We can help

“We can help with that” was the response from Dr. Layne Butler to a casual comment about finding an affordable method to sterilize foot care instruments.  The executive director of Prince Edward Community Care for Seniors, Debbie MacDonald Moynes, was chatting about the challenges to meeting the new Ministry of Health guidelines for sterilizing equipment.  Dr. Butler said “we have fully trained staff here and an autoclave that is inspected regularly and we’d be happy to sterilize the equipment for Community Care.”

That was the beginning of an amiable relationship between the local not-for-profit agency and the staff of Dr. Butler’s dental practice.  Each week Community Care nurses sterilize the foot care instruments with a special solution and load the autoclave pouches with a set of equipment for each client.  The sealed pouches are transported to the dentist’s office where staff members put them into the autoclave.  When the arrow on the pouch turns “green” the instruments in the pouches are sterile and ready for use at the next foot care clinic.

“The cost of paying for autoclave sterilization was outrageous” said Debbie MacDonald Moynes.  Community Care staff then looked into purchasing an autoclave for agency use but found that renovations to the office would have been required, along with ongoing training for the foot care nurses and costly inspections of the autoclave.  “We are so grateful to Dr. Butler and his staff (Donna Cooper, Janice Gordon, Marlene Trottman and Carol Bigg) for helping us to help seniors live at home,” said MacDonald Moynes as she presented Dr. Butler with a framed certificate of appreciation and a gift basket of tea, coffee and chocolates.  Dr. Butler said “it’s my pleasure to support programs for seniors in this way.”

Foot care is an important service that can have a huge impact on one’s ability to live an active life at home.  Seniors often find that limited movement makes it difficult to hold the toe nail clippers; the nails have become thick and tough and hard to clip; eyesight issues cause a problem; and those who have diabetes must take extra care not to cut themselves.  The Community Care foot care nurses are fully trained in the specialty of foot care for older adults and use up-to-date instruments to provide this essential service. 

Foot care clinics are held in both Picton and Wellington.  The first appointment is $20.00 due to the extra time required with the nurse; subsequent appointments are $17.00 each.  Most people attend every 6 weeks. Call 613-476-7493 to arrange a foot care clinic visit.

Prince Edward Community Care for Seniors has been supporting seniors to live independently at home since 1977.  Services include Meals on Wheels, transportation to medical appointments & shopping, noon-time dinners for seniors, help with forms, reassurance programs, homemaking, yard work and home maintenance.  The agency is partly funded by the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care through the Local Health Integration Network and supported by donations and community fundraising efforts.