With gratitude and appreciation, our team acknowledges that we reside on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish Nations of Musqueam, Tsieli-Waututh, and Squamish. Our work spans across the province on various First Nations territories, each with its own distinct culture, language, and history. SafeCare BC acknowledges and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to work, learn, and live on these ancestral lands.

Throughout our work, we recognize the importance of embedding culturally appropriate principles into our education and training and workplace safety supports, especially while supporting members working in each of the First Nations territories across the province.

In 2023, significant strides were made towards creating safer, healthier workplaces for healthcare workers. Organizations led by resilient leaders and dedicated workers embraced a forward-thinking approach. Instead of focusing on the difficulties of the past, there was a collective commitment to harnessing the lessons learned and making improvements for the future.

The Leaders Forum, a groundbreaking event, brought together leaders from the healthcare sector to discuss and strategize best practices for creating safe and healthy workplaces. This event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, where leaders shared their experiences, insights, and innovative approaches to address workplace safety challenges.

As we reflect on the past year's journey, we are reminded of the challenges and triumphs that have shaped our organization and the continuing care sector. Despite the ongoing challenges, 2024 brought a sense of renewed hope.
We are pleased to share the progress and achievements shaping our journey.

I am delighted to welcome several new team members to SafeCare BC: Dan Keen, Carissa Zargar, Khalida Braid, Cora Schupp (returning), and Kajal Hajirakar. Each brings unique talents and perspectives that enrich our organization. I am confident their contributions will strengthen our efforts to promote workplace health and safety.

New courses developed.

Care to Speak interactions

In the dynamic landscape of senior care, Loren Tisdelle stands out as a driving force behind the transformation of Louis Brier Home and Hospital. As the Director of Human Resources, Loren's journey began six years ago when he was drawn to Louis Brier's vision of becoming a Centre of Excellence and an Employer of Choice.

Throughout his career, Loren has taken innovative approaches to creating a positive work culture and wished to apply the same greatness to Louis Brier. He believes that promoting an inclusive and happy work atmosphere begins with your everyday behaviour. Recognizing Louis Brier's vibrant and inclusive work environment, he embarked on a mission to leverage its work culture into a lifestyle brand - where going to work meant having fun, engaging within a community, and making meaningful connections. Loren coined "#LouisBrierLIFE," a concept that encapsulates work-life at Louis Brier – an engaging atmosphere, appreciative leadership and coworkers, a feeling of purpose, a sense of belonging, and celebration of LIFE. 

One initiative is the "Recognition Tree Awards," which show appreciation to up to 18 individuals who embody the Louis Brier values "CHAI" (Hebrew for 'Life'). This presentation is a staple of their monthly "#LouisBrierLIFE Days," where everyone wears blue, and the community comes together to celebrate. In addition, there are wellness weeks, fun activities such as Zumba and Israeli Folk Dancing, a one-of-a-kind food truck program, staff appreciation events, a Dragon Boat team, a running club, and so much more!

Loren's leadership philosophy is built on the idea that employee engagement and well-being are vital to organizational success. This has resulted in intentional initiatives that improve staff presence, wellness, and engagement. Using strategic management principles, Loren developed Louis Brier's employee value proposition and employer brand, showcasing the organization as a desirable workplace. These efforts have significantly impacted Louis Brier's work culture and employee satisfaction.

Loren was introduced to SafeCare BC at the annual Leaders Forum in 2023. For Loren, this conference was an eye-opener into what SafeCare BC could offer, specifically through SafeCare BC's Tailored Outreach Program, which propelled Louis Brier to begin becoming COR certified. SafeCare BC has also been an invaluable educational resource for OH&S training, with each interaction being attentive, professional, and encouraging.

With Louis Brier getting ready to roll out its next five-year strategic plan, Loren is prepared to take the company to even greater heights of innovation, quality, and safety. Resolving issues and observing successes, like lower workplace injury rates, is what motivates Loren to continue making health and safety a priority every day. By using a collaborative approach and having a firm dedication to Louis Brier's vision, Loren hopes to continue shaping the future of senior care one innovative project at a time.

Celebrate. Educate. Inspire. These are the foundational principles that guide our approach to Hearts and Hands. We want to celebrate healthcare assistants' essential role in the health system, provide them with ideas and tools to be safe and healthy at work, and inspire them. Based on participant feedback, we delivered on these goals. We had a positive impact not only on those who attended but also on the organizations they work for.

SafeCare BC hosted the second annual Support Services Appreciation Day on September 21, 2023. During September, our Support Services Pages received over 600 views. The landing page for the event received 312 views, and the submission form received 308 views. We received 15 submissions, an increase from last year's 12 submissions. These submissions came from 11 organizations, with Louis Brier submitting four unique entries.

We also received three videos, collectively receiving over 1,000 views as of October. Our Support Services Appreciation Day E-news had 958 opens with a click rate of 32%. The video link in the e-newsletter was clicked 37% of the time, the highest clicked link of 2023.

SafeCare BC facilitators are located across British Columbia, including the Island, Interior and Mainland, and they help us deliver our courses to a broader audience across the continuing care sector. 

The program has three types of facilitators: peer, contracted, and seconded facilitators. Peer facilitators work in healthcare organizations and have been trained by SafeCare BC to educate their colleagues.

The Peer Facilitator Program significantly advances health and safety training within the continuing care sector. Its primary goal is to cultivate a pool of in-house educators, known as Peer Facilitators, who are tasked with training and supporting their colleagues, thereby amplifying the reach and impact of vital safety protocols directly at the workplace.

In 2023, the program concentrated on two critical areas: the Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) and Safe Handling techniques.

Care for Caregivers offers access to practical mental health webinars and resources. In 2023 we hosted 26 webinars on a variety of mental health topics - from self-compassion, to healthy sleep, and substance use in the workplace.

With a renewed focus on marketing, registrations in 2023 rose to 3414, with attendance at 1400+ and more than 6000 total views of webinars (including live broadcasts and on-demand views).

In 2023, we also introduce Care2Listen - a podcast featuring stories of lived experience aimed to reduce mental health stigma in the healthcare sector.

Safety Den was held for the first time in Victoria and was a huge success. The event was part of the annual conference of BC Care Providers, attracting 21 submissions – five more than the previous year. 

Submissions were in two categories: healthcare (12) and commercial (9). Surprisingly, the commercial category saw more than twice as many submissions as the previous year.

In 2023 we introduced 12 Months of Safety - a year-long campaign focused on providing resources, tools, and support on diverse occupational health and safety topics relevant to the long term care sector.

Each month featured a different topic - including violence prevention, ergonomics, extreme weather, infection prevention and control, road safety, and more.  

12 Months of Safety was featured on our website, in a new safety topic section, on our social media channels, and in the Health and Safety Matters eNews. 

Nearly ten years ago, Comfort Keepers began with a family that wanted to make a difference. This is where Ethan Martin's career flourished, as his family history gave him a strong desire to enhance the quality of life for seniors in the Lower Mainland and Greater Victoria region. Ethan joined the company during the pandemic inspired by his mother's vision, seeking a meaningful purpose aligned with his values.

A primary motivation for Ethan was his desire to age gracefully, experience life to the fullest, and further empower others to do the same. As an owner, Ethan wears many hats, including directing client services and scheduling teams while working closely with his brother and mother to guarantee smooth operations. Their combined efforts epitomize a family-run business where respect, honesty, integrity, and compassion are the guiding values.

Coming from a Kinesiology background, Ethan has always loved helping people and ensuring they are provided care correctly. His experiences with caregiver burnout have led him to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to health and safety, constantly promoting safe and secure workplaces. Ethan consistently cultivates a welcoming work environment by incorporating Comfort Keepers' essential principles into all he does. He knows his colleagues do the same and genuinely values those who help make Comfort Keppers a 'home.' Whether acknowledging employees' accomplishments or working with patients to ensure safe and successful treatment, through strategic initiatives and constant feedback loops, Comfort Keepers treats its staff as family, ensuring their well-being remains a priority.

Ethan always works in the background to improve recruitment, retention, and prevention of burnout. Since the industry is moving towards having less and less supply of care staff to support a larger aging population, he sees this as the most significant project they can work on. Despite continual transformations and cultural shifts, Ethan's unwavering dedication to the company's vision has produced outstanding achievements.

"SafeCare BC is at the front of it all," Ethan says, "They are the first response for health and safety concerns in our sector". For Ethan, SafeCare BC highlighted a big need for safety-focused programs in the field, which is why he originally wanted to join the committee. Ethan's involvement with SafeCare BC further exemplifies his dedication to industry-wide improvement, actively participating in technical committees and initiatives to enhance safety and retention.

In the future, Ethan hopes to deepen Comfort Keepers' fundamental principles among its employees, encouraging chances for personal and professional development while putting safety and well-being first. In addition to his desire to advance as a leader, he also wants to ensure Comfort Keepers lowers the risk of workplace injuries, increases employee longevity, and provides the greatest possible care for the people it serves. Ethan emphasizes his gratitude for the Comfort Keepers' staff, recognizing that they are the reason the business functions efficiently and notes that their positive attitudes motivate him daily.

2023 Member Survey

Our 2023 member survey had more than 1,000 responses, with 80 percent of respondents being frontline workers and half of those being healthcare assistants. The survey is essential for identifying health and safety issues important to our members.

SafeCare BC is grateful to have several dedicated volunteers who generously donate their time and expertise to support our members and help us maintain our position as a leading authority on health and safety in the continuing care industry. We extend our appreciation for their valuable contributions.

The volunteer Board of SafeCare BC comprises leaders from the industry and unions who represent our members in long-term care, home, community care, and support sectors, in addition to representation from WorkSafeBC. The Board members represent specific regions of the province, as outlined in the SafeCare BC Health and Safety Association Bylaws.

As we look ahead to the next ten years, we are committed to becoming the leading resource in healthcare workplace safety. We are determined to achieve this by providing engaging, evidence-based education, raising awareness through targeted campaigns, building solid partnerships, and facilitating collaboration. Our overarching goal is to mitigate injury rates by implementing data-driven strategies, commemorating our 10-year impact with events, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring the sustainability and adaptability of our initiatives.

We are keenly aware of emerging challenges in healthcare workplace safety. We are committed to ongoing improvement and adaptation to address them. Our approach is dynamic, and we are continually evolving, striving to stay ahead of changing trends and emerging risks.

To this end, we invite our members, partners, and allies to continue being part of our shared purpose for safer workplaces. Together, we can achieve our vision of a safer and healthier healthcare workforce.

SafeCare BC strives to empower those connected to the continuing care sector to create a safety culture through evidence-based education, advocacy for safer workplaces, leadership, and collaboration.