This community health centre serves seniors in Calgary's eastern downtown core area known as the East Village.

Services for medically and socially complex seniors Project arose out of a perceived need for primary health care services for seniors living in Calgary’s eastern downtown core. Anecdotal evidence (from seniors and local agency staff) combined with City of Calgary data suggest that residents of these communities have low levels of education, high levels of unemployment and low income levels. In addition, the majority of individuals are unattached (e.g., living alone) placing them at greater social economic and health risk (City of Calgary, 2000).  

The Alexandra Seniors Community Health Centre was developed to reduce barriers to accessing health care, address complex health needs and improve health care services for seniors living in East Village and the surrounding area.  The Seniors Clinic was developed after understanding the specific needs of seniors.  Our clinics has: wheelchair access, wide hallways for maneuverability, lab services on site, multi-disciplinarian approach, reminders for appointments and linkage with Calgary Seniors resources to help facilitate appointments with specialists. 

Scope of services offered at the Seniors Clinic includes:

• Physicians – 2 FTE family physicians work at the Centre, providing medical care both through scheduled appointments, walk-in visits for registered clients, as well as home visits and hospital visits. Our physicians through our funding arrangement have the time required to address the complex health issues presented to them.  Medical students and residents training at the Alex also provide care to clients while learning about primary health care in the community.
• Nursing – Two nurses provide a variety of nursing services in the community health centre. Some of these services include intake interviews, nursing assessment and triage, providing telephone advice, needle exchange, treatments such as injections and dressing changes, and counseling about weight loss, exercise and smoking cessation.
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner – This position has allowed us to provide more enhanced care to a greater number of clients, deal with walk-in clients and has been an effective way to provide health care services that in the past were only offered by physicians.  Enhanced services include: home visits, nursing care on the health bus, and diabetic education. 
• Lab, EKG’s and Spirometry -   are offered to clients as they often have transportation issues and require frequent lab monitoring.
• Chiropractic – services are offered two half-days per week.
• Massage Therapist – offered one half day per week
• Crisis and Resource Specialist -- This position was developed to help support people in crisis and help seniors connect to the agencies and services that will help them attain their desired goals.
• Foot Care Clinics- The Victorian Order of Nurses provide foot care to clients one day per week.
• HomeCare/Physician Partnership – The project partners with Calgary Health Regional Home Care Nurses with physicians to provide coordinated care to help Seniors continue living in the community.
• Recreation Therapy – Exercise classes, fall prevention, and various other programs are available to address emotional, cognitive, social, educational and physical opportunities for seniors.
• Seniors Outreach Counsellor – Provide support and assistance to address senior’s emotional, social and psychological needs. The most common presenting concerns pertained to mental health, relationship issues, addictions and medical concerns.
• Crisis and Resource Specialist -- This position is to provide an immediate source of support, problem assistance, information, referral and follow-up to persons in crisis or at risk of crisis.
• The COPD/Asthma Specialty Clinic – once a month nurses and respiratory therapist specially trained in pulmonary problem identification and differentiation, provide basic assessments, diagnosis, education regarding disease process, smoking cessation medications, use of devices and an individualized action plan. 
• Diabetic Education Clinics – this program offers one-on-one counseling with new and current diabetics, and includes the benefits of exercise, foot care, nutritional information, prevention of long term complications of diabetes, self-monitoring of blood glucose and diabetic medication review.

The patient population includes:

• age is 55 and above,
• medically, socially, and psychologically complex- multiple medical problems (chronic disease management)
• some are house bound and require home visits,
• palliative care clients
• many client having links to home care