Are you a client, caregiver, or community member who lives in or receives care in North West Toronto?
We are looking for community members to help shape local community health initiatives! If you live or receive care in North West Toronto from our partner organizations, you have the opportunity to shape the future of care.
What is Client Engagement?
We use the terms Client, Caregiver, and Community Partner for those volunteering to share their experiences. The term “client” emphasizes partnership, independence, and person-centered care, broadening the focus to wellness, prevention, and community support. It reduces stigma and aligns with modern, holistic care, treating individuals with respect and dignity rather than focusing solely on their health condition.
What’s in it for YOU?
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Share ideas to improve health and social care
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Make a difference in your community
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Meet and connect with different people
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Gain engagement experience
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Receive an honorarium as a token of appreciation
Successfully organized a Community Wellness Fair
In 2023, we held our 2nd Annual Community Wellness Fair with the help of our client and family advisors. The fair saw over 500 participants and many connected to information on local healthcare services. Over 300 Naloxone kits were distributed too!
Accomplishments
Helped create 2 resource guides for the OHT
Our client and family advisors helped with the design of 2 resource guides – a substance use guide to help reduce emergency department visits related to substance use, and a caregiver resource to address Alternate Levels of Care (ALC) in the NWT OHT.
Participated in NWT OHT Projects and Activities
Client and family advisors sit on our Working Group and Committees to improve client and caregiver engagement in our work. We value their experiences and opinions.
Updated Engagement Strategy
The NWT OHT aims to take a population health and co-design approach in everything we do. We create opportunities for clients, caregivers, and community members to get involved in ways that work for them, with different levels of participation available.
Together with members of our CCC Forum, we co-developed an updated Engagement Strategy. This strategy outlines how we partner and collaborate with our community. Guided by key principles of meaningful engagement, we are committed to building an environment where strong, ongoing participation is supported and valued.
Click here to see full strategy: NWT OHT Partnership and Engagement Strategy
Meet the CCC Members
Duane Lea is a North York resident and is dedicated to bridging the gap between community needs and healthcare leadership. Duane’s background merges 15 years of professional consulting with his work with the Amputee Coalition of Canada as a Certified Peer Support Worker specializing in limb loss prevention, including national advocacy recently featured on CBC. Duane participates in the Health Equity Training Working Group. On a personal note, Duane is a percussionist who uses drumming and rhythm to support community wellness and holistic self-care for leaders, frontline workers, and communities across Ontario.
Gary Cohn is an outpatient at Hennick Humber Hospital and was a caregiver to a longtime client of the hospital. He participates in the Senior Executive Committee and the Governance, Nominating and Membership Committee. Gary is now retired after a lengthy career in law and business. He has a keen interest in the functioning of our healthcare system and hopes to do his small part to improve both its efficiency, and its ability to deliver integrated, quality care to all residents of North West Toronto.
Liliana Catapano has lived in North West Toronto for nearly 50 years and was born in Canada to immigrant parents. As a mother and grandmother entering her golden years, Liliana is focused on giving back. Her career in hospitals and long-term care spanned from dietary aide to senior Human Resources leader. In recent years, personal experiences with the healthcare system have highlighted gaps in coordination between providers and inequities in support for older adults with dementia. Liliana aims to share professional skills and lived experience to strengthen Ontario’s healthcare system for future generations.
Maria-Teresa Fontana is a retired teacher and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Handler. Maria-Teresa participates in the Senior Friendly Care Steering Committee and Caregiver Education Working Group.
Nazvir Fareed is a caregiver for his father, a dialysis patient at Hennick Humber Hospital, and works as a Financial Analyst, where working with numbers and reports is always top of mind. Nazvir participates in the Finance and Risk Committee. He previously worked in the medical field, where he developed a strong appreciation for the vital role institutions play in keeping our society healthy and active. Nazvir joined the Forum with the goal of raising awareness about health issues in North West Toronto and advocating for community members who may face barriers to being heard due to socio-economic factors.
Coming soon!
An NWT OHT CCC Member participates in the Mental Health Substance Use Steering Committee and Concurrent Disorders Care Pathway Working Group.