A converted motor home is helping seniors, the homeless and the working poor get the medical help they need.
The mobile clinic is operated by The Alex Community Health Centre.
Once a week the bus rolls up to a subsidized seniors complex in the southeast.
Some of the clients do have doctors but the bus makes getting the care the need more convenient, especially in the winter.
Sue Nielson is a nurse practitioner who works on the bus. Because she has extra training she can also diagnose and prescribe when necessary.
Neilson says easy access to healthcare can help prevent some medical problems from turning into serious health issues. "A lot of seniors who do get ill, if they catch it early enough they are not going to be hospitalized," says Nielson.
Bev Straus is a licensed practical nurse and says the mobile clinic team offers more than just healthcare to their clients. "We offer a hand up, it's not hand outs, it's all about empowering the person," says Straus.
The services on the bus are free and the staff is paid by The Alex Coummunity Health Centre. For more information, click on the link to the right.
