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Eastern College Welcomes New HSW Program

April 13th, 2021 / By Eastern College

Home Support Worker Program Launches April 13th, 2021

The demand for Home Support Workers has increased dramatically across Canada, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eastern College’s newly developed Home Support Worker (HSW) program will prepare students to deliver appropriate short or long-term care assistance and support services to individuals in the comfort of their homes. This new program will launch on April 13th and is currently available at our Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John, New Brunswick campuses.

Divya Kuruvila, Registered Nurse, and current PSW educator had this to say about the current healthcare climate in Canada. “Thousands of clients are on the waitlist for long-term care facility placement which means these clients are not receiving the care they desperately need hence the HSWs are stepping in”

The HSW program is delivered in partnership with the National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) and aims to educate and train graduates with the necessary tools and skills to deliver appropriate, timely, and respectful client-focused care. Students enrolled in the HSW program can expect to find themselves working with persons recovering from illness, surgery, or injuries, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those with dementia or other cognitive impairments or mental health issues. Students will receive training in CPR/First Aid in addition to workshops that teach them how to provide a personable, persuasive approach and the soft skills necessary for the field.

“As our population ages and requires more healthcare, society is encouraging more solutions that enable our seniors to stay in their homes longer. Home Support Workers provide the patient-centred quality care so seniors can safely stay in their own homes” says Stuart Bentley, President of Eastern College.

The program is 18 weeks long allowing students to train to become a Home Support Worker in a little over 4 months. Successful graduates can expect careers in the healthcare sector, particularly in community and private home care. Graduates of the HSW program can apply their education for full advanced standing into our Personal Support Worker (PSW) Diploma program.  HSWs can therefore work in roles as Resident Care Attendant, Personal Care Assistant or Attendant, Home Care Worker, Personal Support or Care Aide.

About Eastern College

Eastern College has provided training in a modular approach to best prepare students for the job market. Since its establishment in 1983, Eastern has helped fast-track over 30,000 students to job readiness through its programs and courses. Eastern has campuses in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, and Halifax. Eastern offers programs in Business, Technology, Healthcare, Law and Art & Design. More information about Eastern may be found at www.easterncollege.ca.