Are you supporting a family member or friend who is sick or aging? Are you a church with family caregivers in your congregation? Are you a healthcare provider that interacts with family caregivers? Are you an employer whose employees may be family caregivers? These are all questions that a team of people are researching while working towards the development of a local caregiver-friendly community.
Jamie Penner, a nurse researcher at the University of Manitoba, has been working with a group of local leaders to connect with various groups in the Steinbach area to better understand how caregivers are being supported in the community, the existing needs that caregivers have, and how we might work together to enhance supports for family caregivers.
“We will all be or need a family caregiver at some point in our lives,” explains project lead Penner. “Family caregivers are all around us and are crucial to the care of those living with various types of illnesses or needing support as they age. Unfortunately, caregivers have a wide range of needs that often go unmet. We can all play a part as family members, friends, employers, churches, healthcare providers etc. in better supporting family caregivers to both provide care and maintain their own health and wellbeing.”
The project team is now hosting a Community Forum to share what they have learned and gather additional input from community members. The public is invited to share ideas to help prioritize the next steps in developing a caregiving-friendly community.
The Community Forum will be held via Zoom on April 7, 2022 from 7pm to 9pm. For more information and to access the zoom link, please visit caregiverfriendlycommunity.ca.
