Caregiving Essentials, McMaster Continuing Education’s free online program supporting informal caregivers, has won a 2020 Program Award from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.

The program has served more than 600 caregivers since its launch in fall 2018. The development and launch of the program were first funded by the Ontario Ministry of Seniors Affairs, while additional funding from the Regional Geriatrics Programs of Ontario has enabled its continued success.

Lorraine Carter, Director, McMaster Continuing Education, stated that this program has been a rewarding experience and an excellent example of community collaboration.

“McMaster Continuing Education is particularly grateful to the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging, THRIVE group, Desire2Learn, and the many other community and educational partners in the Hamilton region and across the province who have made this program possible.”

McMaster Continuing Education recently announced that the Caregiving Essentials program was valuable to anyone new to caregiving, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the principles and realities of providing care in a family or informal context are the same regardless of diagnosis.

All caregivers should also consult healthcare providers and/or public health for evidence-based guidance in the case of illness, including COVID-19.

The CAUCE Program Awards “recognize excellence in university continuing education programs in Canada and aim to nurture the concept of scholarship of practice inherent in the program development process.” All of the award winners can be found here.

For more information on the program, go to the Caregiving Essentials website.