Edmonton community members explore using the Emergency Room as an entry point to transitional housing

Lloyd Lewis

Published

3 years ago

2 minute read

(Re-published)

Is there a better way than simply releasing a person experiencing homelessness from the hospital back onto the street? It creates an endless cycle of emergency room visits and escalating costs, not to mention the challenges the patients face in having a successful recovery.

As we continue to look for solutions to homelessness in our city, a group of community members from different fields and backgrounds met recently to brainstorm and discuss alternatives to the practice of releasing patients into a state of homelessness.

That’s a long way of saying that if someone experiencing homelessness comes to an emergency room with a need for medical aid, the only alternative once treated is to release the patient back onto the street. The chances of recovery are greatly diminished, while the probability of return visits increases. The costs are severe, both to the person experiencing homelessness and to our ever-more expensive health care system.

Spearheading the initiative is Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, a veteran emergency room physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and a Professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta.

Watch this short video to hear from some of those involved and to better understand the concept and learn why there is a growing groundswell of support for this idea.

There are many ways that people can get involved with this initiative. It’s common sense that housing and health are interconnected. Finding solutions to chronic homelessness and easing pressure on our health care system is something we can all get behind.

Please contact Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti directly to learn more about the project and how you can help:

Phone 780.932-7187

[email protected]

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Health Basics was my Kick Start to a Healthier Weight

Published on August 3, 2022

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Editor’s note: The concepts outlined in this article are important and can be adapted to our current isolated lifestyle.

Health Basics was my Kick Start to a Healthier Weight

I am a retired nurse so I know quite a bit about living healthy. However over my last year of work, I had a sedentary job and I felt tired so I did not put as much energy into my own lifestyle and my weight crept up. I was getting a lot of heartburn and I knew weight loss and lifestyle are the first line treatment.

So, after I retired I asked my doctor to send me to Health Basics. It was good to go every week, to have to be accountable, to have others to discuss my choices with as well as to pick up on things from class that I had let slide. I went through the 8 week program and lost 9 pounds. As I know how important it is to continue living healthy and be accountable to myself, I rejoined TOPS which I was a member of a number of years ago. I also continued with exercise classes and yoga at the Golden Circle and now I am down 17 pounds just over 4 months after I started down this path. I am feeling great: stronger, fitter and I have almost no heartburn. Health Basics has helped me to enjoy retirement!”

PS: “I knew Health Basics is a great kick start on healthy living as my husband had attended it years ago when he was diagnosed with diabetes. He followed the class recommendations and has lost more than 75 pounds over the years and feels great too.”

As always Red Deer PCN is here to support your health and wellness. Call 403.343.9100. Mental Health Counsellors are available for therapy and other concerns.