Meet an NP Shirin Vellani

Shirin has over 15 years of experience working in specialized geriatric services across acute care, community, and long-term care (LTC) settings. Currently, Shirin serves as a Nurse Practitioner and Researcher with the Virtual Behavioural Medicine (VBM) Program at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network (TRI-UHN).

In 2023, TRI-UHN partnered with Baycrest to expand and adapt their innovative virtual outreach program, integrating it with TRI-UHN’s existing inpatient Specialized Dementia Unit. The VBM program is a leading-edge clinical model designed to support the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in individuals living with dementia—whether they reside in LTC homes or are in acute or post-acute care settings. Using a secure videoconferencing platform, the program employs an interprofessional, NP-led team to deliver intensive virtual support to patients, care partners, and healthcare providers in their familiar environments across Ontario.

The goals of the program include:

• Providing timely access to specialized virtual consultations;

• Enhancing the management of NPS in collaboration with local Behavioural Support Ontario (BSO) teams;

• Preventing avoidable hospitalizations;

• Prioritizing and facilitating transitions to scarce specialty beds;

• Supporting LTC teams in delivering high-quality dementia care.

Shirin’s research program focuses on the integration of a palliative approach with chronic disease management, building capacity within the healthcare workforce, and implementing the Nurse Practitioner role to optimize care for older adults.

Shirin is also one of the facilitators with Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario, delivering the Provincial Common Orientation to the Care of Older Adults—a standardized core training program for health and social care professionals.

Shirin completed her basic nursing education from the Aga Khan University in Pakistan, while the master’s in nursing-nurse practitioner certificate and a PhD from the University of Toronto. And her postdoctoral fellowship at McMaster University, School of Nursing.