Fill out the online application here OR
Download + mail or email a registration form + photo
PEP – Seniors Therapeutic Centre has initiated a program which provides caregivers with the formal recognition they deserve. Caregiver Identification (ID) is a tool that can be used to foster family presence policies and principles of family inclusion and patient and family-centered care. The tool helps to promote a culture that embraces caregivers as partners in care.
Caregiver ID is any form of official identification issued by a healthcare organization to a caregiver (i.e., family member, friend). It’s a visual way to acknowledge and identify caregivers in care settings and facilitate their role as a partner with the care team. Research has clearly demonstrated that supporting family presence policies and family inclusion in care planning offer numerous benefits to patients, caregivers and the healthcare system. The Canadian Foundation of Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) through it’s Better Together campaign has been a leader in spreading best practices for family presence across Canada recognizing that family presence and inclusion policies are a precursor, “to enable the engagement of patients, families, and caregivers as partners in care, and to improve care experiences and outcomes”.
Patients need the support of their caregivers, individuals who know them best and can rapidly identify when things may not be within ‘normal’ or usual for the person they are caring for.
The evidence[1] [2] is clear that family inclusion and care partnerships results in:
- Improved management of chronic and acute conditions
- Increased patient experience and emotional well-being
- Improved quality of care and safety (e.g., reduce medical errors, falls)
- Enhanced staff satisfaction
- Decreased costs
- Reduced hospital readmissions and emergency visits.
As a tool that supports family inclusion and enables caregivers as partners in care, the benefits of Caregiver ID include:
- Improved formal recognition of caregivers
- Enhanced caregiver experience and meaningful involvement as partners in care
- Better staff awareness of the role and importance of caregivers as members in the circle of care
- Enriched patient care
- Greater mutual trust and dialogue between caregivers and healthcare providers
Caregiver ID can be a valuable first step in building a culture that includes caregivers as a part of the care team. As more organizations adopt Caregiver ID, the heart-shaped icon is increasingly being recognized as a symbol of meaningful caregiver recognition and inclusion in care settings across Ontario. Thanks to a grant provided by the Perth and District Community Foundation (insert link to PDCF) to make this project possible. The foundation provided funding to pilot this project, including but not limited to administration and website development.
PHASE ONE – PEP Seniors Therapeutic Centre’s Caregivers will be invited to apply for a Caregiver ID badge (coming soon)
WHAT DID OUR FOCUS GROUPS FIND (coming soon)
To obtain a Caregiver ID successfully, you will need to have a photo of yourself prepared to upload for your Identification Badge. This application may also be filled out over the phone. If you would prefer to do so, please call PEP at 613-201-7172