Radeca with Christine, an Occupational Therapist, and Ola, Home Care Specialist. Christine and Ola work with VHA Home HealthCare and are part of ETHP OHT’s Integrated Neighbourhood Home Care Program.
Radeca has lived in Taylor-Massey since 1998 when she first arrived in Canada with her husband and three youngest children. The neighbourhood was peaceful and quiet, and conveniently had stores, a doctor and a gym nearby. It was what she needed to learn her way around, find schools for her children and look for a job. Sadly, Radeca was also struggling with domestic abuse at the hands of her husband.
“When we first came here, the situation with my husband didn’t improve, it got worse. It was a sad time, and I didn’t want to mix a lot with people,” Radeca said.
Fortunately, Radeca also had four older children who hadn’t come to Canada with her. As the situation with her husband became more dangerous, her oldest children stepped in and contacted the authorities. Ultimately, Radeca’s abusive husband was removed from their home and the couple divorced.
As her family began to heal, Radeca started to build her life back. She joined a church and worked at different jobs to support her family.
“My father taught me to be independent and he taught me that knowledge is power,” Radeca said.
Radeca’s education from Guyana wasn’t recognized in Canada at that time, so she decided to go back to school. With help from her church, she got a loan and went to Centennial College to study social work and then earned a Bachelor’s degree from Ryerson, now known as Toronto Metropolitan University. Her studies included social work placements with community organizations including WoodGreen Community Services, the Yonge Street Mission and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Radeca enjoyed helping community members and worked at shelters and other support agencies for many years.
Now a 74-year-old living alone in that same apartment in Taylor-Massey, Radeca is fiercely independent and tries her best to look after herself. Her parents both died young – her mother due to diabetes and her father from a stroke – so Radeca has always prioritized self-care. But today she struggles with back pain and ankle pain and her daughters worry that she spends a lot of time alone.
“It is such a daunting thing to ask for help. But things were getting to be too much for me. You reach a point in your life when you just know you need some help,” said Radeca.
Radeca visited Health Access Taylor-Massey and was told about the East Toronto Health Partners Ontario Health Team’s (ETHP OHT) recently launched Integrated Neighbourhood Home Care Program, including the many organizations who are working together to provide support to residents in the community.
“They were able to connect me to all of these different organizations that provide support, like occupational therapy, dietitian, application support,” Radeca said. “I also just got approved for the Ride Share program because it’s hard for me to walk a long distance.”
“At first, I was thoroughly against having someone come in. I like to be by myself, and I didn’t think I needed help,” she added. “But my kids were worried about me and wanted me to have more support.”
Christine Shoaib, an Occupational Therapist who works for VHA Home HealthCare and is part of ETHP OHT’s Integrated Neighbourhood Home Care Program, now visits Radeca in her home.
“Christine checked my apartment for any falls risks, like floor mats that were slipping, and made sure I could reach everything I needed. She also checked the bathroom to make sure I wouldn’t slip and recommended bars for added support. I like being able to talk to Christine and learn how to get better,” Radeca said.
“It is good to see that there are organizations that come to you, you don’t have to go to them. They check your needs and help you or connect you with others to get help so you don’t feel alone.”
“I totally feel like I have help now. And my kids feel more comfortable that I have support and people to call. Now I can do the things I want to do, like talk to my grandchildren and finish my Masters,” added Radeca.