Free Online Courses for Family Caregivers Now Being Offered in Champlain Region
Trualta Partnership Helps Caregivers Navigate the Holiday Season During Global Pandemic
OTTAWA, Ontario, Dec. 15, 2020 /CNW/ -- This holiday season, family caregivers face increased isolation, making it even more challenging to care for those with serious health conditions during a global pandemic. To provide support, the Champlain Community Support Network has announced a partnership with Trualta, a new free online educational tool for family caregivers across Eastern Ontario.
COVID-19 cases have started to decrease, but it is critical that the community continues to stay at home to prevent another surge. Trualta, the Canadian-based resource that provides short, online lessons about issues like preventing falls, promoting brain health and coordinating care for loved ones, recently launched new holiday-focused sessions. This includes tips on reducing social isolation with technology, holiday activities for families who are apart, gratitude for wellness, and downsizing holiday obligations, along with festive music therapy.
"Caregiving is 24/7, so finding time to sit down and learn new ways to best support your loved ones can be difficult, especially during the holiday season," said Kelly Dumas, Executive Director, Rural Ottawa South Support Services. "Trualta provides a unique tool for education and training that people can access according to their own schedules."
Champlain Community Support Network's new partnership is one step toward addressing the findings from the recently published Eastern Ontario Caregiver Strategy, which found that caregivers need more education and training, as well as tools and services that support their own health and well-being. Trualta makes it possible for individuals needing care to live at home longer, helping their caregivers to perform daily tasks and make critical decisions.
"When I work with patients with memory impairment, the family caregiver is a hugely important part of any at-home care. I'm pleased to see that the Champlain Community will have access to this new and important resource during such a challenging time," said Andrew Frank, MD, Medical Director, Bruyère Memory Program, Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital.
Family caregivers can visit caregivingathome.ca to sign up for access to Trualta's library of online resources. In addition to holiday-specific resources, Trualta teaches caregivers how to safely provide hands-on care, connects families with reliable support agencies, and offers information and video training from experienced professionals in a quick and easy format. For low-vision users or for caregivers who prefer audio instructions, a "read to me" function is also available.
"It was a pleasure to meet with Trualta to learn more about this scaling Ottawa tech firm, and how it is delivering value to family caregivers in our backyard, across Ontario and around the world. I am delighted to learn that this company is leveraging critical support from the Government of Ontario's Regional Innovation Centre program through the IO Accelerator powered by Invest Ottawa. I look forward to seeing how Trualta's innovative solution can help us to address long-term health care challenges during and beyond the pandemic, and support citizens in our region and across the province," said the Hon. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care, Kanata-Carleton.
Anyone caring for an older adult will benefit from this support in the comfort of their own homes, whether they are seeking personal care training, safety and fall prevention tips, help caring for a person with dementia, caregiver wellness ideas or other support.
"After partnering across the U.S., we are proud to bring these necessary resources to our hometown of Ottawa. Family caregivers need to feel confident in their abilities to keep loved ones at home longer, especially amid the pandemic," said Jonathan Davis, Founder and CEO, Trualta. "Family caregivers provide 80% or more of care for loved ones, and we anticipate that number will increase during these challenging times."
"Having been a caregiver myself, I know how overwhelming and challenging it can be to try and navigate what is best for your loved one. Online trainings and resources, like Trualta, provide a foundation and support to make you feel self-assured in your day-to-day responsibilities as a caregiver," said Carol Holmes-Kerr, Family Caregiver.
To Register: Family caregivers can visit caregivingathome.ca and follow the link and instructions to register an account. Registration is open to family caregivers in the Champlain Region.
About Trualta
Trualta supports families managing care for loved ones at home via an online learning platform. In partnership with innovative healthcare payers, providers, government and social service organizations, Trualta provides better care at lower cost. Each partner organization is equipped with a customized learning portal through which healthcare professionals deliver on-demand, personalized skills-based training to help caregivers keep their loved ones at home for longer.
Currently available in Canada and across 17 U.S. states, Trualta's evidence base is proving that trained, confident family caregivers can improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
About the Champlain Community Support Network
The Champlain Community Support Network (CCSN) represents more than 40 Ontario health-funded community support health services in Eastern Ontario and aims to influence and support planning for systems, services, and practices related to community support services. These specialized services are there to help ensure that older adults, and adults with disabilities are able to live independently, safely and comfortably at home.
CCSN recognizes the need to make effective use of scarce resources. We work collaboratively across community and hospital healthcare to enhance services and ensure sustainability. CCSN is a bilingual network of agencies that provide Community Support Services in the Champlain region. Working together for a community where older adults and adults with disabilities have access to quality community health services that support and promote health, well-being and independence.
In partnership with the Champlain Dementia Network and United Way East Ontario, CCSN launched the Eastern Ontario Caregiver Strategy. This strategy is the first of its kind in our region and provides a coordinated approach to supporting caregivers in our community. Caregivers are all around us, they are the family, friends, and neighbours of seniors and adults with disabilities who need some support to remain safely at home. The full strategy can be found on our website: https://www.ccsn-rscc.org/resources.
SOURCE Trualta
Alison Chartan, [email protected], trualta.com
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