In the eighth episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Stasia Hartley, Area Director for Bayshore Home Health.
A lifelong member of the Saanich Peninsula community, Stasia has worked in leadership roles in healthcare for 29 years. She has a Master’s of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University and manages the home health operations in Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach and Comox.
Bayshore Home Health has been operating for over 50 years and has 70 branches across Canada. In British Columbia, Bayshore has two divisions: private and public. On Vancouver Island, Bayshore’s 5 operations deliver private consumer home care. In the Vancouver area, Bayshore operations delivered government contracts and, with the recent news that the Ministry of Health is bringing those operations back into government, the company will be affected. But, not so on Vancouver Island.
Bayshore provide their clients a full spectrum of private home care services. Their clients are primarily seniors but also include injured workers and people with life-limiting diseases or disabilities. The relationship usually begins with a basic level of care but, depending on the needs of the client, they can also assist people who require complex care such as palliative, dementia and full 24 hour live-in service.
Creating communities of care
Hartley distinguishes private home care from publicly funded services like this. “Government provides the care people need, we provide the care people want.”
There is little competition between the two. Bayshore has recently added a new role in the company called a Case Manager. Case Managers meet with new clients and assess them with their needs. They understand the full spectrum of public and private services and do their best to ensure the client has access to both.
Bayshore’s care goes beyond a daily check-in. It is client-oriented. They do their best to match client and care-giver. They offer companionship, light housekeeping and nutritious home cooked meals. The details are important to Bayshore.
But, in a world of growing social isolation, Stasia and I discuss the challenges we have ahead of providing care and the need for communities to step up and look after each other.
If you are interested in learning more about Bayshore Home Health, visit their website.
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Stasia Hartley.
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