Improving Caregiver Supports through System Integration
Date
2018-09-14
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Integration is a near-universal problem in all modern systems. From computer science to business, engineering, and healthcare, systems today are more complex than they ever have been, and fragmentation is more of a concern than ever. In human services, fragmentation is also a concern, and some sectors have taken steps to address their fragmentation issues through integration initiatives. Researchers, in recognizing problems on the world stage have not been left out of the discussion, and numerous integration frameworks exist in the academic literature. In Alberta, caregivers, their care recipients, and service providers alike have expressed frustrations at the fragmentation of the ‘system’ intended to support informal caregivers. While a range of supports exists, connecting caregivers with the right supports, in the right place, at the right time has proved difficult. This paper uses Alberta’s caregiver supports system as a case study on how to make integration real, creating a support system out of siloed, fragmented services. A one-day event facilitated by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy brought together service providers and leaders in the caregiver support community, guiding them through a prioritization exercise on the path to achieving integration. The paper analyses and presents five participant-generated work packages through which the sector could move towards greater integration. The paper concludes by drawing general findings on the process of understanding and implementing integration with recommendations for not just caregiver supports, but other sectors as well.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Walsh, C. (2018). Improving Caregiver Supports through System Integration (Unpublished master's project). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.