There are no tea and cookies at this get-together but every Tuesday morning seniors at a Bradford apartment complex flock to the lobby and wait in anticipation.
A team of Simcoe County Paramedics arrives at 9:30 a.m. each week to conduct health checks with residents at the subsidized housing unit.
The elderly patients enjoy the visits, especially the social aspect.
"Only without the goodies," laughs Florence Maynard, 67. "We don't need the goodies. No goodies. No tea. No coffee. Just the social."
The weekly "house-calls" by paramedics are part of a year-long research project being conducted by McMaster University in Hamilton and one component of Simcoe County's Community Paramedicine Program.
There are two clinics - Tuesday mornings in Bradford and Thursday mornings in Orillia - where paramedics come in to check the weight, blood pressure, blood sugar of the residents and discuss their overall wellness and health goals.
Medics can help connect the seniors with appropriate health care or home care services if required.
"The goal of the program is to try to see whether continually monitoring clients within their homes in this certain population of subsidized seniors can help to reduce emergency department visits and obviously 911 calls," said Deputy Chief, Performance, Quality and Development Merideth Morrison.
At the Bradford clinic, paramedics see on average nine clients every week.
There have been a total of 207 visits since start of program in November and while 23 seniors registered not all 23 come every week.
The seniors' information is entered into a database and then the data is sent to their family physician.
Noreen Hodgson, 86, says the visits are "wonderful" and she really looks forward to them.
"I think it's great because it gets you moving, thinking about yourself, knowing you need to do something and keep track of yourself," said Hodgson, who is going blind. "You know they're coming and you should keep on with it and try to do it every week if you can. I think I've only missed one."
Maynard attends the check-ups with her husband of 32 years, John who is 65.
"It keeps you on your toes with your health," said Florence. "They tell you what you're doing wrong and what you're doing right. We have a lot of fun together. It's not all serious and don't do this and don't do that."
John says his health has improved with the weekly visits.
"I have more energy because my blood pressure is better," said John.
The benefits go beyond the physical, according to Paramedic Kristen Gilmartin, Clinical Programs Supervisor, who agrees it's a bit of a social hour.
"Certainly it helps with things like social isolation. It gets people to come out of their apartments and get out even just for a little bit of walk. Getting down to the clinic in the morning is a walk for some of our residents here."
If there are concerning results, the paramedics can make referrals to community services in addition to reporting to the seniors' family doctors.
For many seniors, mobility can be an issue, either their own or relying on others to drive them to doctors appointments.
The wellness clinic brings the care to them instead of them having to go to the care, says Hodgson.
"I have two sons and two daughters. I don't have to have them running me somewhere. The paramedics just come right here and that's great too because sometimes it's hard to get out."
County of Simcoe Paramedic Services hopes to continue the program after the research project but target homes based more directly on the use of 911.
The paramedics in the program are on modified duties so it's a win win for everyone because they get what supervisors say is a unique opportunity to work with patients more than once.
"Usually in emergency type settings, we see patients for very brief periods - snapshot in time - sort of at their worst," said Gilmartin. "We actually get to know these residents. You can follow up with them about their family or how something is going and so you get to see a little bit more of the end story and I think that's very valuable to a lot of our medics because they actually enjoy that personal attachment and that relationship that develops."
Residents have been knitting and crocheting for some of the medics who are leaving or now off on maternity leave.
"It's a huge connection that develops," said Morrison. "I think its very important to all us, not just seniors, to know that someone cares about our health and I think that's what this has established."
