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
$38,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
$22,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
A breast MRI is a medical imaging screening device used at Comox Valley Hospital for detecting breast cancer and other abnormalities in the breast. It captures multiple images of the breast using a computer to create a detailed picture enabling physicians to make a diagnosis.
$54,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
Technegas is used during the ventilation phase of a lung scan in nuclear medicine imaging and produces lung images of diagnostic quality for groups of patients such as intubated patients or very young children where it is difficult to obtain clear images otherwise. Patients inhale the Technegas via tubing and a mouthpiece, with particles lodging within the peripheral lungs. Patients are imaged on the gamma camera to create a 3D or 2D (planar) ventilation map of the lungs enabling a more precise diagnosis.
$91,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
Tissue processing is critical in all pathology laboratories, including the lab at the Comox Valley Hospital. A Tissue Processor is used to prepare tissue samples for analysis by fixing, staining, dehydrating or decalcifying them so they can be analyzed to look for cancer and other diseases. The processors are mostly single unit devices that can accommodate a variety of processing techniques to suit the different needs of the laboratory, therefore improving the efficiency of tissue processing. More accurate diagnosis means patients can start life-saving treatments sooner.
$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.
$25,000
Where:
Comox Valley Hospital
Need:
A Gas Flow Analyzer is used at the Comox Valley Hospital to verify the performance of medical gas-flow and pressure devices. Examples of medical devices tested using the gas flow analyzer include: aspirators and other types of suction devices, flowmeters, pressure gauges, compressors, ventilators, anesthesia machines, and insufflators. A critical piece of equipment to ensure a wide assortment of life-saving devices are working properly within the hospital.
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.
$22,600
Where:
Cumberland Lodge
Need:
The OMI Interactive Sensory Suite has many benefits for users. This award-winning projection technology is an amazing tool for adults, including those with special needs or dementia. The technology encourages active participation and keeps users engaged. Users interact with many lively applications, being transported on a variety of dynamic, engaging, stimulating, and broadening journeys of discovery, and earning many cognitive, emotional, physical, and social rewards. Users have reported greater socialization and willingness to communicate, obvious enjoyment and shared laughter, and more flexibility and upper body movement.
$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.
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.