Photo caption: Collaborative technologies help clinicians, patients and families communicate throughout a stay in the Reactivation Care Centre.
When older adults are admitted to the hospital, their recovery can be complicated by the effects of long hospital stays. Prolonged acute care admissions can contribute to reduced mobility, functional decline, and other challenges that impact both safety and quality of life.
At Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), a new model of care is helping to change that story. The hospital's Reactivation Care Centre, developed in partnership with Ontario Health East and local health system partners, provides specialized transitional care for patients, including older adults who no longer need the intensity of an acute care hospital bed, but are not yet ready to return home.
The goal is simple but powerful: support safe recovery, improve outcomes, and ensure older adults can return home with greater independence whenever possible.
Recognizing Older Adults' Care Needs Through Age-Friendly Designation
In June 2025, PRHC was among the first hospitals in Canada to receive the Age-Friendly Health Systems designation from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
This designation recognizes health systems that embed the “4Ms" of age-friendly care into their practices:
- What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences across settings of care, including end-of-life care.
- Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medications that do not interfere with what matters to the older adult, mobility, or mental activity across settings of care.
- Mental Activity: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.
- Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do what matters.
As part of PRHC's commitment to age-friendly care, patients in the Reactivation Care Centre receive individualized care plans that may include restorative therapies, daily mobility supports, and activities designated to maintain cognitive and social health. Families are encouraged to play an active role, helping loved ones prepare for the transition home or to the next stage of their care.
Innovation in Care Delivery
Technology is playing an important role on the unit as well. Through a partnership with Cisco Canada, PRHC has introduced secure virtual tools that enhance communication, connect patients and families, and support the care team. These include communication boards and room navigators, as well as location-based services to monitor patient flow, improve safety and support contact tracing. Among other benefits, these tools help to ensure that even when loved ones cannot be physically present, patients remain connected to their support networks.
Positive Impacts for Patients and the System
Early results have been encouraging. Patients who receive care in the Reactivation Care Centre experience a smoother transition from acute care, with fewer risks associated with long hospital stays. The program also supports flow across the health system by freeing up acute care capacity for patients who need it most.
Patient Paul Tilley was recently discharged from the Reactivation Care Centre after a diagnosis of pneumonia. He spent a total of two days in an acute hospital bed and three days in the Reactivation Care Centre – a significant improvement over a previous stay of 10 days in hospital for the same illness. “The unit is smaller, everyone gets to know you…and through technology, everyone knows your file. They're not asking you the same questions over and over again," said Tilley.
“The Reactivation Care Centre goes beyond just providing a setting for patients to recover from their acute illness," said Dr. Lynn Mikula, President & CEO at PRHC. “With a time-limited stay based on the individual's specific needs, each patient will have access to specialized, restorative care to prepare them for a successful discharge from the hospital. The targeted care being offered on this unit will help to address the increasing demands of our growing and aging community in Peterborough."
Planning Ahead
This demand for age-friendly care will only continue to grow. PRHC serves a region where more than 22% of residents are over the age of 65, making the launch of this new service a timely one. Collaborative initiatives like PRHC's Reactivation Care Centre demonstrate how hospitals can adapt models of care to better meet patient needs, while ensuring that individual well-being continues to be at the centre of every decision.
For PRHC, the Reactivation Care Centre is much more than a patient program. It's a commitment to ensuring that seniors in Peterborough and the surrounding region receive care that is safe, compassionate, and designed to help them thrive.