New publicly funded physiotherapy services comes to Vaughan

Vaughan Citizen
January 27, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Guido Masutti is a happy man these days.

The 76-year-old Woodbridge resident has for the past few years been pushing the provincial government to beef up publicly funded physiotherapy services in Vaughan and his efforts seem to have paid off.

Mr. Masutti recently learned that In-Form Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre, 8348 Islington Ave. Unit 3, is offering publicly funded services to those who qualify.

“(It’s) some good news for us old workers suffering aches and joint pains due to our work from a long time ago,” he said. “At this time, there is a big wave of men and women aging all in the same period and when we need more assistance, our government is dismantling our precious medical services substantially. Many of us, without (government) pensions and without private insurance are suffering because our income does not allow us to get private physiotherapy, thus letting our condition worsen.”

Publicly funded services are available, with a referral, to those who fall into one of the following categories:

- 65 and older;
- 19 and younger;
- Receiving benefits under the Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works and;
- Been in hospital overnight for a condition that now requires physiotherapy treatment.

Two other locations in Vaughan currently provide OHIP funded physiotherapy - Lifemark Physiotherapy and the Vaughan Community Health Centre (VCHC).

Lifemark has a waiting list while the VCHC provides OHIP-funded physiotherapy services to patients registered with one of its doctors and a limited amount to those not registered with a VCHC physician.