Community Program

The Casey House Community Program consists of several programs that allow clients living with HIV to access care by our practitioners. They include: the Home Hospice Program, nursing care through the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), the Healthy Voices Clinic, and the Sherbourne Health Bus.

Home Hospice Program: The Home Hospice Program provides a wide range of services for clients living in the community. People choose Casey House's in-home care for a number of reasons. Many people use our Home Hospice for supportive care, to help while they get used to new medications. Some, who are managing new or chronic symptoms, don't need the intensive care the Residential Program can provide, while others simply want to stay in the familiar surroundings of their own homes. There are those who use Home Hospice while they wait for a space in the Residential Program. As people live longer with HIV/AIDS, many clients are moving between the Residential Program and Home Hospice program, as their care needs change.

Home Hospice services include: care co-ordination and education by a registered nurse with expertise in HIV, psychosocial counselling and practical support by experienced social workers, spiritual care by a pastoral counsellor, access to a wide range of complementary and alternative medicine, enhanced nursing and personal support hours (above what is currently provided through the CCAC), and access to the 24-hour on-call nurse for phone consultation for Casey House clients. The Community Program staff work in collaboration with other care providers, hospitals and organizations to provide the best care possible for our clients.

CCAC Services: Clients living with HIV in the community can access Casey House nursing services through the Toronto and Scarborough CCAC if medical treatment, monitoring, and education are required. CCAC clients receiving care by Casey House nurses also have access to all the services offered through Home Hospice Program.

Healthy Voices Clinic: Casey House is reaching out to women living with HIV through our collaboration with Voices of Positive Women. Casey House provides nursing care, HIV expertise, and referral through our Healthy Voices Clinic, held twice at month at Voices of Positive Women.

Sherbourne Health Bus: Casey House is also reaching out to the homeless and under-housed HIV positive population. We provide a nurse on the Sherbourne Health Bus every Thursday afternoon in front of the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation office.

Childcare Program: Casey House Foundation raises money for the Child Care Program. Through this funding, AIDS service organizations can access childcare funding for women with children under the age of 16 years of age so that they are able to attend medical appointments or workshops related to HIV, or seek respite care or hospitalization. This fund allows women with children to access child care services so that they can take care of their health care needs.