OCSA Community ReConnect 2023 Conference

The Home & Community Support Innovation Centre team had the privilege of participating in the recent Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) Conference held in Markham earlier this month. This vibrant event brought together key players from the Home and Community Care Support sector from across Ontario. We were honoured to listen to inspiring speakers, participate in enlightening Lightening Labs and breakout sessions and get a glimpse of what’s happening across the province in Home Care, all while networking with our peers and colleagues.

Deborah Simon, CEO of OCSA, was an eloquent host and facilitator. She brings a wealth of experience in the field of home and community care, along with a broad background in the healthcare sector, encompassing acute, long-term care, and rehabilitation sectors.

During the first day of the conference, we were honored to listen as Ron Tite, CEO of Church + State, gave an enlightening keynote speech focused on his guiding “Think, Do, Say” philosophy and how that sentiment relates to Home and Community Care.

One of the conference’s most dynamic features was the Lightening Lab Breakout Sessions. Our team actively participated in several of these innovative brainstorming sessions, which covered a wide range of topics:

HHR (Human Resources)
Volunteerism
OHT (Ontario Health Teams)
HCC Redesign (Home and Community Care Redesign):
Technology

These Lightening Labs sessions provided a platform for participants to identify what’s working, pinpoint obstacles, and pose questions phrased as “how might we…” to problem solve and brainstorm innovative solutions to current obstacles in Home and Community Care.

Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa is a Canadian physician and advocate who has been recognized for her work in promoting diversity and inclusion in the medical field. On day two of the conference she gave an exceptional keynote speech about her story, providing hope and reassurance for POC in Home and Community Support.

The Innovation Centre proudly presented a poster at the Poster Exhibition during the OCSA conference. Our poster provides a brief overview of the region we serve, our main outputs, and how they align with our mission and vision. Seen here is Quality Lead, Nic Labine, who happily discussed all that we do at the Innovation Centre and how our service model can be useful beyond NE Ontario.

To close out the conference, Pam Stoikopoulos, CEO of Big Eye Innovation presented an overview of all the Lightening Labs from day one, and spoke about the value of the Lightning Lab process.

The OCSA Conference 2023 was a remarkable gathering of passionate individuals and organizations committed to advancing home and community care in Ontario. The Innovation Centre team was honoured and delighted to attend, and we have brought back ideas, resources, and connections that will help us to continue with our mission to serve the Home and Community Care sector in North Eastern Ontario.