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Please note:

This program is tuition free. Attend an information session to learn more, meet with employers, and receive a conditional job offer as a Supportive Care Worker prior to starting training.

Weekly Zoom sessions (excluding holidays):

  • Tuesdays, 10 - 11 a.m. ET
  • Thursdays, 12 - 1 p.m. ET

To attend: Please complete the registration form in advance of attending the Zoom information session.

Students must be hired by a Conestoga Employer Partner and be employed for the duration of the program to be eligible for program completion. To be connected with an employer partner in your area, please email supportivecare@conestogac.on.ca.

To effectively participate in this program, students must have reliable Internet access and a device that meets these requirements.

About the program

The Supportive Care program positions learners genuinely interested in helping others gain a rewarding career by aiding individuals who require support to live independently. Learners will develop a clear understanding of their role as a healthcare team member and how they can add real value to the healthcare system and positively influence the lives of others. They will learn how to communicate effectively with clients and engage in activities such as companionship, light housekeeping, and personal care by supporting the needs and preferences of the people they care for and their families. Theoretical foundations and practical applications of supportive care are integrated throughout the program, positioning graduates to work with stable persons requiring some predictable levels of assistance should they reside in their own home, assisted living, or retirement living settings.

Program information

All courses must be completed within 2 years of acceptance into the program.

Admission requirements

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or 19 years of age or older with mature student status (See Mature Student definition for details.)

Note re: admission requirements

  • Mature students must demonstrate their potential to work at the post-secondary level in one of two ways:
    • Successfully completing an English assessment;
    or
    • by completing Conestoga College Preparatory Communications (COMM1545)

Admission procedures

Graduate opportunities

Graduates of the Supportive Care Program are able to work in the Home Care Industry or Retirement Homes. They also have the potential to bridge onto the PSW program at Conestoga College

For more details on related occupations, job market information and career opportunities, see the Government of Canada website: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home

Program outcomes

  • Work within the supportive care provider role in community, retirement home, and long-term care home settings in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer's job description, policies, procedures and guidelines.
  • Act responsibly and be accountable for own actions while recognizing the boundaries of knowledge and skills within the supportive care provider role that require collaboration with the clients, families, supervisors and/or other members of the interprofessional care/service team
  • Participate as a member of the interprofessional care/service team and maintain collaborative working relationships in the provision of supportive care in community, retirement home, and long-term care home settings.
  • Provide client-centred and client-directed care that is based on ethical principles, sensitive to diverse client and family values, beliefs and needs, and which follows the direction of the plan of care/service plan
  • Establish and maintain helping relationships with clients and their families reflecting open communication, professional boundaries, employer's policies and adhering to confidentiality and privacy legislation
  • Identify relevant client information using basic assessment and communication skills and report and document findings in accordance with the requirements of employer policies and procedures and all applicable legislation
  • Promote and maintain a safe and comfortable environment for clients, their families, self and others including the implementation of infection prevention and control measures and emergency first aid procedures that are in keeping with the plan of care/service plan, employer policies and procedures, and all applicable legislation
  • Assist clients across the lifespan with routine activities of daily living by applying basic knowledge of growth and development, common alterations in functioning, disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance, rehabilitation and restorative care
  • Assist with household management tasks and instrumental activities of daily living in accordance with the plan of care/service plan and considering the preferences, comfort and safety of clients, families and significant others
  • Assist clients who are caring for dependent individuals considering client and family choices, professional boundaries and the direction of the plan of care/service plan
  • Identify and report situations of neglect, and potential, alleged or witnessed/actual incidents of abuse, and respond in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer's policies and procedures
  • Assist in the provision of culturally relevant palliative care to clients experiencing life threatening illness and to their families and significant others, from diagnosis through death and bereavement, and in accordance with clients' choices and the plan of care/service plan
  • Use identified approaches and best practices to support positive and safe behaviour in clients experiencing cognitive impairment, mental health challenges and/or responsive behaviours
  • Make use of self-care strategies to manage personal and professional stressors in accordance with client and employer expectations

Program related resources

Note:

In addition to our regular 18-week program with multiple employers, we have a 14-week Supportive Care program available in the London, Kitchener, and Waterloo area with a homecare employer partner. For more information, email supportivecare@conestogac.on.ca.

Program contact

Continuing Education
Upcoming registrations

Mark your calendar with our registration dates, so you can plan your future.

Winter registration: Opens November 27, 2023
Spring registration: Opens February 26, 2024