Partners in Care E-Bulletin Winter 2025 Edition | This communication is for leaders, decision-makers and front-line providers in care and service organizations, as well as patient/caregiver partners involved in Patient, Family Caregiver advisory/working groups and Family Councils. If you know someone who would be interested in receiving the Partners in Care E-Bulletin, they can subscribe here. | | Co-Designing a Toolkit to Help Healthcare Providers Recognize & Support Caregivers Under the Age of 25 | Caregivers under the age of 25, or young carers, often take on significant roles and responsibilities caring for a family member or loved one. This demographic of caregivers is often overlooked, facing challenges to their personal development, education and career, mental and physical health when lacking support. | In various healthcare settings, young carers can struggle with a lack of recognition and being kept out of the loop in the care of their loved one. Researchers at the University Health Network surveyed healthcare providers from across Canada about their ability to recognize and support young carers. Using these findings, a toolkit was co-designed with young carers, providers and caregiving organizations, including the Ontario Caregiver Organization, to help healthcare providers learn more about how to support young carers in their practice and connect them to community resources. | | Survey findings highlighted that while providers in Canada may be able to recognize when they encounter young carers in their practice, they are less equipped to support and connect them to resources. By creating this toolkit, the team aimed to bridge the gap between recognition and support. The toolkit contains guiding questions for providers to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of young carers, and how their caregiving may be impacting them. It encourages providers to be mindful of both family and cultural nuances, which can shape understandings of caregiving. Using the toolkit, providers can work with young carers to learn more about their needs, while respecting their autonomy to take on caregiving responsibilities, and connect them to community and caregiving resources. | Patients and Caregivers Inspire Essential Care Partner Collaborations Among Ottawa & Region Hospitals | Several Ottawa and Ottawa region hospitals, including Queensway Carleton Hospital, The Royal, The Ottawa Hospital, Bruyère Health, Montfort Hospital, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Cornwall Community Hospital, have collaborated to align their Essential Care Partner programs. This collaboration was inspired by Patient and Family Advisors from The Ottawa Hospital and caregivers throughout the region who used their lived experience to identify and address obstacles they experienced within acute care facilities. | The main goal of this collaboration was to standardize the name of the program, essential care partner education, identification badges, and establish a consistent process to ensure an identified essential care partner is recognised when a patient transfers from another hospital. | | Results and highlights of this collaboration were shared during the Ontario Caregiver Organization’s Learning Collaborative held in Ottawa on December 4, 2024. These included the importance of clear communication as essential to success, and that training enhances and positively impacts the program. Initial responses of essential care partners and patients to the pilot trials have been very encouraging and participating hospitals are excited about the future potential of the collaboration. Currently, collaborating hospitals meet annually to share best practices and maintain alignment in their practices to ensure the best possible inclusion and support of essential care partners at the bedside. | Building Caregiver Support in Diverse Communities Across Ontario | Through funding obtained from Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation, The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) has been working with multiple community partners to complete the adaptation and language translation of our I Am A Caregiver toolkit for caregivers from diverse communities. With information to support new or long-time caregivers, the toolkit was created by caregivers, with input from mental health care professionals. | By translating and adapting this toolkit, the goal is to empower diverse caregivers, who may not readily identify as a caregiver, with relevant information and resources that support their role in any care setting. The OCO, in collaboration with partner organizations, conducted multiple consultation sessions with caregivers from communities that are disproportionately impacted by barriers to accessing support, in order to better understand the nuances of caregiving within their culture and reflect their views within the adapted toolkits. As part of the project, there will be eleven new versions of the toolkit: | | *French versions of the 2SLGBTQAI+ and Black caregiver adaptations will also be available by end of March 2025. If you have any questions, reach out to Shrid Dhungel, Project Lead, shridd@ontariocaregiver.ca | Supporting, Strengthening, and Expanding Family Support Networks | Call for Applications for the 2025-26 Capacity-Building Grants for Family Support Networks program is set to open the week of February 3rd with a deadline to apply by Friday, March 14, 2025. | In its fourth year, the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) will be accepting applications for grant funding to support Family Support Networks (FSNs) in Ontario. The grant program is open to new and established Family Support Networks in Ontario that have members who are family members or unpaid caregivers of adults with a developmental disability. Organizations that support and empower family-led Family Support Networks may also apply. | | These capacity-building grants are intended to support, strengthen, and expand Family Support Networks across the province, making it easier for families and caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities to find peer support in their community, share information, and build connections for their own wellbeing and the people they care for. This program is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Stay tuned for the 2025/26 grant guidelines and application form that will be live on our website the week of Feb 3. Please help spread the word about the grant program in your community. | Does your organization or Ontario Health Team have a story to share about your work with caregivers? | Recognizing, including, and connecting caregivers to the support they need is critical to improved health outcomes for all. If you are involved in an initiative focused on caregivers, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at partners@ontariocaregiver.ca | | | | |
