A free personal support worker (PSW) program is being offered to help more patients receive the care they need in the comfort of their own home.
The Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) said the certificate training is aimed at addressing the need for more PSWs in the area.
"Through a creative and collaborative effort, three organizations are coming together to offer free personal support worker certificate training for qualified students to meet the growing demand for Personal Support Workers (PSWs) in the field," said the LHIN in a news release on Wednesday.
PSWs help patients remain at home, assist in delivering home and community care, and provide services in long-term care and retirement homes. The LHIN said there is a growing demand for PSW care across the Chatham, Windsor, and Sarnia regions.
"This free program is a way for students to access a PSW certificate program at no cost to them," added the LHIN.
SE Career College of Health and PSW programs are registered and approved by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
The students will also be paid to attend the course for the first four weeks. Those students who may not want to take the full PSW course can graduate as a Home Support Worker (HSW) in four weeks.
The first free program will be held in Leamington, but it will also be held at different locations in the future and includes four weeks of free Home Support Worker (HSW) training, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and five months of free PSW training, Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Shannon Sasseville, Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Community Engagement at the Erie St. Clair LHIN said if applicants do not get registered in Monday's class in Leamington, they can call the agencies below and ask to be put on a waiting list for the next session.
People interested in the PSW or HSW program can contact any of the three employers below to access the free program.
• Brooke Spoors at Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario at 519-969-8188 ext. 247.
• Heather Rezaian at Bayshore Home Care Solutions at 1-888-227-5013 ext. 33309.
• Pilar Santiago at SE Health at 519-930-5922.