MARKHAM, ON, Nov. 3, 2016 /CNW/ - Elizz, Canada's number one resource for all things caregiving, is celebrating its one year anniversary by reflecting on how much it has raised the profile of family caregivers in Canada over the past year.
Leading to the launch of Elizz, data showing the need for support and services for caregivers was staggering but also thought-provoking and inspiring. Of the 8.1 million family caregivers across Canada, 74 per cent reported feeling lost in the system without having complete access to caregiver resources.
With an estimated 58 per cent of Canadians expecting to be family caregivers in the near future, Elizz had to be more than just a health care provider – it also had to address the different needs that face family caregivers each and every day.
Saint Elizabeth created Elizz to answer the unique needs of family caregivers in any stage of the caregiving journey. From virtual supports such as the Caregiver Coach – a person with health care experience who can help caregivers come up with a plan of action to manage the impacts of caregiving in their lives – to in-home health services for the person in need of care, caregivers can rely on Elizz to provide them with the resources they need when and where they need them.
"During the course of one short year, our work through Elizz has moved mountains, built understanding, promoted dignity and supported caregivers across Canada," says Shirlee Sharkey, President and CEO of Saint Elizabeth and Elizz.
"These customized services have helped raise awareness and elevated the important role caregivers play in families – from supporting the clients so they can stay at home and allowing the whole family to participate in very special tender moments."
The careful attention to detail that went into creating customized caregiver resources has not gone unnoticed – or unappreciated – by the 450,000 family caregivers across Canada who have accessed Elizz caregiver services. Backed by over 100 years of home health care experience through Saint Elizabeth, Canada's largest social enterprise, it's easy to see why Elizz is making a name for itself among family caregivers.
Allyson Kinsley, senior vice president of Saint Elizabeth and Elizz, was overwhelmed by the reaction family caregivers had to Elizz in its first year.
"When we launched Elizz in October, we knew we were sharing something special – speaking to caregivers in a way that health care hadn't done before. What's amazing is hearing from so many caregivers that they were thankful to know we were there for them, and we heard from many who said they wished we had been around years earlier. We are meeting a strong societal need and a growing one." she says. "Through Elizz, family caregivers are not only learning that it's okay to ask for help, they're also getting it."
About Saint Elizabeth and Elizz
Saint Elizabeth is a national health care provider that has been opening the door to new possibilities and care experiences for more than a century. Recognized as Canada's largest social enterprise, we employ 8,000 people and visit 18,000 clients every day. With Elizz, our breakthrough brand dedicated to all things caregiving, we are bringing fresh thinking, exceptional services and positive change to caregivers nationally. Through the Saint Elizabeth Research Centre, our Health Career Colleges and the Saint Elizabeth Foundation, we are helping to make the future of health care brighter and stronger. Learn more at www.saintelizabeth.com and www.elizz.com or find us on social media.
SOURCE Elizz
Image with caption: "The careful attention to detail that went into creating customized caregiver resources has not gone unnoticed – or unappreciated – by the 450,000 family caregivers across Canada who have accessed Elizz caregiver services. (CNW Group/Elizz)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161103_C6457_PHOTO_EN_811377.jpg
MEDIA CONTACT: Madonna Gallo, Head of Public Voice, 905-968-6430, [email protected]
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