Essential Caregiver Program
The Essential Caregiver Program (ECP) will enhance the involvement of caregivers throughout a person’s healthcare journey. The core objective is to identify and support caregivers as key members of the healthcare team. By recognizing caregivers as essential partners in care, healthcare organizations create a more compassionate and inclusive care environment while enhancing patient/resident/client experiences.
Who Are Essential Caregivers?
Essential Caregivers (ECs) are caregivers who play a critical role in providing physical and/or emotional support. ECs are selected by the patient/resident/client or substitute decision maker, and can be a family member, friend, neighbour or someone else who is actively involved in the care of the patient/resident/client. They may provide regular physical, emotional or cognitive support and will know the person’s health, routines, behaviours, and personality.
Training and Identification Badge
Once the person you support has authorized you as their Essential Caregiver and you have completed the Essential Caregiver (EC) Program Orientation, you will receive an EC Program badge. This badge identifies you to healthcare staff and supports your involvement in care.
You are expected to wear your EC badge at all times in healthcare settings.
The EC Program Orientation takes approximately 1.5 hours and includes a photo ID badge recognized across participating healthcare organizations.
The training covers:
- How Essential Caregivers support care in healthcare settings
- Safety practices, including PPE use (gloves, masks, gowns)
- Fall prevention
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Emergency codes and procedures
What Does the Role Include?
Talk with the organizations or department staff to determine how you can support and be included as part of the care team. Some examples:
- Support a patient/client/resident’s physical care and/ or mental and emotional well-being.
- Assist with mobility or personal care as appropriate.
- Advocate and provide communication assistance with hearing, visual, speech, cognitive, intellectual or memory impairment.
- Support decision making.
- Advocate regarding values and cultural & spiritual beliefs of patient/client/resident.
- Assist to keep family members informed.
Benefits of Being a Member of the Essential Caregiver Program
1.
Being recognized and included by healthcare providers as an essential member of the team.
2.
Better patient experience and outcomes for the person you care for.
3.
Improved communication and involvement with the care team. As a registered EC with visible identification, the care team is authorized to share information so they can support you and the person you care for as you participate in care and decision-making.
4.
When the person you care for is admitted to a healthcare setting, you may have improved access should visitation restrictions be in place due to infectious outbreaks.
5.
Safety training on infection prevention to help protect you and the person you care for from infectious germs.
Register Today or Contact Us to Learn More
Book an appointment to learn more at www.groht.ca/connect-to-services/. Simply click on “Caregivers” and select the “Essential Caregiver Program”.
You can also contact one of our two training sites to register or for more details:
Cornwall Community Hospital
📞 (613) 938-4240 ext. 3519
📧 cch.communications@cornwallhospital.ca
👆 www.cornwallhospital.ca
