Elevating Caregivers as Essential Partners in Ontario's Healthcare System: Cross sector dialogue and meaningful change

The Caregivers as Partners in Care Roundtable was an extraordinary event held on February 29, 2024. As the CEO of the The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO), the Roundtable was truly a highlight of my leadership journey with OCO over the past four years.

The Roundtable was convened to explore and expand on the integration of caregivers as Essential Care Partners within our health and social care systems. Caregivers navigate and permeate the system and we wanted to bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences together to move the dialogue and action forward.

This gathering wasn't just another event; it was a watershed moment, creating momentum towards a much-needed shift. Special thanks to all of the caregivers who joined us, including to Terrence H. for delivering an unforgettable caregiver keynote and to the healthcare leaders that came ready to learn, collaborate and take action. It was wonderful to hear from the Hon. Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and from our partners at Ontario Health | Santé Ontario as well as health system leaders, practitioners, caregivers and patients throughout the day. The cross-sectoral dialogue and collective effort underscored how we can only create change together.

We are at a pivotal moment, witnessing an increasing recognition and integration of caregivers in care settings across Ontario, empowering them to lend their voices and shape the future of healthcare. But there’s still a lot of inconsistency in how caregivers are included, especially at the point of care – ultimately our goal is to see caregivers valued, recognized and supported consistently in all care settings. 

The event was enriched by the representation of perspectives from across the system, but most importantly, by the strong presence of caregivers and patients. Their lived experiences are vital to informing and driving meaningful change. Caregivers often hold comprehensive knowledge about the patient's history and personal context, which is crucial for informed diagnosis, culturally-sensitive care, and patient safety.

The evidence supporting the inclusion of care partners is compelling. It has been growing over the years, and the pandemic restrictions further highlighted the risks of excluding care partners from the care team. Engaging and collaborating with caregivers leads to:

• lower readmission rates,
• fewer medication errors,
• improved emotional wellbeing,
• better patient outcomes, and
• increased job satisfaction for healthcare providers.

The Ontario Caregiver Organization has been working on how to better integrate caregivers as team members. To support organizations, individuals and health teams on their journey, we offer learning and education, tools and resources, collaboration, guidance and support at https://ontariocaregiver.ca/for-providers/

The Roundtable left me and the OCO team feeling hopeful and energized about the journey ahead. At OCO, we are committed to work together to ensure a healthcare system that truly values and supports caregivers as essential partners in care but we can’t do it alone. Let’s all continue to champion the invaluable role of caregivers, ensuring they are not taken for granted but recognized as integral to patient-centered care.

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