[Article] How to support the caregivers who support your patients
How to support the caregivers who support your patients
Social prescribing can have a huge impact on the healthcare system
Social prescribing is an intervention where physicians connect patients’ caregivers with needed social and community care to help them deal with the crisis in caregiver mental health. This intervention provides caregivers with access to support groups, which can decrease social isolation and alleviate some of the pressures on the healthcare system. Services can include connecting caregivers to community resources or caregiver coaches working remotely throughout Alberta.
According to the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing and the Alliance for Healthier Communities, social prescribing can significantly support the healthcare system by bringing an average drop of 28% in demand for primary care services and an average reduction of 24% in accident and emergency admissions.
In what specific ways do caregivers support the health care system? Caregivers do everything from bathing, feeding, cleaning, yard work, making appointments, tracking medical test results, bringing the patient to appointments, and so much more.
“Caregivers do all of the things in the background at home to keep that patient going and to keep that patient’s health outcomes solid,” says Liv Mendelsohn, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence.
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By
Alberta Doctors Digest
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Published
Jun 18, 2024
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Subject Area
- Caregiving & Caregiver Support
- General Health and Wellness
- Information, Referral, & Advocacy
- Referral and Systems Navigation
- Seniors’ Planning & Action Tables/Committees
- Non-profit / Charitable sector
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Audience
- Service Providers (Non-profits, Community Organizations, Local government)
- Caregivers, Seniors & Volunteers
- Health Authorities
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Category
- Advocacy
- Evidence-based & emerging practices
- Other Resources/Services
- Research & Evidence
- Impact Stories
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