The London Free Press
January 15, 2010
Private franchise to open in city
Health Care: B.C. firm focuses on services to seniors in their homes
By John Miner
A former paramedic who is bringing a B.C. health-care company to London says the private venture will help take the pressure off the stretched public system.
Steve Pancino is opening a Nurse Next Door franchise, a company that specializes in providing health-care services to seniors in their homes, in the city.
"It is simple demographics. Almost 14% of London residents are 65 years or older and that number is going to double in the next 20 years," Pancino said.
"The public system is doing the best it can right now, but the system is stretched," said Pancino, who was both a land ambulance and flight paramedic based in London.
Under the public system, an individual may be allotted eight hours of care a week by the Health Ministry, leaving a family worrying about how they'll provide care for another eight, 16, or 20 hours, he said "At the end of day we are really about fostering independence for seniors and bringing peace of mind for families," Pancino said.
He said it was his experience as a paramedic and the repeat visits to patients that convinced him of the need for such a company.
"Some people, if they had just that little bit of extra help, you could keep them independent and in their home," he said.
Nurse Next Door provides a range of services, from companionship to complex nursing care, including palliative care.
The company was founded by B.C. residents Ken Sim and John DeHart in 2001 and now has 34 locations across Canada.
The private venture is opening at a time when the Ontario government is pouring more money into home care for seniors, including $700 million over three years for its aging-at-home strategy.
John Miner is The Free Press health reporter.
