Participation Agreement

Family and Friend Caregivers Participation Agreement

Purpose of the Program

The Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program is funded by the Heathly Aging United Way, with backbone support from the Family Caregivers of BC and offered through West Kootenay Boundary Caregiver Support. It was developed to support the wellbeing of caregivers careing for older adults with higher needs.

How It works

Family & Friend Caregiver Support Programs focus on supporting family and friends who provide unpaid care for older adults with higher needs such as chronic disease, frailty, or life-limiting conditions. Programs provide emotional support, social opportunities, and educational services to enhance caregiver well-being by increasing caregivers’ skills, knowledge, and confidence. Through supporting caregivers they are able to build strong networks as valued partners in care.

Learning and Quality Assurance Plan

We are always interested in improving our programs and services at West Kootenay Boundary Caregiver Support. Throughout the Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program, we will be working with Healthy Aging United Way and Family Caregivers of BC to learn what is working, how it is working, and what needs to be changed.
This enables us to ensure that the program continues to improve to serve our participants in the best way possible. In order to do this, we will collect information on how participants have benefited from the program and make the necessary changes to make improvements.

What You Will Be Asked to Do

The Program Manager or Community Facilitator will ask you questions as part of the intake interview about your health, challenges, involvement in the community, use of healthcare services, and quality of life.
Similar questions will be asked about the person you are giving unpaid care to, so we understand your caregiving experience. The Program Manager or Community Facilitator will follow up with you at various times after your intake interview to see if any changes may have occurred.

Risks and Discomforts

You may be asked questions that you view as very personal and outside of your comfort zone. If you are uncomfortable answering certain questions, please let us know. You do not have to answer questions you are uncomfortable with.

Confidentiality

All information collected from you will only be shared with West Kootenay Boundary Caregiver Support staff/volunteers and Healthy Aging United Way for research purposes. Information collected will remain confidential; your information will be recorded electronically on a secured server or stored in a locked cabinet in an office that is locked when not used by staff. Your information will be kept anonymous if used for reports; your name will not be attached to any of the information you provide.

Participant Rights

As a participant of the Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program with West Kootenay Boundary Caregiver Support, you have the RIGHT to:

1. Be treated with respect, courtesy, honesty, and consideration.
2. Prompt information about the services you are seeking/receiving.
3. Keep your private information confidential.
4. Request a change in volunteers if a reasonable cause can be given.
5. Be informed of any changes to your services as soon as possible.
6. Choose to refuse or terminate services.

Participant Responsibilities

As a participant of the Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program with West Kootenay Boundary Caregiver Support, it is your RESPONSIBILITY to:

1. Treat staff and volunteers with dignity and respect. Failure to do so will result in the termination of services.
2. Provide necessary information promptly, accurately, and in good faith.
3. Ask questions to clarify anything you do not understand.
4. Be respectful of and adhere to the meeting time set up with staff or volunteers, except in the case of a medical emergency or severe weather conditions. 
5. Inform the organization when an appointment needs to be cancelled as far in advance as possible. 
6. If weather conditions such as snow or icy roads occur and you prefer to reschedule your appointment, it is your responsibility to contact the organization to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

By participating in the Family & Friend Caregiver Support Program, I acknowledge that

I have been given information about this program and had the opportunity to ask questions with satisfactory answers. By completing the intake interview and subsequent follow-up interviews, I understand that I am giving my informed consent to participate in the quality and learning (evaluation) of this program as per the terms of this document.