What is BC Cares?

BC Cares is a program that was designed by the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) in 2007 to recruit care aides into the growing seniors care sector. Initially developed as a pilot with the Fraser Health Authority, BC Cares became a province-wide initiative in 2009-2009.

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News

Project Update: Home Care Recruitment and Retention First Priority

The Canada-BC Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is supporting a project between the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and the BC Ministry of Advanced Education & Labour Market Development The BC Cares Canada-BC Labour Market Partnership builds on BCCPA's successful 2008-2009 BC Cares initiative which promoted awareness of employment opportunities as Community Health Workers in light of provincial government's commitment to increase number of care beds across BC. The goal is to implement a province-wide strategy that will assess labour shortages in the seniors' care sector and to inform strategies to address them.

The project is being supported by the BC Seniors Care HR Committee comprised of seniors care providers, health officials, employers, labour and education/training leaders. The Committee's first priority was to ensure the labour needs of non-profit, for-profit and denominational care providers were fully assessed and included in the province's labour market forecast.

To achieve this, BCCPA and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) conducted a survey of residential care, assisted living and home support providers in spring 2010. The survey results formed the basis of a comprehensive report and updated labour forecast that was completed in June 2010.

The project committee is now in the process of developing recommendations that respond to the forecast data. A professional human resources management company has been retained as part of the project to help shape these recommendations and consult with stakeholders over the summer.

One of the issues that have emerged in this early phase of the project is retention and recruitment of home care aides. The project steering committee has agreed to make it a first priority so BCCPA and HEABC have agreed to update the home support elements of the June 2010 labour market report. Home care providers are being asked to complete an updated survey this month.

The goal is to make sure recruitment and retention data from this sector is as current and accurate as possible - particularly in light of significant changes to the delivery of home support services that have occurred in the BC Lower Mainland since the initial survey was conducted in the spring.

The results of this updated survey will help the BC Cares project committee complete a comprehensive series of recommendations later this year.


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