About This Educational Video Series
As people with HIV/AIDS age in unprecedented numbers, it is important that long-term care staff be educated about the progression of the illness. In Ontario, there are well over 7,000 people living with HIV/AIDS over the age of 50, which means long-term care homes will soon begin to see an increase in the number of admissions for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
In Toronto, The Rekai Centres (a long-term care home) and Casey House (an HIV/AIDS specialty hospital) have partnered to develop an accessible and inclusive video teaching series. Entitled Compassionate Care in a Changing Landscape: HIV/AIDS and Long-Term Care, these training videos are intended to be viewed by anyone working in a long-term care setting, in all staff and volunteer capacities. The videos have also been found to be useful training tools at hospitals, AIDS Service Organizations and in academic settings for health care professionals in training. The videos feature the perspective of people working in HIV/AIDS and long-term care, as well as people who are themselves living with HIV/AIDS, and their families and loved ones.
Through identifying the care needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and understanding the principles of empathetic care, frontline staff will have the tools required to build a compassionate and comprehensive person-centred plan of care, which will include the voice of the person being served, to improve care provider confidence and health care delivery.
For inquiries regarding access to the videos, or questions about the series, please email us at info@hivlongtermcare.com.
The Rekai Centres and Casey House would like to acknowledge the support of the M·A·C AIDS Fund.
Choose from the following training videos:
- First Watch: Introduction to Series
- A New Future
- Bedside Care
- Cognitive Changes
- Families & Support Networks
- Pharmacology & HIV Care
- HIV & Complex Medical Concerns
- Mental Health & HIV Care
An Introduction to the Educational Series
This introductory video provides background information on the project and guidance on how to best implement the video series, including how to build champions in the workplace and create networks of care.
The realities of living with HIV have changed dramatically, yet the need for quality care and timely educational initiatives persists. Through the stories of people living with HIV, as well as personal and professional stories from health care providers and HIV and long-term care administrators, this introductory video provides an overview of what it can mean to live with the diagnosis of HIV, from the anxieties and challenges of the beginning of the epidemic to the current needs of a diverse and aging population.Watch Now (short survey required) >>
This video highlights essential information for frontline care providers about infection prevention, HIV transmission and the use of universal precautions. Experts in the field of HIV, physicians, nurses and personal support workers from an HIV/AIDS hospital and a long-term care home discuss their experiences working with people living with HIV.Watch Now (short survey required) >>
Download the Information Sheet (PDF)>>
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We get older, just like everybody else.” As we age, many of us will encounter cognitive changes and may experience forms of dementia. People living and aging with HIV can also face these challenges, alongside changes to the brain linked specifically to the HIV virus that may lead to requiring long term care at a younger age than the majority of residents. Through the voices of people living with and aging with HIV, care providers, and experts in health care and cognitive change, this video builds on the skills of frontline staff to support people living with HIV adapt to their changing needs and environments and provide effective and empathetic client-centred care.Watch Now (short survey required) >>
“We all fear rejection – we all want to connect.” This video includes the voices of the friends and families of people living with HIV, from initial reactions to the diagnosis to navigating the health care system and assisting loved ones as they adjust to life with a serious long term illness. People living with HIV, long-term care providers, a family therapist and HIV health care professionals join the conversation to discuss the challenges families face, how to build a network of support and the vital role of friends and family members in the circle of care.Watch Now (short survey required) >>
“I was on 35 pills, twice a day.” Since the onset of the epidemic, advancements in pharmacology have played an integral role in the care of people living with HIV. This video explores the history of HIV treatment and the impact of medication regimens on the lives of people living with HIV, and highlights advancements in treatment and medication today. The importance of and barriers to medication adherence are also addressed so that viewers can walk away with an understanding of the challenges facing people living with HIV and explore the best possible plan for client-centred care.Watch Now (short survey required) >>
Resilience, compassion and creativity are all integral aspects of caring for people living with a serious long term illness as multifaceted as HIV. In this video, interprofessional health care providers and people living with HIV explore the issues of aging with a serious, long term illness and the potential complexities of care that can arise. Consideration is also given to common age-associated illnesses, including cancer and cognitive change.
“The most powerful antidote is human contact.” One in five Canadians will experience a mental health concern in their lifetime, and up to half of all people living with HIV will experience a mental health concern at some point in their lives. This video shares the stories of people living with HIV and their journeys with mental health and illness. Experts in mental health care, HIV care and long-term care speak to the relationship between HIV and mental health.Watch Now (short survey required) >>