-Term Care Priorities
$150,000
Where:
Providence Living at The Views
Need:
St. Joseph’s Hospital was built in the early 1900s and served as our community’s hospital for over a century. Today, the site is home to Providence Living at The Views, formerly called The Views at St. Joseph’s, a long-term care home owned and operated by Providence Living. The physical building reflects the standards of the day in which it was built, providing shared accommodations for as many as four people to one room.
Providence Living and its visionary leaders have taken hold of the opportunity to rebuild The Views and, together with Island Health, government, UBC, St. Paul’s Foundation (the Vancouver-based philanthropic partner of Providence Living) and Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation are bringing a groundbreaking new model for long-term care to our community. What is emerging will positively influence seniors’ care across British Columbia and beyond.
The vision embraces the concept of the home in which residents will be supported to engage in independent and meaningful lives to the full extent of their ability. They will have freedom of movement and access to nature while living in a vibrant community with amenities such as a bistro, gardens, general store and the joy of children nearby at the on-site daycare. The care model will provide opportunities for spontaneity, community engagement and intergenerational connection.
The new building is expected to welcome its first residents in 2025 and will be home to 156 people whose accommodations will be organized into small, self-contained households of 12 private suites.
$240,000 over 4 years
Where:
Providence Living at The Views
Need:
Before the rebuild of The Views is completed, a transformation will have been underway for some time within the walls of Providence Living at The Views reflecting a shift in the model of care.
This Transformation of Care project is critical in creating the knowledge and culture so that the staff are ready when the new building opens. This three year culture change program will provide training for all staff, physicians and volunteers at The Views. Taking a multiyear approach will assure that the care philosophy and practice becomes fully embedded and the culture change is sustained.
$45,000
Where:
Cumberland Lodge
Need:
Cumberland Lodge hopes to create a sensory room for residents. Multisensory rooms draw upon a wide range of equipment: bubble tubes, projectors with images, desktop waves, fibrotic lights, aromatherapy, music and sounds, or tactile objects such as lap mats, aprons, weighted blankets, and textured items. Known as Snoezelen, these multi-sensory items create an environment to calm and reduce agitation through the use of gentle light, soothing sound, relaxing smells and textures. They can also engage and delight the user, stimulate reactions and encourage communication. Research shows that multisensory stimulation therapy improves the quality of life and well-being for residents with cognitive impairments like dementia.
$40,000
Where:
Cumberland Lodge
Need:
Broda Chairs help residents who require significant support with sitting up and who benefit from spending more time out of bed. With the ability to sit for longer periods of time, residents are more able to participate in activities. The chair is adjustable which also gives the option of reclining to a restful position while the seat and back rest are pressure reducing to decrease the risk of pressure sores. Four chairs are currently required ($10,000 each).
$10,000
Where:
Cumberland Lodge
Need:
Some residents living at Cumberland Lodge do not have the funds to buy necessities such as razors, shampoo, socks, and clothing. Some residents have been pre-deceased by loved ones and do not have family. Holiday gatherings with visits and presents for neighbouring residents can make these times of the year even more difficult. This Fund will enable staff to ensure residents have those little necessities from a bottle of shampoo, to cozy socks and small gifts at special times of the year that ensure everyone in the home feels joy and the love of their community.
$66,500
Where:
Cumberland Lodge & Glacier View Lodge
Need:
Music Therapy, based on clinical evidence, makes use of music interventions to accomplish individualized care goals for residents. The use of music to achieve specific therapeutic goals such as managing stress; reducing anxiety; alleviating pain; enhancing memory; improving communication; expressing feelings and promoting physical rehabilitation.
Research strongly supports the power of music and movement to provide meaningful stimulation for those living with dementia. The therapeutic use of music combats loneliness, boredom and isolation, and addresses grief and feelings of abandonment. Music Therapy provides a safe platform for people to feel connected and experience the joy and beauty of music. The overarching goal of a Music Therapist in long-term care settings is to address psychosocial and emotional wellbeing. Music Therapy focuses on residents’ strengths and is a valuable resource to engage in at end of life.
$23,000
Where:
Glacier View Lodge
Need:
The staff at Glacier View Lodge strive to create a setting where each resident thrives. They are intentional about creating moments of joy and an environment that stimulates and engages residents. For example, you may find people participating in the kinds of activities you might do at home: playing a game, gardening, listening to music, or enjoying the company of a friend.
The Lodge would like to further diversify the activities offered to residents to better match their interests by creating an outdoor workshop or club house of sorts that will allow like-minded residents to gather and work on simple projects.
Almost half of their current residents were skilled labourer who worked with their hands. Their preferred pursuits involved being outdoors, working on projects, and the socialization that comes with these activities. This shifts the type of recreational opportunities required at the Lodge to reduce loneliness, helplessness and boredom.
The benefits of the outdoor workshop are to create:
- a gathering area that will enhance social connections with like-minded people and decrease loneliness
- independence within a safe environment
- unique activities to decrease boredom
- an increased sense of purpose by working on projects that can be used within the Lodge or for fundraising
- opportunities to sustain motor movement
We are pleased to support Glacier View Lodge’s continued effort to build a varied activities program that focuses on the unique interests and passions of their residents.
$18,500
Where:
Glacier View Lodge
Need:
Tovertafel is a games console with options designed specifically for people living with dementia. It contains a high-quality projector, infrared sensors, a loudspeaker and a processor with which interactive games are projected onto a table or floor surface.
The Tovertafel games conquer apathy, reduce restless and tense behavior, and increase positive emotions. They also promote physical activity. Many seniors, because they no longer carry out the many activities involved in daily living, need prompting and encouragement to move. The Tovertafel is a great tool to make physical activity fun!
Many people living with dementia lose the ability to remember the steps involved in completing a task and lose self-initiative, needing others to prompt their continued engagement in an activity. The Tovertafel is largely self-prompting and responds and interacts with the person making even the smallest movement.
The Tovertafel activates players and provides cognitive, physical, social, and sensory stimulation. In later stages of dementia, residents continue to benefit from sensory stimulation. Sensory stimulation through light and sound, relaxation and reminiscence are key elements in many of the games.
Lastly, the Tovertafel provides a way for families to spend quality time together. Challenges with language and recall are common across all types of dementia, making it difficult to have a visit based on a conversation. The Tovertafel provides an experience that does not rely on skill, memory or language, much like when we visit a pretty garden, throw a ball for a dog, play a simple game with a child or grandchild, watch fireworks or a lovely sunset. The goal is not to complete a task, just to experience well-being.
Community Healthcare Priorities
$65,000
Where:
Community Health Services, Island Health
Need:
Vacuum-assisted closure of a wound is a type of therapy to help wounds heal. It can be used to treat traumatic injuries or a chronic wound that is not healing properly over time, and help the wound heal more quickly. This can happen with wounds linked to diabetes, or for someone who had a recent skin graft or a large wound that can take a longer time to heal.
The gases in the air around us put pressure on the surface of our bodies. A wound vacuum device removes this pressure over the area of the wound. This can help a wound heal in several ways. It can gently pull fluid from the wound over time. This can reduce swelling, and may help clean the wound and remove bacteria. A wound vacuum also helps pull the edges of the wound together and it may stimulate the growth of new tissue that helps the wound close.
$25,000
Where:
Community Health Services, Island Health
Need:
The Safe Housing Fund is a new fund for Community Healthcare Services in support of vulnerable people in our community, such as the elderly, individuals with mobility limitations, or people with mental health challenges, who require healthcare support in their homes. Creating care plans for these individuals requires a home visit by a healthcare worker and sometimes staff discover a house is no longer safe for a patient to live in. This fund will help with deep cleaning, accessibility renovations, or repairs that are necessary to re-establish a safe home for the patient so they can receive care in the comfort of their own home. This fund will also provide temporary accommodation when a patient is ready for discharge from the hospital but cannot return home because modification is in process, or because they live on one of the surrounding Islands or in another remote location and need to remain close to the hospital for out-patient care. Donations to this fund provide a huge sense of relief for patients in knowing they have help with house modifications, a temporary place to stay, and eventually the comfort of their own home. The fund also provides peace-of-mind for healthcare workers who provide at-home care and can reduce the duration of hospital stays, freeing up hospital resources.
$8,800
Where:
Community Health Services, Island Health
Need:
The Transition Suites at Washington Apartments are an important service offered by Community Health Services that provide live-in overnight services and up to six visits a day to support clients at a long-term care level. The eight suites ensure patients get the best care in the best place as they transition from acute care at the hospital to long-term care or assisted living. These funds will be used to provide wellness and nutrition to vulnerable members of our community in turn providing a better quality of care. This program will also contribute to more efficient use of acute care resources at the Comox Valley Hospital.
Neoprobe for the Operating Room at the Comox Valley Hospital to benefit Cancer Care
Bedside Ultrasound for the Maternity Department at the Comox Valley Hospital
Bedside Ultrasound for the Emergency Department at the Comox Valley Hospital
Accessible Dining Furniture for Cumberland Lodge
Overdose Prevention Pilot Project for Mental Health & Substance Use
E-bikes for Mental Health & Substance Use Outreach Team
Broda Chairs for the Transitional Care Unit at the Comox Valley Hospital to help patients who need significant support with sitting up, providing more opportunity to spend time out of bed with less pain.
Midas Rex for the Operating Room at the Comox Valley Hospital, a pneumatic drill which is a special surgical power tool used for ears, nose and throat procedures and orthopedics.
Blanket Warmer for Cumberland Lodge.
Hematology Analyzer for the Comox Valley Hospital.
The ENT StealthStation™ Surgical Navigation System for the Comox Valley Hospital.