VHA Home HealthCare (VHA)’s London office recently celebrated its 20th anniversary of delivering exceptional care and support to clients and families in the City of London and surrounding area.

For two decades, the London-based team has provided much-needed rehabilitation services in the home and community for adults and seniors across the region.

VHA’s work in London has grown and evolved over the years, but what has always remained consistent is the quality of care, commitment and hard work of the entire team. To mark this important milestone, a few long-term team members shared their reflections with us. We heard about meaningful memories from the early days, the many changes over time and some of the driving forces behind their dedication.

Progress and Change

Amanda Selk started working at the opening of the London office and was one of the first Occupational Therapists (OT) on the team.

“During my 20 years on the London team, we have grown from 2 to 32 OTs and we now have the added support and expertise of OT Assistants,” Amanda says. “We merged with COTA Health’s Rehabilitation Services, moved offices several times to account for this growth and shifted entirely from paper to electronic records,” she adds.

Sharon Smith, the office’s Information and Referral Coordinator who has also been with the London group since the beginning, recalls some of the most impactful changes over the years.

“I clearly remember faxing referrals to providers. Thank goodness that’s no longer a thing—fax machines always had a mind of their own,” Sharon laughs. “As the day-to-day processes changed, the office grew and my role expanded. Our reach and services have also increased.”

“The addition of our Extreme Cleaning team to support individuals living with mental health challenges at risk of eviction, is just one example of how we continue to meet the needs of our community,” Sharon says. “The London office started as a one-year contract with the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) at the time, now known as Ontario Health atHome, and here we are, still up and running 20 years later.”

Decades of Dedication

Kathy Sidhu, VHA’s Director of Quality who now works with teams across the organization, began her physiotherapy and VHA career in London 18 years ago. She says that the London team has played a key role in her early leadership development and provided ongoing support that she will always value.

“I started as a recent grad on a team of very experienced and skilled therapists. It was their encouragement and mentorship that motivated me to take on a newly created Clinical Lead role that was pivotal in leading me to the work I do today,” Kathy says.

For Amanda, after transitioning from a hospital-based role to the home and community care sector, she’s confidently never looked back. The autonomy, flexibility, mentorship opportunities and client-centred approach to care are her favourite parts of her role.

“Initially it was a big change with a steep learning curve, but this is where I want to be. Because of so many factors, including capacity issues and early hospital discharges, our clients have become significantly more complex than when I started. And that means every day is different and the learning opportunities have never stopped,” Amanda says.

“Actually, there are several OTs on our London team who were previously my OT students. That’s really special for me as well,” she says. “I hope to make it to 30 years!”

Stronger Together

When Sharon first joined VHA, she immediately created bonds with her colleagues and she says they are still a very close-knit group today.

“Over the years I’ve meet some wonderful people at VHA. I talked several of my amazing colleagues into completing the Women’s Kincardine Triathlon with me. We’ve done Tough Mudder together and have played on the same soccer teams. There are so many great memories and that is a big part of what makes my job and this workplace so enjoyable,” Sharon says.

Similarly, Kathy always leaves inspired after any interaction she has with the London team. “We have the best people, hands-down—from colleagues I’ve been blessed to know for many years to the new team members I meet. I’m excited to see what this outstanding group achieves over the next 20 years.”

Looking Ahead

The experiences and memories shared by Amanda Selk, Sharon Smith and Kathy Sidhu highlight the passion, dedication and strength that VHA’s London-based team continues to embody.

Happy 20th Anniversary, VHA Home HealthCare’s London office. Here’s to many more years of supporting the London area with compassionate, high-quality, person-centred care.