Only a Phone Call Away

Given a choice, many elderly Veterans and seniors would prefer to stay at home for as long as possible, surrounded by the people they love. To help meet this important need, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island are partnering in a new project that will help us learn how to best support older people who want to "age in place". The three-year telehomecare project will begin in the spring of this year. It will include a number of Veterans and seniors who live in Prince Edward Island and need care to continue to live at home.

As part of the project, special equipment will be installed in each participant's home. Using a standard telephone line, the system will allow Veterans and their families to see, hear, and talk to a nurse at the other end of the line who can offer them care and guidance on matters that affect their well-being and independence. In addition, data transmitted over the line will allow a nurse to monitor the Veteran's vital signs, including blood pressure, pulse rate, blood sugars, oxygen, and heart and lung sounds, from a distance. During the project, nurses will continue to make home visits to Veterans who need to see them and they'll also receive other forms of home support, like help with daily activities, if they need it. At the end of the project, we hope to be able to show that telehomecare is a safe, reliable and efficient approach to providing Veterans with care in the comfort of their own home.