Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Granite Ridge Retirement Residence in Gravenhurst to provide five Transitional Care Beds, supporting patients in the community who no longer require acute hospital care but still need additional time and support to regain strength before returning home or transitioning to their next care setting.
Transitional beds play a critical role in the healthcare system by allowing patients who no longer need acute care to wait and get stronger in a location more suited to their needs. This model supports recovery and rehabilitation, lowers the number of patients designated as Alternate Level of Care (ALC) in hospital, and frees up acute care beds for those who need them most—ensuring the right care in the right place at the right time.
“This partnership with Granite Ridge Retirement Residence is an important step in strengthening our system of care across Muskoka,” said Cheryl Harrison, President and CEO of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare. “Transitional beds help patients continue their recovery in a more appropriate setting while allowing our hospitals to focus on delivering acute care to those who need it most. This collaboration reflects our commitment to working with community partners to improve access, flow, and patient experience.”
Granite Ridge Retirement Residence is proud to support this initiative and collaborate with MAHC to provide patient-centered care close to home.
“We are honoured to partner with Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare to support the introduction of transitional care beds at Granite Ridge,” said Jackie Payne, Director of Operations at Granite Ridge Retirement Residence. “These beds will allow individuals to continue their recovery and rehabilitation in a supportive environment while helping to ensure hospital resources are available for those who need acute care.”
MAHC is thankful for the ongoing strong and valued partnership shared with Hospice Muskoka (Andy’s House), where the beds were previously located. MAHC shared last year that the transitional bed partnership would be coming to an end; this evolution will allow MAHC to support new areas of community needs, while continuing to work closely with existing partners.
Donna Kearny, Executive Director of Hospice Muskoka, shared the following statement:
“Hospice Muskoka looks forward to continued collaboration with MAHC, with referrals to Andy’s House for people requiring end-of-life care and ongoing partnership around the Andy’s House at Home Program to support people receiving palliative care at home. Our shared goal is a future where pain and symptom management can be provided to people in Muskoka and the surrounding area without the need for emergency room visits.”
The new partnership with Granite Ridge underscores MAHC’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and innovation to meet the evolving healthcare needs of Muskoka and surrounding communities.
From Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare:
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Who pays for the beds at Granite Ridge? Freeing up beds at the hospital for people that really need them is a good thing, but is this a step toward American style of private hospital? Is it cost effective moving people to a private facility? Maybe when we get the new hospitals we should add 20 beds or so to the current plans so there will be no need to move people from our public hospitals to a private facility. Maybe a few beds in Burks Falls would be good so the people of Almaguin truly have care close to home. I know the people at MAHC work hard to do a good job, but more info would be beneficial.