Health & Wellness Magazine Community Of Caring - Summer 2019 | Page 27

CARE PROVIDER A LEADING CARE PROVIDER EVERY WEEKDAY morning, when CareGivers’s client care coordinators Jacqueline Murphy and Jessica Whyte meet to review the nightly on-call report, they do something that is probably unique to home care in Newfoundland and Labrador. They keep an eye on a large screen that shows every CareGivers home care worker checking in for their morning shift. “It’s really amazing that we can know when they arrive and when they leave,” says Jacqueline. “It helps us know right away if there is a problem, and we can check in to make sure both our employee and our client are safe.” “CareGivers is a really innovative company,” adds Jessica. “When I first came to work here, I had no idea that there could be such a difference in how things are run from one agency to another. Our clients’ families tell me all the time that they really appreciate how we can pull up all their information with the click of a button. We’ve got an electronic client care management system that is considered one of the best in the world.” Over 16 years ago, CareGivers took a big leap towards quality when it enrolled in an accreditation program. Accreditation means that a health care provider meets or exceeds national standards for safety and care for employees and clients. In CareGivers’s case, the agency has been accredited four times and has achieved “exemplary standing” for their last two accreditation cycles. This means the agency’s care standards are among the best in the country. So, how does a Newfoundland agency become one of the best in Canada? “Innovation is a key to providing quality home care,” says Anne Whelan, CareGivers President. “For over 16 years, we have been working to provide the very best care possible. Of course, you have to start with having awesome employees, and we absolutely do." — "But there is more to it. You have to invest in your people and your systems. We are constantly seeking to improve the ways we communicate with our employees, our clients, and the health and community supports that are part of our home care system.” Another example of innovation and quality going hand-in-hand is the development of CareGivers online home support worker training program. Available to all employees, the training helps home support workers learn the skills needed to provide good care. “There’s a big difference between being a very caring person and having the skills needed to be an excellent home support worker,” says Bob Dewling, CareGivers Director of Nursing and one of the program’s developers. “We start with very warm, caring people, and we help them develop skills that they may need. It leads to happier employees and better care for our clients.” As more and more people are choosing to stay in their own homes, CareGivers is continuing to find new ways to customize care. “We’ve invested in another local company that can provide a range of therapies—like physio, OT, and counselling – right in the comfort of clients’ homes,” says Anne. “And we’re looking at opening a ‘family portal’ on our website so that family can participate in their loved one’s care no matter what part of the world they happen to be in.” For Jessica and Jacqueline, continuing to offer new innovations means they can continue to improve on the care experience for both workers and clients. Jessica sums it up like this: “When a family calls to tell us Mom is much better since we started care, that’s really what it’s all about. The happier we can make their days, the happier we are.” To learn more about the services offered by CareGivers, please visit: www.caregiversnl.com 27