One in four Canadians is a caregiver to someone with a long-term health condition, disability or age-related needs, but it is a role that most people are unprepared for.

The number one issue for most family caregivers is where to turn for help and information to support the people they’re caring for, and to better care for themselves as well.

Baycrest is responding to this need by making expert advice, evidence-based educational materials and up-to-date resources easily accessible to caregivers online so they can receive help when they need it.

The Baycrest Health & Wellness Information Portal provides reliable information developed by Baycrest clinical and interprofessional experts on topics such as dementia and memory, mental health and end-of-life care, as well as an extensive section with practical tools and advice about caregiving.

“Knowing which resources to trust is crucial for caregivers, and we’ve done that in the Caregiving section,” says Dr. Adriana Shnall, Program Director of Baycrest’s Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Caregiving, who has over 30 years of clinical social work experience working with older adults and their families.

The Caregiving section includes eLearning modules on caregiver support and medication management, as well as caregiving products, manuals and guides. There are also links to videos and content such as: how to prepare to be a caregiver; how to deal with psychological and behavioural challenges; group therapy for caregivers; self-care tips for balance and respite; and, strategies for meaningful visits with older adults.

A monthly caregiver webinar series moderated by Dr. Shnall is streamed live and can be accessed on-demand, covering a broad range of topics to help support family caregivers, particularly those caring for older adults with dementia. The webinar series is a partnership between Baycrest@Home and the Koschitzky Centre, and is funded by the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation.

Through its relationship with the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation, Baycrest is developing and disseminating educational materials and creating webinars and eLearning tools for caregivers that are shared on the CareMakers Foundation and Baycrest websites.