The 140% increase in the capacity of the Residence, from 10 to 24 suites, has broadened our range of utilization. We are experiencing a trend towards much more complex care, and towards more people using the Residence for respite and for stays of three to six months until their health improves. The Centre is in constant communication with Vancouver Coastal Health and St. Paul’s Hospital to ensure that priority for admission to the Residence reflects the greatest need.

The larger building has also made possible a 50% increase in the Day Health Program, from 160 to 240 registered participants. We are continuing to work towards increasing capacity further as we continue to assess new applicants.

Previous research has demonstrated that people using the Residence and Day Health Program decrease their utilization of hospital beds. The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS has generously agreed to begin a new evaluation of the Dr. Peter Centre in the fall of 2004.

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The Dr. Peter AIDS foundation’s immediate goal is to maximize the capacity of this marvellous new building, so that we can maximize health and minimize hospitalization. The first priority is to have the Day Health Program open on weekends. Participants are too hungry, too ill, and too desperately in need of support. Weekend service also has the potential to decrease reliance on emergency hospital services.

The second priority is to address transportation as a barrier to participation in the Day Health Program. Many participants are severely disadvantaged: they have no phone, no money and, for many reasons, find it difficult to get to health care that is beyond walking distance. The Dr. Peter Centre is interested in pursuing a “transport to health” commuter service that would transport individuals to health care at the Dr. Peter Centre and other sites.

The third priority is to further increase Day Health Program capacity by extending the Monday to Friday hours of service. The Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation is also exploring other longer term goals to address the need for increased capacity of the health-care system to care for people living with HIV/AIDS.

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AIDS has not gone away. More and more people are becoming increasingly ill after years of living with this disease. Until there is a cure, the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation needs your support to provide Comfort Care.