CFHI webinar: #MoreThanAVisitor – Reintegration of Family Caregivers as Essential Partners in Care - Tuesday July 14

[Annette McKinnon]

Here is a link and some information on an upcoming webinar on which PAN member Mary Anne Levasseur be a panelist with others.

https://www.cfhi-fcass.ca/opportunities/webinars/spotlight-series

Hosts: Julie Drury (Strategic Lead, Patient Partnerships, CFHI) and Dr. Ward Flemons (Medical Advisor to the Health Quality Council of Alberta)

Speakers: Mary Anne Levasseur (Caregiver, Quebec), Dr Gillian Kernaghan (President and Chief Executive Officer St. Joseph’s Health Care, Ontario), Deanna Picklyk (Director, Engagement and Patient Experience, Alberta Health Services) and Chris Mayhew (Senior Consultant- Engagement and Patient Experience, Alberta Health Services).

In March 2020, as a result of the pandemic, and in an effort to minimize and control the risk of COVID-19 cases, many hospitals across the country reacted quickly and made significant changes to their family presence policies. With some exceptions, many organizations instituted blanket visitor restrictions, which included essential partners in care.

To help hospitals that are revisiting their policies move forward and reintegrate family caregivers as essential partners in care, CFHI convened a Rapid Response Expert Advisory Group composed of clinicians, healthcare system leaders, hospital CEOs, legal/bioethics experts, public health experts, and patient, family, and caregiver partners from across the country. They reviewed the evidence, considered the pandemic context and identified seven key steps that to support hospitals to welcome back family caregivers as essential partners in care in a time of crisis.

Together with some of the advisory group members, we will discuss the report – Re-Integration of Family Caregivers as Essential Partners in Care in a Time of COVID-19 – along with the key steps, resources and examples of patient- and family-partnered care that can be applied during a time of COVID-19.

A major issue in these times!

[Carolyn Canfield]

What a great initiative to bring reality to respecting the patient perspective!

COVID times have isolated so many people from their needed support by separating them from family members. This important report could form the basis of a watershed moment in Canadian healthcare by recognizing the ESSENTIAL role of unpaid caregivers.

Not only is panelist Mary Anne a PAN member, but so is co-host Julie Drury. Given the credentials of the other participants, this looks like a top-notch event, not to be missed.

Every PAN member should sign up to attend! If you aren't a caregiver now, you will be sometime soon, either to help a family member or a friend for whom there is no family nearby. It's a huge responsibility, but one that our healthcare institutions depend on for good care and advocacy. We need to entrench respect and support for family caregivers!!

Here's a shortcut to the sign-up form. Fill it out today.

See you at the webinar on Tuesday, July 14!

[Vivian Bethell]

This is a wonderful initiative! I feel strongly that caregivers are not visitors — not in long-term care homes, not when their loved one is in hospital, not when the patient has appointments or treatments or medical procedures, not when discussions are held or decisions are being made about care —the list goes on. Primary caregivers are an essential member of their loved one’s health care team, not just to provide personal care services, transportation and other duties that are obviously important for the patient, but they are also the advocate, the advisor, the participant in treatment decisions (primary caregivers tend to also be the Substitute Decision Maker), a researcher, emotional supporter, the overseer of the quality of care, the member of the health care team who cares most about the patient’s mental and physical wellbeing.

I have been a member of a regional cancer centre’s COVID-19 project team and have been dismayed by the directives on ‘visitors’ coming from the provincial government and the regional cancer authority and the hospital where the cancer centre is located. I have raised the concern about caregivers not being allowed to provide care or even be with the patient who needs and wants them by their side. (There are exceptions of course, but they are very limited). This concern is recognized as valid but I think staff truly believe that banning all ‘patient visitors’, including caregivers is the only way to protect patients and staff from the virus. The directors did agree to continue to advocate for caregivers but without more support and engagement from executives and government officials, caregivers will continue to be acknowledged as essential but only in certain circumstances. How can we be essential part time? I worry that we have lost ground.
Looking forward to joining the webinar. It’s important that our voices be heard. Julie Drury’s tweets have provided a ray of hope. Glad she’s part of the session.

Vivian Bethell

[Alies Maybee]

This is one of the key issues arising from COVID.

Critical caregiver support was ripped away from those in hospitals and other care settings without due thought. It has led to unintended harm.

This is a golden opportunity to shine a spotlight on the important and indeed critical role of essential caregivers for their patients and for the system itself. After all, where would the LTCs be without "visitors" coming daily to make sure their loved ones are fed and properly cared for. I dare say, all that voluntary work allowed for the criminally low staff ratios to persist. Time for recognition of the vital, necessary role of caregivers. Time for legislative support for this role.

This webinar is part of this conversation. Do join in.

[Carolyn Canfield]

I've updated this posting above and here to link to the July 8 report. Click here:

Re-Integration of Family Caregivers as Essential Partners in Care in a Time of COVID-19

[lucie santamaria]

I cannot emphasize how critical family caregivers are during this time.

Luci