All across the South West, ordinary people are working together to care for loved ones who are seriously ill. Now there will be an online resource to support their efforts.
The South West Caregiver Exchange will be a “mini-site,” part of www.thehealthline.ca, the South West’s trusted source of up-to-the-minute information about health and social services. Established eight years ago, www.thehealthline.ca is used by more than one million people each year.
“Informal caregivers provide so much care to seniors living in the community,” says Sandra Coleman, CEO of the South West Community Care Access Centre. “They are truly the heroes of our health system, and we need to do all we can to support them in supporting their loved ones.”
The Caregiver Exchange will support a new project funded by the South West Local Health Integration Network, Share The Care™. Share The Care™ is a care giving model that helps people pool their talents, time and resources to support a friend facing a health crisis. Developed in the U.S., it has been endorsed by the ALS Association and the National Family Caregiver Association.
The Caregiver Exchange mini-site will include:
- Share the Care™ support materials and related web links
- Share the Care™ Speaker’s Bureau
- A list of agencies that provide caregiver support in the South West
- A list of regional educational events relevant to caregivers
- A blog featuring invited posts from experienced caregivers and topic experts
- A weekly media watch service with web links to news stories about informal care giving
- Information about awards that recognize caregivers, such as the South West CCAC’s Heroes in the Home awards
- Web links to Canadian caregiver resources, such as the Caregiver Network
“We’re excited about this opportunity to provide a much-needed service,” says Michael Robbins, Project Coordinator of thehealthline.ca. “Few people plan to be a caregiver, but many end up supporting a spouse, a parent or a friend. Having resources at your fingertips makes a challenging job a little easier.”
A regional coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Exchange, which will be overseen by a volunteer Editorial Committee. The mini-site is currently under development and is expected to launch in fall 2009.
For more information, contact:
Michael Robbins
c/o editor@thehealthline.ca