OTTAWA, Jan. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) proudly shares the on-going work to advance the National Occupational Standard (NOS) for Personal Care Providers (NOS), as part of the wider stewardship initiative it is currently undertaking. As part of the stewardship, a dedicated website designed to engage audiences like personal care providers, educators and employers has been launched.
In collaboration with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and with funding from the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program a website has been created to share the voluntary guidelines developed with input from industry stakeholders to provide employers, educators and job seekers across the country with practical guidelines to make informed decisions about hiring, skills training and career choices.
“CALTC is thrilled to be taking on the stewardship of the National Occupational Standard for Personal Care Providers,” says Jodi Hall, CALTC CEO. “The work of personal care providers in long-term care is incredibly important and represents the largest group of employees in long-term care homes. As such, we see the NOS as a very important document that connects a wide range of audiences with a national perspective on competency outcomes that respects provincial and territorial standards. As we move forward to support our aging population, coming together and getting on the same page will support the health human resources needs of our health care system overall, and strengthen the national role and contributions of personal care providers.”
Personal care providers are an integral part of a health care team, providing hands on care to individuals in different work settings including hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, individuals homes and in the community. Personal care providers are mostly unregulated workers known by over 60 different job titles across Canada including personal support workers, continuing care assistants, health care aides, and resident care workers.
About the activities
The NOS website is the hub of all activities for the NOS. Aimed at providing essential resources for educators, personal care providers and employers, the website hosts resources to support competency alignment with the NOS.
On the website, the NOS document is available for download. The NOS serves as a comprehensive and well-researched benchmark, establishing key competencies for personal care providers. By offering a consistent baseline for personal care providers, these resources cater to the diverse roles integral to the health care sector.
A Steering Committee has also been formed with experts from across Canada. The initial stewardship mandate and steering Committee term is until the beginning of March to advance adoption and use of the NOS across Canada.
“Addressing labour shortages in the long-term care sector is about more than just recruiting," said Pari Johnston, President and CEO of CICan. "Educators, employers, and workers themselves all need tools to help reduce skills gaps, better understand job expectations, and improve consistency across the sector. We’re incredibly proud of the work that went into the development of this National Occupational Standard and grateful to CALTC for taking on its stewardship. The NOS will help ensure that Canadians across the country receive consistent and quality care for their loved ones.”
Individuals interested in accessing the National Occupational Standard for Personal Care Providers are invited to explore the resources by visiting https://nos-nnp.ca or by engaging with the NOS on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Liz Thompson
Project Manager
projectmanager@caltc.ca
About CALTC:
The Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC) is the leading voice for quality long term care in Canada. Our association is made up of provincial association members and corporate provider members representing the entire spectrum of long-term care in Canada. Our members are committed to delivering resident-centred care services to seniors across the country when they can no longer live at home.
Since its inception in 2002, CALTC and its members have been working alongside long term care staff, volunteers, residents, and their families to share information, best practices, and evidence to improve the quality of care provided to those in long term care, no matter where they live. Our vision is a health system in which quality, safe and comfortable long-term care is available to all Canadians.
