Leaders from Mackenzie Health and a representative from Oak Valley Health celebrate the opening of the new Community Stroke Rehabilitation Clinic in Vaughan on June 17, 2024.
Vaughan, ON (June 17, 2024) — Mackenzie Health today announced the opening of a new stroke rehab clinic for residents of York Region, bringing much-needed services closer to home. With the opening of the new clinic, a first for York Region, residents now have access to vital rehab service within days or weeks of leaving hospital when the greatest cognitive and physical improvements are often seen in stroke patients.
“Mackenzie Health is thrilled to be able to provide timely stroke rehab services to our residents,” says Mary-Agnes Wilson, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive at Mackenzie Health. “This has been a longstanding need for our community who were often forced to wait weeks and months for access to outpatient rehab services in the GTA.”
Stroke is a leading cause of disability in Canada, with one stroke occurring every five minutes, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Research supported by the National Institutes of Health shows that stroke patients see the best outcomes when rehab is provided within 60 to 90 days after a stroke.
Mackenzie Health’s new community stroke rehab clinic, located at 955 Major Mackenzie Dr., is open to patients discharged from Mackenzie Health and Oak Valley Health. The program, which includes an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, social worker, nurse and speech-language pathologist, runs eight to 12 weeks and includes virtual, onsite and in-home therapy options. It also includes community-based therapy to help patients with daily tasks like preparing food, shopping and banking that are all essential to reintegration into the community.
“Our rehabilitation program takes an individualized approach to care, focusing on meeting the goals of our patients,” said Teresa Sitlani, Program Director of Reactivation Care Centre, Continuing Care, and Stroke and Rehabilitation Programs at Mackenzie Health. “We also work hard to accommodate our patients by staying open into the early evening and helping to organize transportation services.”
For Walter Cimini, one of the first patients to be referred to the clinic from Mackenzie Health’s Sorbara Integrated Stroke Unit, this accessible, individualized approach to care has been vital to his recovery.
“The fear of the unknown was tremendous,” says Walter. “The first day, I couldn’t touch my hand to my face. It was the scariest feeling.”
But being able to lean on his loved ones and the experts at Mackenzie Health has made all the difference.
“I couldn’t do it without my support system, including my family and the team at the rehabilitation clinic,” he said. “They challenge me while making sure I feel supported —always reminding me to stay focused when I don’t succeed right away.”
The clinic, funded by the Ministry of Health, has seen more than 40 patients to date and is expected to be able to serve over 200 patients annually in York Region.
“We are extremely grateful to the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health for recognizing the need in our community and for supporting the program,” added Wilson. “This expanded access to stroke rehab for our community will be a necessity in the years to come to support our rapidly-aging population.”
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About Mackenzie Health
Mackenzie Health is a dynamic regional health care provider. Mackenzie Health includes Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, each with a full-service emergency department, core services such as surgery, medicine, critical care and medical imaging along with specialized programs. Its community-based locations and services continue to provide additional support to western York Region. In December 2023, the organization maintained its Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada for its commitment to safety and quality patient care. This is the highest rating a Canadian health care provider can receive. Guided by a vision to create a world-class health experience, Mackenzie Health has an unrelenting focus on the patient and is dedicated to patient needs now and in the future. Mackenzie Health is proud to serve western York Region, one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada with more than 550,000 residents. For more information, please visit www.mackenziehealth.ca.
Media contact:
Christina Cindric, Senior Communications Consultant and Public Affairs Lead
christina.cindric@mackenziehealth.ca
905-883-1212 ext. 7490