Reference no: EM133397870

Questions: Describe the four volunteer organizations that helped create early health care. Explain the value of each one and how it affected health care.

The 4 Role of Volunteer Organizations in Early Health Care
In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries Canadians' health care needs were attended to largely by volunteer organizations, which were also relied upon heavily to raise funds for health care because there was little or no funding provided by the government or any other agency. Some of these groups are discussed below. Many will be familiar because they still function today.

1. The Order of St. John
The Order of St. John (later known as St. John's International and sometimes St. John Ambulance) provides community-based first aid, health care, and support services around the world. The organization was introduced to Canada in 1883 by individuals from England with knowledge of first aid, disaster relief, and home nursing. The organization and its volunteer responsibilities expanded over the years, providing invaluable assistance and health care to Canadians. Today the organization provides a wide range of health care services at public events and participates in community health initiatives across Canada. They also offer a number of courses (including online) ranging from emergency and standard first aid (including pets) to family, children, and youth courses (St. John Ambulance, 2018).

2. The Canadian Red Cross Society
The Canadian Red Cross Society was founded in 1896. In the early 1900s, the Red Cross established a form of home care designed to keep families together during times of illness. The Red Cross gradually became involved in other public health initiatives, establishing outpost hospitals, nursing stations, nutrition services, and university courses in public health nursing (Canadian Red Cross, 2008).

Until 1998 the Canadian Red Cross Society also supervised the collection of blood from volunteer donors across Canada. The society was stripped of this responsibility following the contaminated blood crisis. Two thousand people who had received blood and blood products contracted HIV; another 30 000 people were infected with hepatitis C.

After the 1997 report prepared by Mr. Justice Krever, Final Report: Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada, a new national blood authority, Canadian Blood Services, was created and assumed. On September 26, 1998, Canadian Blood Services assumed full responsibility for the Canadian blood system outside of Quebec (in Quebec, Héma-Québec), and it continues in that role today (Canadian Blood Services, 2014; Picard, 2014; Wilson, 2007). The organization also offers educational courses including those in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and water safety, and provides Canadians with a variety of community support services.

Did You Know?

Today the Canadian Red Cross remains part of a worldwide humanitarian network providing emergency aid and disaster relief in Canada and abroad. For example, in 2017 the society responded to catastrophic flooding in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick as well as to communities devastated by forest fires (e.g., Fort McMurray, Alberta in 2016, and BC in 2017). Support is based on need. Services range from providing shelter, distributing clothing and food, to overseeing financial aid. The Red Cross has online options through which the public can make donations of all kinds.

3. Victorian Order of Nurses
The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) was founded in 1897 and was one of the first groups to identify the health care needs of the population, particularly of women and children in remote areas of the country, and to provide services to these groups. For many years VON was the largest national provider of home care in addition to providing a wide range of health and wellness services. In November 2015, ongoing financial difficulties forced the organization to terminate services in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Restructuring has allowed operations to continue in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Thinking it Through

Volunteers have played a major role in the development of health care in Canada over the years. Today, in the face of widespread shortages in health care services, both in hospitals and in the community, the health care system increasingly depends on volunteers.

1. What roles do volunteers continue to play in health care? Identify four areas that would benefit from the contributions of volunteers.
2. How do you think social and demographic trends will affect the roles of volunteers and volunteer organizations?

4. Children's Aid Society
The Children's Aid Society of Toronto was created in 1891 by John Joseph Kelso. He initiated the Act for the Prevention of Cruelty to children and animals along with the Better Protection of Children in 1893, which provided the first social safety net for the many abandoned and homeless children in the city. The Children's Aid Society (CAS) was established with the mandate to legally provide protection for these impoverished children. The CAS was granted legal right to care for abandoned and neglected children, to supervise their care, and transfer guardianship from the parents' care to the CAS when necessary (Until the Last Child, 2014). However, the initial focus was providing food and shelter to disadvantaged children. Children at risk for harm or abuse and needing protection were removed from the family environment and placed in foster homes or orphanages with little thought given to maintaining the family unit.

Originally the Children's Aid Society acted as board members and assumed duties that paid professionals perform today. Today the provision of a secure and caring environment for the child is still paramount, but keeping families together is also a priority. The CAS oversees many of the adoptions in Canada.