Thursday May 8, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The Family Caregivers of British Columbia (FCBC) will be taking their Caregiver Rx Program to the international stage next week at the International Conference on Integrated Care (ICIC25) in Lisbon, Portugal.
The interactive workshop titled “Strengthening Integrated and Triadic Care through Social Prescribing: Insights from the Caregiver Rx Program in British Columbia,” will explore how BC is leading the way in caregiver identification and inclusion through one of Canada’s first social prescribing initiatives tailored specifically for family and friend caregivers.
“This opportunity allows us to showcase the power of co-design and partnership between caregivers, healthcare providers, and communities,” says Barb MacLean, Executive Director, Family Caregivers of BC. “It’s time to recognize caregivers as partners in care; not just invisible supports behind the scenes,” she said in a news release this week.
Also attending ICIC25 is the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), a national partner and advocate in advancing the caregiver agenda. Their participation reinforces the growing recognition of the vital role caregivers play in Canada’s healthcare systems and the need for integrated, scalable solutions.
The Caregiver Rx Program, developed and led by FCBC, addresses a long-standing gap in Canada’s healthcare system: the under-identification of family caregivers and the lack of formal pathways for caregiver support.
Through digital referral tools, healthcare provider training, and community partnerships, the program has resulted in a 150% year-over-year increase in caregiver referrals to support services. The program’s success highlights how small innovations, when co-created with caregivers and embedded into healthcare systems, can drive large-scale change.
Development of the Caregiver RX Program has been made possible through support from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, a program of the Azrieli Foundation, Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation, and the BC Ministry of Health.
Caregiver Awareness Month:
May is Caregiver Awareness Month to help amplify awareness about the experiences of caregivers in Canada.
The BC Seniors Advocate today issued a reminder about the importance of taking care of seniors and others.
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NEWS SECTIONS: HEALTH CARE | AGE & GENERATIONS