U2Can Care provides the opportunity for the family caregiver or friend to learn
hands-on skills but also incorporates supporting clients in understanding the scope of
their needs and management of their resources, including situations where help from a
trained professional should be sought. The teaching modules were created to
standardize how nurses execute the teaching of daily care and include resources and
guides to be left with the family. Following the training, the family caregiver or friend
can access a nurse 24/7 by phone to answer care-related questions or liaise with their
physicians and interdisciplinary team. The support includes follow-up assessments,
bi-weekly follow-ups, and teaching sessions with a nurse to ensure that care delivery is
customized and adjusted to the patient’s changing needs.
The goal is to ensure that individuals caring for their family members do so in a way that promotes positive patient health outcomes, high-quality support and overall improved patient satisfaction. The service aligns with the Ontario Health strategic priority of transforming care with the person at the center. This includes, as Ontario Health’s strategic plan for 2022-23 puts it: “supporting people in Ontario to take an active role in their care, including preventative care; Collaborating with patients in order to continuously improve planning and delivery of quality care; (and) Asking how care can be better delivered using both existing and new approaches and tools.”
