A new program at Montcalm Secondary School in London, Ontario, is set to graduate its first group of certified personal support workers (PSWs) in June, thanks to Sandra Briars, a nurse-turned-teacher who launched it last fall. The students are wrapping up the first of two eight-week placements to complete the certification program. "The need is unbelievable now... with COVID and the stress of the job for nurses and PSWs, it's just been incredible," said Briars of the PSW shortage in Canada.
What's better than a cup of joe in the morning? A cup of joe while listening to Joseph Jongsma, founder and CEO of our platform. In this first half of a two-part interview, Joe shares all about his early years as an entrepreneur, his motivations to create Caring Support, and some of the lessons he has learned along the way.
Advocates are calling on the government, long-term care homes, and health providers to ensure seniors don't face the same type of isolation now as they did in previous waves of the pandemic. Their concerns are mounting as Ontario records an estimated 100,000 to 120,000 daily cases during this sixth wave of the virus. "We no longer need to keep seniors isolated from their families," they said. "We have learned that doing that has been almost as devastating as COVID itself."
The latest surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is taking a toll on healthcare workers across the country. As provinces grapple with a sixth wave of the pandemic, a growing number of doctors, nurses and other hospital staff are calling in sick, raising concerns about the availability and quality of care for patients. Dr. Gerald Evans, infectious disease specialist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, said hospitals across the province are struggling with staffing levels.
Listen to Dr. Paul Woods, medical doctor and healthcare systems expert; Don Thibert, a prominent figure in the private college education field in Ontario; Hilary Anderson, a senior executive in Corporate Services and Human Resources applied to healthcare; and Byron Ells, senior marketing executive and well-known leadership advisor to startups.
This week, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended that fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine be administered to residents aged 70 and over, just as provinces and territories are expanding eligibility to millions of Canadians. In Ontario, fourth doses are open to anyone 60 and older, especially those living in long-term care homes and retirement homes; as well as First Nations, Inuit and Metis people, and immunocompromised people.
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