CORNWALL, Ontario – On Wednesday, Oct. 30, the Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH) opened a new Family Caregiver Centre, which they are promoting as the first of its kind in the region.
Caregivers will have access to a lounge, kitchenette and family meeting room, as well as information on a variety of medical conditions, and caregiver support resources.
Caregivers who will be able to have access to the Centre include family members, friends, neighbours or colleagues who care for a loved one without pay.
“The opening of the new centre is a significant outcome of the Changing CARE: Embrace project, which aims to improve the experience of family caregivers in the addiction and mental health system across Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Akwesasne. Changing CARE: Embrace is an initiative of Cornwall Community Hospital and the Cornwall & District Family Support Group and is one of The Change Foundation’s four Changing CARE projects across Ontario, each designed to improve the local caregiver experience with the healthcare system in its own way,” reads a statement from the CCH.
CCH CEO Jeanette Despattie praised the opening of the Centre.
“We recognize how important family caregiver support is to the health and wellbeing of members of our community; we are proud to provide a space for those
caring others,” said Despattie.
The new Family Caregiver Centre is located on the Main Floor of the CCH and will be accessible from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Sunday. During weekdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. trained volunteers who have experience as family caregivers will be on hand to provide one-on-one support.
