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.
News
Health Care Assistant Day October 18 - Innovative Scheduling Projects Announced to Improve Labour Retention
The BC Government has proclaimed Tuesday as Health Care Assistant Day in British Columbia. The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) is encouraging its member to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the work of care aides and home support workers. Creating a recognition day for care aides and home support workers was recommended in the human resources strategy BCCPA released earlier this year with our project committee.
BCCPA is proud to be marking Health Care Assistant Day with the BC Care Aide Registry and our partners on our human resources committee - including the BC Government Employees Union, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Jobs, Innovation and Tourism, Health Care Employees Union, Vancouver Community College and Health Employers Association of BC. Each of our organizations has made a commitment to celebrate on Tuesday through a variety of measures include public awareness, advertising, on-site celebrations and professional development.
To mark Health Care Assistant Day, the project committee is also supporting two innovative scheduling initiatives to increase retention of health care assistants and reduce staff turnover. The two projects being funded by the provincial government are:
- Responsive Shift Scheduling (RSS) in Residential Care - RSS is matching resident needs with staff scheduling preferences. It promotes staff and mangers working together to develop a creative schedule that meets resident needs and balances the multiple interests of staff. RSS was successfully piloted in six Health Authority-operated residential care facilities and now we will be piloting RSS at a number of affiliate facilities across the province as well.
- Expanding Cluster Care in Home Support - Based on a comprehensive labour market analysis we initiated last year, retention of home care aides was identified as the most significant human resources challenge facing our sector. In response, we have been working with home support providers in Metro Vancouver to develop a pilot project that will expand the use of "cluster care" and apply responsive shift scheduling techniques.
In addition to these innovative scheduling projects, the Committee has also sponsored special Socio-Cultural Competency Training sessions with Vancouver Community College to help teach work place based, cultural context communication skills to seniors care managers to strengthen their relationship with new Canadians finding employment in seniors care.
NEW: Seniors Care HR Strategy Released
Report Offers Insight into Human Resources Issues in Seniors Care Sector – (click here for news release)
