Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness in Home and Community Care Environment

COVID-19 has accelerated the need and demand for care services outside of hospitals and long-term care homes i.e., in homes and community care settings. National and international evidence points to the effectiveness of home and community care programs, their effectiveness on patient outcomes, and in reducing the strain on the Canadian health care and public health systems. There are a variety of care service providers (e.g., Personal Support Workers, Nurses, and Therapists) who have different educational and professional qualifications, scope of practice, job descriptions, skills, and training but they also serve a diverse clientele with varied health care needs in home and community care environments. Working in the home and community environment often requires care providers to work alone and work in a constantly changing work environment such as the private homes of the clients. When caring for the client under such conditions, the care providers themselves may fall at risk of physical injuries, infections, abuse, harassment, and psychological distress. The purpose of this standard is to help ensure that the Canadian home and community care workforce is safe, healthy, well-trained, and supported to be able to efficiently serve their clients in the home and community care environment.