Care of Vulnerable Populations

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Advance your career in health care or social services with a two-semester post-graduate certificate. Gain the skills to support aged and terminally ill clients and their families, ensuring they live as independently as possible with compassionate, quality care.

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Credential

Ontario College Graduate Certificate

Duration

One year or less

Start Date(s)

January (Winter)

Locations

Belleville

Open to

International Students

Domestic Students

Find your career

This program is designed to enhance the knowledge of health care or social service professionals who support vulnerable populations, such as the aged and terminally ill, and their families. The Government of Canada’s job bank estimates the number of Personal Care positions nationwide is expected to open approx. 44,400 jobs by 2026. According to personalsupportwokerhq.com the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will be adding four million hours of community based care over the next four years. This translates into 2,080 new full-time jobs in Ontario over the next few years.

Graduates of this program find rewarding careers in a variety of gerontology and palliative care specialty areas, including the following:

Hospitals
Clinics
Long-term care facilities
Retirement homes
Community-home agencies
Gerontology education

Is it for you?

People who thrive in this career are caring professionals who:

Enjoy interacting with people, talking and listening
Are comfortable working as part of a team
Come from a variety of backgrounds
Enjoy helping others

How you'll learn

Through hands-on learning and an interprofessional health care team approach, gain the skills required to provide supportive care to clients who are experiencing physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges:

Explore strategies for developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships with aged and palliative patients, thereby fostering their dignity, self-worth and independence.
Learn how to effectively communicate with aging and palliative patients as well as with health care team members.
Study how individuals cope with pain as well as appropriate measures for providing comfort and pain management to the terminally ill and their families within your scope of practice.
Become familiar with ethical, legal and spiritual considerations with regard to the care of vulnerable populations, and develop an understanding of individual and multicultural approaches to aging, death, dying and grieving.
Apply theory and concepts as related to caring for vulnerable populations and palliative patients through a combination of a clinical practicum and immersive simulation.

Courses

CVPP1003 Aged Care Issues

This course will focus on maintaining a safe environment for the older adult through assessment and intervention, providing the student with knowledge and skills to keep the older adult from unnecessary harm.

CVPP1001 Care for Older Persons and Their Caregivers

This course examines the changing roles and responsibilities of the older adult and their caregivers, providing the student with an opportunity to understand and navigate patient and family dynamics.

WKPL1030 Care of the Older Adult Practicum

This course is designed to provide a combination of clinical practicum and immersive simulation targeted at application of theory and concepts learned throughout the certificate program with care of the aged.

CVPP1000 Introduction to Care of Older Adults

This course explores the core concepts of gerontology, providing the student foundational knowledge required to support and care for the older adult.

CVPP1002 Introduction to Pain & Comfort

This course investigates the normal non-disease related physiological changes of aging and their impact of the older adult, providing the student with an opportunity to understand how to address the physiological needs of older adults.

CVPP1004 Physiological Changes & Effects in the Care of the Aged

This course investigates chronic disease related physiological changes common to the older adult, providing the student with the knowledge necessary to anticipate and address the changing physiological needs brought on by chronic disease in the older adult.

CVPP1006 Care Management in the Palliative Environment

This course will provide the student with an overview of pain in palliative care environments specifically, exploring how individuals cope with pain and the different pain and symptom management methods and comfort measures; stages and signs of death; safety risks associated with dying across the lifespan.

WKPL1031 Care of the Palliative Care Patient & Their Families Practicum

This course is designed to provide a combination of clinical practicum and immersive simulations targeted at the application of theory and concepts learned throughout the certificate program with individuals across the lifespan in palliative care.

CVPP1007 Ethical, Legal & Spiritual Considerations in Palliative Care

The ethics component of this course will examine the theories and principles involved in ethical discernment. Issues surrounding euthanasia, withholding/withdrawing nutrition/hydration, diagnostic procedures and advanced directives. An overview of basic theological beliefs with cultural implications and the role of pastoral care in the delivery of palliative care.

CVPP1005 Introduction to Palliative Care

This course provides an overview of palliative care with respect to philosophy, hospice, current approaches and trends, the multidiscipline team approach, and stress. Characteristics and concepts of death and grieving will be studied, as well as personal beliefs, attitudes and reactions related to life, illness, death and loss, and how these influence the care of the terminally ill and their families.

CVPP1008 Psychosocial Implications of the Palliative Care Journey

This course provides an understanding of psychological and social implications in oncology and palliative care patients and their families throughout the trajectory of the cancer experience. Topics to be explored include historical views on cancer, coping, factors affecting coping and helping relationships, sexuality and oncology, crisis management, psychological issues in cancer/palliative care and caregiver burnout.

*Courses subject to change.

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Admission requirements

Required academic preparation

Completion of a post-secondary certificate, diploma, advanced diploma or degree in any of the following disciplines:
- Nursing
- Social service worker or social worker
- Personal support worker with commensurate experience
Or, an internationally educated health care provider

Additional requirements

Standard First Aid, Level “C” CPR certification
Clear, current Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check
Written documentation of immunization against certain communicable diseases is required prior to clinical placement

Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR)

Do you have work experience or other types of non-credentialed learning? Through Loyalist’s PLAR program, applicants and current students may be eligible to receive academic credit for relevant educational, work and life experiences.

International students

Learn more about admission requirements for international applicants and how to apply.

Costs

Approximate costs (2024 – 25)

Domestic Tuition: $2,722.08
Full-Time Ancillary Fees:* $1,367
Total: $4,089.08

Additional costs, such as supplies, travel and parking, may be incurred during workplace visits, etc.

*Fees related to programs that are less than or greater than two semesters will be adjusted accordingly. Fees are subject to change. Please visit the Tuition and Fees page for a list of the many services, activities and items included within the ancillary fees, and the related policies.

Paying for college

At Loyalist College, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to your success. We’re here to help you navigate the costs of college and connect you with a variety of financial aid programs, resources and donor-supported awards. Explore paying for college.

Approximate costs (2024 – 25)

International Tuition: $15,000
Full-Time Ancillary Fees:* $1,367
Mandatory Health Insurance: $659
Total: $17,026

Additional costs, such as supplies, travel and parking, may be incurred during workplace visits, etc.

Paying for college

A young person holds the hand of an elderly person with grey hair who is walking in a house. Blue graphic circles are in the lower lefthand corner of the image.

Further study

What’s next?

The Care of Vulnerable Populations post-graduate program provides RNs and RPNs with the requisite theory to pursue the Canadian Nurses Association (CAN) certification in either gerontology or palliative care nursing.

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