CONNECT Communities is Deemed Leading Practice for Brain Injury and Stroke

By December 12, 2016 Interdependent

In November, Accreditation Canada deemed CONNECT’s Life Redesign ModelTM Leading Practice under Client and Family Centred Care in ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) Services. An important and timely designation, since CONNECT’s first Ontario location is on the horizon.

Hamilton, Ontario and its surrounding communities will have access to CONNECT’s Life Redesign ModelTM when we open CONNECT Hamilton in the fall of 2018.

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) signed a contract last month with CONNECT to provide brain injury and stroke community transitional services in Hamilton. Both the HHS board and the board of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN voted in October to approve CONNECT’s proposal following a competitive procurement process initiated by HHS in December 2015. CONNECT’s Development team is engaging with the City of Hamilton on the purpose-built development.

CONNECT’s Life Redesign ModelTM is the result of a 2007 request by Interior Health in BC to build a better integrated system for the ABI population. The outcomes of this 9-year partnership between CONNECT and Interior Health have exceeded all expectations, improved lives and decreased the use of health care services over time by supporting people to redesign their lives following a brain injury.

CONNECT’s Life Redesign ModelTM is characterized by the following:

  • A culture of personal accountability, supported risk taking, social capital and meaningful community participation;
  • Services are planned around what the person wants more of in life. Participation in relevant life situations drives the residents’ goals;
  • Service plans leverage neuroplasticity by pursuing resident goals in real-life, non-institutional settings;
  • A “doing-with” coaching approach with blended job roles and a multi-professional coaching team;
  • Hire for fit based on personality and values, not qualifications.

CONNECT will have a local presence in Ontario throughout the next two years to further build relationships with health care stakeholders and the community of Stoney Creek, the site location for CONNECT Hamilton.

CONNECT’s Lake Country and Langley locations in BC continue to serve people after ABI. CONNECT will continue to strive for excellence in ABI services as our Hamilton development is underway and we continue to spread our Leading Practice Life Redesign ModelTM.

For more information about CONNECT, visit www.connectcommunities.ca.