We plan to build on our past two strategic plans focused on improving experiences for patients and family caregivers as they move across Ontario’s healthcare system. Although many ideas and trends were evident, there was one consistent theme – the vital, yet often unrecognized, role of informal or family caregivers in the system. We are committing to shining a light on this area. Based on what we know already, we believe that valuing and recognizing family caregivers as integral members of the health care team should be an urgent focus for our health system.
Our strategic goal: to improve the experience of family caregivers as they help their family members transition through and interact with Ontario’s health and community care systems.
Research tells us that most Ontarians have been or will be a family caregiver at some point. Twenty-nine percent of the provincial population – or 3.3 million people – provide some form of support, assistance, care or enrichment to a family member or friend. Both women (53%) and men (47%) in Ontario take on caregiving roles.
For more information, please visit The Change Foundation.
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