Caregiver Support and Well-Being Priority Project - Central East ...

• Mandate regular education and training to service providers to assist them in communicating withcaregivers and understanding their needs• Recommend that health service providers view and assess the needs of the caregiver separatelyfrom the needs of the care receiver.3) RespiteCaregivers need time off from their care giving responsibilities in order to avoid burnout. Respite can takeany number of forms, as long as it meets the caregiver's self-defined needs for relief, time off, a breakfrom caregiver responsibilities and/or the experience of some rejuvenation and peace of mind. v Thefollowing recommendations enhance the opportunities for respite for caregivers with the CE LHIN:• Implement standard admission timelines and processes to simplify and shorten the admission toAdult Day Programs, or equivalent, across the CE LHIN.• Review the demand and supply for Adult Day Programs, or equivalent, ensuring equitable accessacross the CE LHIN.• Fund more subsidized in-home respite across the CE LHIN, particularly throughout the underservicedareas and sectors, ensuring equitable access.• Implement a common assessment tool for the Community Support Services providing in-home respite– i.e. InterRAI CHA (Community Home Assessment form )1. Simplify the admission process for short stay beds.2. Provide more short stay beds within Central East LHIN.3. Increase funding to community support agencies to provide more subsidized Instrumental Activities ofDaily Living (IADL) services, to ensure equitable access across the CE LHIN.4) Compensation Support• Explore self-directed funding options that would assist caregivers in paying for in-home respite, dayprograms or other support costs and allow them the flexibility to spend the funds on what they needmost.• Establish a subsidy program allowing caregivers to apply for financial assistance to purchase or leasecaregiving supplies and equipment.The project team has worked tirelessly to ensure the message is clear, caregivers are an essential part ofthe healthcare system. Without caregivers, the system would certainly not be able to manage the carethat is needed.Nobody thinks they will become a family caregiver. One day you are a daughter or son,occasionally helping your parents. Seemingly overnight you become a case manager, diseasespecialist, chauffeur, researcher, care advocate – all in support of an aging parent. How did ithappen? I am the third of five children, one son and four daughters. I’m responsible, caring,sensitive, an achiever, prime caregiver material. I took on the caregiver role unknowingly;never in a million years did I expect to become a parent to my parent and never have I had somuch trouble understanding how to get help vi .7