A History in Brief

2006-2007

June 2006 – Caregiving Theme Team met  for the first time in Calgary, Alberta

Dr. Sandra Hirst (Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary) and Dr. Peter Donahue (Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary and inaugural Network Manager for NICE) were the founding co-chairs of the Team.

Priorities set at that meeting included the development of two information transfer tools: a caregiving calendar for community dwelling family caregivers and a caregiving poster for professional caregivers in long term care facilities.

The calendar was targeted to family members providing care to older adults with some form of dementia. Each month was organized around a particular issue of relevance to caregivers, as for example, nutrition, communication, exercise, etc.  The calendar was distributed to over 100 caregivers with a request for feedback as to the format of the calendar and the usefulness of the information.

The poster was targeted to personal service workers in long-term care facilities to assist them in providing care to older adults with dementia. The acronym “RESPECT ALL” was used to identify 10 tips for the caregivers, supporting an underlying message that respecting the older adult is at the core of all care provided. The poster was distributed nationally to several long-term care facilities with a request for feedback as to the usefulness of the information.

2007-2008

In year two, the calendar was revised to include a caregiver stress inventory and was also made available in French.  The poster was re-printed in its original format.  Both information transfer tools were presented at the Annual NICE Knowledge Exchange held in Toronto, Ontario.  Subsequently, the calendars and posters were distributed nationally with a questionnaire attached requesting feedback from the users.  Dr. Ellen Sue Mesbur (School  of Social Work, Renison University College) joined Dr. Hirst as Co-Chair of the team.  Satmoi Yoshino joined the team through the NICE mentorship program.

Above: NICE Caring Calendar

Above: NICE Program Poster

2008-2009

In year three, the team revised the caregiving calendar based on feedback collected from the previous year and was again produced in French and English. This year, one of our International partners in India translated and distributed the calendar in Hindi.

Of note is the poor response rate to the questionnaires sent with the calendars for feedback ; 10 responses to over several hundred distributed nationally.  Over a two year period we received 24 responses to the calendar feedback questionnaires.  Fifty-four percent found the calendars ‘very helpful’; 42% found them ‘moderately helpful’ and one respondent indicated that the calendar was ‘not helpful’.  Several respondents provided suggestions for improvement as follows: a) provide the information on calendar in a pocket-sized booklet; b) need more information for managing finances of person with disability; c) need information regarding services by region of country; e) need information for dealing with uncomfortable feelings.  This feedback will be considered when deciding on projects for 2010-2011.

During this year a set of information transfer tools for grandparents raising grandchildren was developed under the leadership of Dr. Esme Fuller-Thomson.  The grand parenting tools were well received.   At the annual team meeting, Mr. Frank Wagner, Bioethicist, Toronto Central CCAC and University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics was the guest speaker, presenting on a toolkit for ethical decision making with regard to the community dwelling older adults.

Link to Tools for Grandparents:  Legal Information and Financial Resources for Ontario Grandparents’ Raising their Grandchildren

• English
• French

Dr. Elsa Marziali (Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care) joined Dr. Mesbur as Co-Chair of the Caregiving Team.  By September 2009 Dr. Mesbur resigned as co-chair.  The Team was also fortunate to have students Sienna Caspar,  Julie Colgate, Katie Kennel and Beanne John  join the Team through the NICE Mentorship program.

2009-2010

Under the leadership of the Caregiving Theme Team Chair, Dr. Elsa Marziali and with the collaboration of Dr. Cory MacKenzie (Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba) Dr. Peter Donahue (School of Social Work, Renison University College) and Dr. Laura Wagner, (Nursing Scientist, Baycrest ) and approved by the team members an e-learning program for nursing assistants working in long term care facilities was developed. The e-learning program includes a series of e-learning DVD’s focused on helping nursing assistants working in long-term care facilities communicate more effectively with their clients, the clients’ families and their co-workers.  The initial version of the e-learning program was reviewed by a small group of nursing assistants and their supervisor at Baycrest.  On the basis of their feedback, the learning modules have been modified preparatory to their being evaluated in a pilot study located at two long-term care facilities; one in Kitchener, Ontario and one in Winnipeg Manitoba.  Results of the pilot study will be reported at the NICE annual meeting in June 2010.

Above: Nursing Assistant DVD cover.

Above: Screenshots from the Nursing Assistant e-learning DVD.

Above: Scene from animation showing Nursing Assistant interaction with residents.

Above: Scene from animation showing Nursing Assistant coworker interactions.

Above: Scene from animation showing Nursing Assistant interacting family members.