Including Caregivers as Part of the Care Team

When caregivers are included as part of the care team, it improves patient/resident health outcomes, leads to a better experience for front-line providers and caregivers, and alleviates health system pressures. Individual care providers and health care organizations have an important role to play in embracing the experience, expertise and value of caregivers.

Many resources and tools are available:

The Essential Care Partner Support Hub provides support to Ontario hospitals and long-term care homes planning to implement or enhance an essential care partner program. Essential Care Partner programs involve the implementation of policies and leading practices, so caregivers are identified, included, and supported to participate as part of the patient/resident care team.

Education

Caregivers as Partners eLearning for Healthcare Providers This free-of-charge education series is designed to support health providers on how to improve the caregiver experience and include caregivers as partners in care.  The series offers practical, tangible tips for health care providers though a series of three (3) modules. A mental health and addictions series is also available to address the unique challenges involved with this caregiving journey. These modules can also be added to your organization’s Learning Management System. Contact us to learn more about how OCO can work with you to expand your learning opportunities for staff.

Tools and Resources

Caregiver ID: Recognizing Caregivers and Facilitating their Role A valuable tool that visually recognizes family caregivers and helps to facilitate their role as partners in care. Caregiver ID is a strong demonstration of the organization’s commitment to family caregivers.

Health Privacy and Consent Resources These resources help both caregivers and care providers better understand health privacy and consent rules so they can work as partners in care to optimize care and support for patients. There is strong evidence that shows that when caregivers are included and empowered as part of the care team, it improves health outcomes and enhances the experience for patients, clients, residents, families and care providers.

Caregiver ID and Caregivers as Partners eLearning: Adapted from materials originally created by The Change Foundation and one of its Changing CARE teams