This spring marked five years since the launch of the Kew Beach Unit—an innovative transitional care program created in response to the urgent challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally developed as a temporary off-site hospital wing to create additional bed capacity, the unit has since evolved into an essential part of East Toronto’s health system.

In April 2020, as health services across Ontario faced overwhelming strain, Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) and VHA Home HealthCare (VHA) came together to launch a collaborative solution to create more life-saving hospital capacity. The Kew Beach Unit, located in the former Atrium at Kew Beach Retirement Residence on Kingston Road, opened with just 20 beds and a small team of 30 dedicated staff and the support of many team members contributing guidance and expertise. Many of the initial dedicated Kew Beach staff were redeployed from VHA’s paediatric nursing teams, and the plan was to operate for only three months.

Now, five years later, the unit spans all three floors of the building, with 86 beds and over 110 staff. This milestone reflects the program’s impact, resilience and growth and it’s one the entire team should be proud of.

Built in Crisis, Sustained by Teamwork

Registered Nurse Oliva Mabborang, now VHA’s Manager, Community Programs & Partnerships at Kew Beach, has been with the unit since day one. “We were asked to jump in and none of us knew exactly what to expect,” she says, recalling the uncertainty of those early weeks.

At the time, Oliva had been with VHA for 15 years in paediatric nursing, but she had previously worked in retirement homes. Her team was chosen because they were already working in shifts, making them well-suited to provide 24/7 support in the new setting.

Oliva recalls setting up the unit from the ground up. “Like so many others at the time, we had to move quickly and everyone worked hard to pull things together safely. Deliveries would arrive every day—boxes and boxes of bedsheets, towels, thermometers and other essential supplies,” she says.

The early space was compact with just 12 rooms on a single floor, and strict pandemic protocols meant families couldn’t visit. As a result, nurses and personal support workers became a vital connection between patients and their loved ones, providing not only medical care but emotional support during a time of deep isolation.

As the pandemic eased, the need for transitional care didn’t go away. In fact, it grew and the unit expanded from one wing to all three floors to meet evolving community needs. Staffing also increased to meet this growth and dedicated rehabilitation services were added for additional resident support.

“I initially expected to be there for just a few months,” Oliva says. “Now it’s been five years and we’re still going strong.”

Today, Kew Beach continues to support patients from MGH who are designated as Alternate Level of Care (ALC). “These individuals no longer require acute medical interventions,” Oliva explains. “But still need around-the-clock support from nurses and personal support workers to recover so they’re ready to be discharged.”

Community Collaboration

Jillian Chandler, Regional Director, Integrated Client and Community Care at VHA, sees Kew Beach as a powerful example of what’s possible when healthcare organizations and care providers come together with a shared vision.

At the unit today, VHA provides nursing, personal support, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, while patients also benefit from dietitians, transition navigators and recreational therapists provided by MGH. “There’s a true sense of partnership here,” Jillian says.

With all providers under one roof, the team works together to help patients move safely and confidently to their next stage of care. “This model is unlike anything else I’ve seen,” Jillian adds. “It’s a solution truly tailored to the community.”

“There is rarely an empty bed at Kew Beach,” Jillian says. “And its value goes far beyond the number of patients the unit supports. It’s a sustainable way to manage hospital capacity while providing the right level of care, in the right place, at the right time.”

“Over the past five years, the Kew Beach unit has proven to be a highly effective alternative care model: supporting hospital capacity while delivering coordinated, interprofessional care closer to home and outside the traditional hospital setting. Together, MGH and VHA have demonstrated what can be accomplished when organizations work together with a shared commitment to serving the community,” says Jennifer Sampson, Director of Seniors & Aging and Transitional Care at Michael Garron Hospital.

“We are now celebrating five years of expanding capacity and delivering integrated care that meets community needs with compassion and integrity,” Jennifer says. “This partnership exemplifies the power of integrated care and what’s possible when members of Ontario Health Teams unite to transform care.”

Honouring Five Years

In May, staff gathered for a barbecue to mark five years of remarkable growth, teamwork and resilience. Fourteen of the original eighteen staff from VHA at Kew Beach are still members of the team, reflecting the deep commitment and connection built in those early days.

Looking back, Oliva reflects on just how far they’ve come. “Those first few months of the pandemic were challenging,” she says. “But it’s rewarding to know that we’re not just filling a gap. We’re helping people through a difficult chapter in their lives. We hear from many of them that it is comforting to be cared for right in their own neighbourhood.”

In just five years, MGH, VHA and the Kew Beach team have turned a temporary solution into a lasting model, reimagining what the future of transitional care can look like in the heart of our communities and demonstrating the power of collaborative and innovative partnerships.