Youth in transition to adult care

Family and Community Resource Centre FCRC at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

At Alberta Children’s Hospital, we say goodbye to hundreds of youth each year, as they turn 18 and transition to adult medical care. If you’re entering your teens, it won’t be long before you’re following in their footsteps. Are you ready?

We believe the key to being ready is to start learning at an early age how to manage your own health care needs. The Well on Your Way web site, designed for youth 12 and up, will help you do just that. It offers tips on taking charge of your own healthcare, gives you the 411 on what adult care is like, and highlights supports and resources available.

Your parents have likely been responsible for arranging medical appointments, keeping track of your health information, managing your medications or treatment plan, and talking to your healthcare team from the time you were diagnosed. However moving to adult care means your parents’ role will change, and so will yours. Getting ready for this move means learning new skills and taking on more responsibility for your healthcare. The goal of this website is to provide you and your family with information and resources to help you prepare for adult care.

1. Review these Transition Guidelines to help you plan ahead:
   • Transition Guidelines for youth who are working towards independence
   • Transition Guidelines for youth who will continue to be dependent adults
2. Use these Parent and Youth Transition Readiness Checklists to see what you already know or are able to do, and what you may need to work on.
3. Use My Plan or My Plan for Dependent Youth to set goals and track your progress.
4. Discuss questions or concerns with your doctor, nurse, and/or family.

Find more Resource Links at FCRC

The Well on Your Way program provides services to youth with special health care needs, as they prepare for the transfer to adult care. For more information, contact the Youth Transition Coordinator.

Deborah Thul, BSW, RSW
Well on Your Way: Helping Youth Transition to Adult Healthcare
Alberta Children’s Hospital
28 Oki Drive NW
Calgary AB T3B 6A8

  wellonyourway@ahs.ca
Phone   403-955-7252
Fax    403-955-2444

Other Important Phone Numbers
Child Health Information Specialist     403-955-7745
Community Education Service   403-955-4747
Family Support Services    403-955-3272

Getting-Ready-for-Adultcare-Dec-2012
Getting Ready for Adultcare Dec 2012 Family and Community Resource Centre FCRC

Transition-Manual-11-04-08
The Children’s Link Society Transition Manual. See Transition Resources at The Children’s Link Society