Wellness Hub

Summary

The Wellness Hub Program provides tailored interventions to prevent and manage infectious disease outbreaks (IPAC+), as well as the framework and oversight for interventions that promote vaccine uptake (Vaccine+), and optimize occupational and mental health and wellness (CARE+) both during and beyond COVID-19.

It includes a multi-disciplinary immunity study to estimate the population-specific prevalence and correlates of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection using dried blood spot samples among four populations (800 staff, 372 residents, 352 caregivers, 91 household members) across 72 long-term care homes (LTCH)/retirement homes (RH) in the Ontario region. Additionally, wastewater surveillance and clinical survey data are evaluated to facilitate COVID-19 immunity research.

With more than 100 stakeholders in long-term care homes/retirement homes across Ontario, we co-created knowledge translation products to support increased awareness and knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines and safety, including 1-pagers, a COVID-19 vaccine information booklet, and a Vaccine Champions course. COVID-19 has been an ongoing burden in this sector, and challenges around developing vaccine confidence evolve rapidly. Our team ensures that the evidence-informed resources are up to date and relevant to meet the needs of stakeholders. We would like to thank our study funder and partner: Canadian Immunization Research Network.

With support from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and in partnership with Ontario Personal Support Workers Association, and the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, we also developed an accessible resource support package for personal support workers (PSWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Co-created with PSWs the CARE+ resource package has over 60 pages of mental health and wellness resources and supports from various organizations, government sources, and experts to promote LTCH/RH staff wellness in the workplace.

We would like to thank our study funders and partners.

Project Resources

• Website: https://wellness-hub.ca/
• Website: IPAC+ Self-Assessment for Long-Term Care Homes and Retirement Homes: https://ipac.knowledgetranslation.ca/
• The Wellness Day Guide, a 15 page step-by-step planning guide to support LTCH/RHs to design a Wellness Day to promote staff well-being through onsite and virtual facilitation, and to provide access to evidence-based mental health resources tailored to the needs of a particular LTCH/RH: https://wellness-hub.ca/res/wellness-planning-day-guide/
• A Peer-to-Peer Support Toolkit with over 20 pages of information about frameworks for introducing Peer-to-Peer and Leader-Led Support Groups to guide personal recovery within LTCH/RH staff: https://wellness-hub.ca/res/the-wellness-hubs-peer-support-toolkit/
• CARE+ package: https://wellness-hub.ca/res/care-package/
• Wellness Hub Vaccine Information Booklet: https://wellness-hub.ca/res/wellness-hub-vaccine-information-booklet-2/
• Vaccine One-Pagers: https://wellness-hub.ca/vaccine/

Funded By

• COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
• Canadian Immunization Research Network
• Health Excellence Canada
• John and Myrna Daniels Foundation
• Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Unity Health Toronto
• University of Toronto