Government of Canada supports innovative healthcare solutions including a focus on dementia

Putting the needs of patients and families first

MARKHAM, ON, Feb. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, Peter Kent, Member of Parliament for Thornhill, announced on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, federal support of $127,000 for Saint Elizabeth Health Care in Markham, Ontario. The funding will support a project to assist healthcare providers working in homes and in long-term care facilities to improve the care experience of clients, residents and their families, especially those living with dementia.

Working with the Alzheimer Society of Canada, Saint Elizabeth will develop training and educational supports for staff in three long-term care facilities in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, and three home care service delivery centres in Ontario and British Columbia. The training will equip staff at all levels with the tools to implement person-centred care in these settings. Person-centred care is an approach that puts patients and their families at the heart of all decisions and actions related to the management of their own health and care.

Training will also include a specific focus on dementia, supporting staff to better address the needs of those living with this illness, and their caregivers. Saint Elizabeth will also develop an online toolkit to help other long-term care facilities and home care providers across Canada incorporate person-centred care practices at all levels of their organizations. 

Federal funding for this initiative is provided through the Health Care Policy Contribution Program. This program supports the Government's commitment to fund innovation and improve the healthcare system by investing in projects that support knowledge development and transfer, and respond to emerging health priorities. 

Quick Facts

• Between 2006 and 2013, the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), has invested over $760 million in research related to aging, including healthy aging and innovative models of care for seniors.
• Economic Action Plan 2014 allocated additional funding for the creation of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) to tackle the growing onset of dementia and related illnesses.
• The CCNA is supported with funding of $31.5 million over five years from the Government of Canada through CIHR and a group of 13 partners from the public and private sectors, including the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
• Canada plays a key role in contributing to the international goal to find a cure or disease modifying treatment for dementia by 2025, and to improve the quality of life for individuals living with dementia, and their caregivers.

Quotes

"Our Government is committed to showing leadership in dementia research and prevention. Through this investment and many others, we are working to help share innovative models, such as person-centred care, that provide elderly Canadians and their care givers a better quality of life."
Peter Kent
Member of Parliament, Thornhill

"This investment further demonstrates our Government's commitment and on-going efforts to support seniors care and their well-being. Given Canada's growing seniors population, our Government recognizes the important role of caregiving, in particular caring for those individuals living with dementia.  The Government has taken action to support caregiving through a variety of initiatives, such as the establishment of the Canadian Employers for Caregivers Plan, which includes the recent release of the report form the Employer Panel for Caregivers,  the Family Caregivers Tax Credit, enhancements to Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefit, as well as the launch of an Information for Caregivers portal on the Canada.ca/Seniors website."
Alice Wong
Minister of State (Seniors)

"Based on our history and previous research work, we have a good understanding of what 'person-centred care' means – and why it matters. With this project, we are taking the vital next step of bringing it to life for people and organizations in long-term care and home care settings."
Nancy Lefebre
Chief Clinical Executive and Senior Vice-President
Saint Elizabeth

Associated Links

Health Care Policy Contribution Program

Saint Elizabeth Resource Centre

Harper Government Invests in National Initiative to Tackle Dementia

Canada Showing International Leadership at G8 Dementia Summit

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Government of Canada Dementia website

Government of Canada website for seniors, their families, caregivers and supporting service organizations

Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at: News.gc.ca

SOURCE Health Canada

Health Canada, Media Relations, [phone]; Michael Bolkenius, Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Federal Minister of Health, [phone]; Public Enquiries: [phone], 1-866 225-0709