Hoping to promote good health among seniors, the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) has launched a pilot project as part of Health Quality Ontario’s IDEAS (Improving & Driving Excellence Across Sectors) program. Patients arriving on the hospital’s medical units are given a baseline functional assessment to identify gaps in their health. Staff then develop a care plan that fits the needs of each patient. “We can then evaluate the patient’s progress and make further adjustments if necessary in order to meet the patient’s goals,” says RN Monique Kevill, patient care manager. Some of the strategies used to prevent functional decline in seniors include getting patients up for meals, minimizing the use of commodes, bedpans, and catheters, and providing patient education. “Ultimately, our goal is to enable seniors to maintain optimal health while they are hospitalized so that they can return to their home environment or transition to the next level of care that best meets their needs,” says RN Tracy Byron, an SAH senior-friendly lead. (The Sault Star, Jan. 3)