{"id":4414,"date":"2026-02-25T14:59:52","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T19:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sjccc.ca\/sjeng\/?page_id=4414"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:59:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T19:59:52","slug":"essential-caregivers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sjccc.ca\/sjeng\/?page_id=4414","title":{"rendered":"Essential Caregivers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Empowering Caregivers: The Essential Caregiver Program Pilot<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Great River Ontario Health Team\u2019s partners\u00a0Carefor<\/a>,\u00a0St. Joseph\u2019s Continuing Care Centre<\/a>\u00a0(SJCCC),\u00a0Cornwall Community Hospital<\/a>\u00a0(CCH),\u00a0H\u00f4pital Glengarry Memorial Hospital<\/a> (HGMH), and\u00a0Winchester District Memorial Hospital<\/a>\u00a0(WDMH), with support from the\u00a0Ontario Caregiver Organization<\/a>, are excited to provide an update on the launch of the Essential Caregiver Pilot Program.<\/p>\n

The program launched on October 7, 2024, with Carefor and SJCCC engaging with clients\/patients and caregivers to promote the program, and send referrals to CCH, where the caregivers can attend Essential Caregiver education and receive a photo Caregiver ID badge. The hospital provides caregiver education on topics such as infection prevention and control, and personal protective equipment, and provides each caregiver with a caregiver ID badge that has their picture on it. As the project unfolds, staff across participating organizations will also undergo training on the Essential Caregiver Program\u2019s principles and the significance of caregiver inclusion in patient care. This educational effort underscores the program\u2019s commitment to fostering collaborative relationships between caregivers and healthcare professionals for improved patient outcomes. WDMH and HGMH have also provided education to their staff to recognize and accept the caregiver ID badge.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the collaboration of all partners, the launch has already shown amazing interest and early successes. So far, 75+ caregivers have received Caregiver ID badges.<\/p>\n

In addition to referrals coming from Carefor and St. Joseph\u2019s Continuing Care Centre, clients\/patients and caregivers have been calling and stopping in at CCH to get more information on the program.<\/p>\n

What is an Essential Caregiver Program?<\/h3>\n

The Essential Caregiver Program seeks to enhance the involvement of caregivers throughout a person\u2019s healthcare journey. Its core objective is to identify and support caregivers as indispensable partners in care delivery. Unlike traditional visitors, essential caregivers are deeply familiar with the needs and behaviors of the person they support, enabling them to provide crucial insights to healthcare professionals, especially when the patient may be unable to communicate effectively.<\/p>\n

Who Are Essential Caregivers?<\/h3>\n

\"Essential<\/p>\n

Essential Caregivers (EC) are selected by the resident\/patient or substitute decision-maker. This could be a family member, friend, or neighbor who is actively involved in the care provided to a person they are supporting. Essential Caregivers are individuals who advocate for the resident\/patient and provide them with critical, ongoing, personal, emotional, and physical support and care.<\/p>\n

What Can Being an Essential Caregiver Include?<\/h3>\n