Janet Kushner-Kow

Contributor

Dr. Janet Kushner-Kow is the physician program director of elder care at Providence Health Care and division head of geriatric medicine at the University of British Columbia.

3384 Contributions
by Marisa Cicero Julie Maggi

We must limit barriers to vaccine access for children and youth

For Ontario to meet its goal of fully vaccinating children 12+ by the end of August, we must swiftly maximize access to clinics and minimize vaccine hesitancy.

by Jillian Macklin

When a city program is really just another pathway to eviction

The pandemic has intensified the suffering of homelessness. Rather than applauding Toronto's band-aid solutions, like the new program Pathway Inside, we must commit to affordable, permanent housing.

by Amie Tsang

Finding shelter space like running an ‘obstacle course’

Helping someone who is homeless in Toronto access an indoor place to stay can be “like a gladiator’s obstacle course.”

by Larry W. Chambers Hanna Levy Eva Liu

COVID mortality rate highlights need to re-examine long-term care 

The tragedy of COVID-19 deaths in long-term care homes should catalyze a paradigm shift in Canada’s approach to promoting the health of our aging population.

by Chandandeep Kaur Bal Ripudaman Singh Minhas

As COVID ravages the diaspora, Canadian children of South Asian descent are in crisis

South Asian youth are struggling during COVID-19. Here are the supports they need right away.

by Miranda Caley

‘The way I talk has become different’: Isolation taking mental toll on LTC residents

Many elderly adults with dementia in long-term care homes have experienced a large increase in memory loss due to the isolation caused by visitor restrictions.

by Allan O’Dette

Good things happen when governments follow doctors’ advice: OMA

Cresting Ontario's third wave is a reminder that "good things happen for people and patients when governments listen to doctors."

by Rachel Watts

‘I felt I failed them completely’: Doctor describes shame, frustration as she responds to crisis in India

Dr. Rajani Surendar Bhat talks about the toll that treating COVID-19 in India is taking on her mental health.

by Rachel Watts

The double pandemic: Canadian doctors running “parallel wards” for family and friends in India

Samir Gupta answers medical questions from family and friends with COVI-19 in India from 10 PM until the early morning. He is one of many Indo-Canadian doctors who are battling a "double pandemic" in both Canada and India.

by Laurie Proulx Hilary Brown Yona Lunsky Lesley A. Tarasoff Kate Welsh

A call for inclusive health research

We need an inclusive approach to health research, one that engages the affected communities in all aspects of the research and that meets them where they are.

by Sara Martel

Equal is not equitable: moral distress in health care

The inequity of Ontario's vaccine rollout is causing moral distress and burnout among health-care providers. How can we change the health-care system to make it more equitable and sustainable?

by Darren Cargill

In praise of nurses – and Grammy

In hospice settings, nurses wet the mouths of patients as they take their last breaths. Sometimes, they simply sit with them so that no one dies alone. As a physician, I could not do my job without them.

by Jillian Macklin

Making the most of the 15 minutes of post-jab waiting time

How can we make the most of the 15 minutes of medical observation that comes after getting vaccinated?

by Larry W. Chambers Madeleine Smith

New MAiD legislation calls for the wise words of a pioneer

The new MAiD law should provoke reflection about our own attitudes toward death. A place to start is a wise 12-minute video produced by a prominent geriatrician shortly before his own medically assisted death.

by Catharine Chambers

Why scary vaccine headlines are actually good news

We’ve all seen the headlines linking COVID-19 vaccines to rare blood clots. While this development may be worrisome, it is a reassuring sign that vaccine safety surveillance is doing its job.

by Kaleigh Alkenbrack

‘This is not on their radar’: PTSD among COVID survivors an emerging public health threat

Canadian critical care experts are warning that we are not prepared to treat the large number of COVID-19 survivors who suffer from PTSD because of their experiences in the ICU.

by Max Binks-Collier

Communities are taking the lead on vaccinating hot spots

Community-health organizations are trying to make the rollout of vaccines in hot spots as accessible and equitable as possible by directly reaching out to hot-spot residents.

by Max Binks-Collier

Saying Goodbye on FaceTime

Nurses have been using platforms like FaceTime to host visits between patients critically ill with COVID-19 and their loved ones. It's contributing to burnout – but also sometimes providing them with beautiful moments of human connection.

by Catherine Birken Eyal Cohen Meta van den Heuvel

Let the children play

Public health policies meant to protect us from COVID-19 have resulted in reduced physical activity and increased screen time for all children. They are experiencing serious mental health problems. We must let them play.

by Darren Cargill James Downar

HOMR’s Odyssey: Calculating palliative need in real time

By using tools that identify which patients have an elevated risk of mortality in the coming year, we can catch patients who would benefit from palliative care planning before they fall through the cracks.

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