Volume 9 | JUNE 2020
Mark Your Calendar - Latest news and upcoming virtual learning opportunities 
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) supports Ontario’s 3.3 million caregivers who provide physical and/or emotional support to a family member, partner, friend or neighbour.

Now, as we all face the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, we’re here to help caregivers access information and support during this time of physical distancing. Each month, The Ontario Caregiver Organization will deliver new learning opportunities for family caregivers right to your inbox. 
Webinar: Let’s have candid mental health conversations during COVID-19
Date: June 12, 2020.
Time: 10:00am -11:00am
Location: Zoom (Hyperlink to be provided during registration)

COVID-19 is bringing unprecedented new stressors and challenges in our life and community that have an impact on our mental health. We are increasingly realizing the importance of resiliency but how can we attain it? We now collectively understand the impact of loneliness. Young adults are struggling with social distancing. The mental and cognitive health of older adults is particularly at risk. The sandwich generation is feeling more pressures than ever. What will happen next? How will we address a crisis that will inevitably leave lasting problems?

Join Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Living Life To The Full team and Dr. Nasreen Khatri, principal investigator on the Living Life To The Full Caregivers 55+ study, and clinician scientist with Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, for a series of conversations that will shed light on various solutions.
Sign up for free, one-on-one counselling
A completely flexible program designed to meet your unique needs and schedule as a caregiver, the SCALE Program ( S upporting  C aregiver  A wareness,  L earning and  E mpowerment) aims to empower you, with practical information and skills to enhance self-awareness with a focus on your own needs and wellbeing.

Regardless of whether you can register for all six SCALE seminars, 1:1 counselling is available. Connect with Michal Goldstein  (RSW), a Registered Social Worker working at Dynamic Health Clinic in Toronto where she sees adults for individual, couples and group counselling or Leah Weisberg (RN, BC-NC), a Nurse Psychotherapist & Coach and Director of Interprofessional Practice at Dynamic Health Clinic in Toronto during your session.

Session dates (Sessions are 45 minutes in length):
  • Thursday June 11, 2020 – 2 p.m-6 p.m
  • Thursday June 18, 2020 – 8 a.m-12 p.m
  • Thursday June 25, 2020 – 2 p.m-6 p.m
Caring for A Frail Senior During COVID-19: Exploring Frailty, Fall Prevention and Nutrition  
Date: June 18, 2020.
Time: 12pm
Location: Zoom (Hyperlink to be provided during registration)

In collaboration with Regional Geriatric Program of Toronto (RGP-T), the Ontario Caregiver Organization presents this free webinar designed for family caregivers to learn about frailty. Older adults living with frailty rely considerably on their family caregivers.
We reached out to these caregivers and listened to their current challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on what we learned, the following topics will be explored during our webinar in more detail:

• What is frailty?: Explore frailty and learn about ways to identify frailty in an older adult
• Fall prevention: Discover useful strategies to prevent falls at home and in the community
• The role of nutrition: Learn several nutrition management strategies
New online #CaregivingCommunities portal connects those who need help to those who can provide it 
Across Ontario, people are rallying to support those who need help in their communities amid COVID-19, especially those who are most vulnerable.

Until now, there have been challenges connecting those who need help and with organizations available to provide it. To address this need the OCO created  Caregiving Communities ,  an easy-to-use, free portal which connects people and organizations to ensure those who need help can find it. 

Whether it’s a faith-based organization offering to pick up medication or a service club making friendly phone calls to seniors living alone, help may be available in your community! And for charities, non-profits and other organizations willing to help, the portal makes it easy to offer your help to those who need it most.

Search for or offer help with: grocery pick-up and delivery; delivery of prepared meals; medication pick-up and delivery; social support (e.g. friendly phone calls); accessing communication devices (e.g. a tablet); mental health support; and providing things to do like books, games and crosswords.

It’s easy to use! Simply visit  www.ontariocaregiver.ca/caregivingcommunities ; select Find Support and follow the steps.
Are you from a local charity, non-profit, service club and faith-based organization ready to help? Sign up on the portal by selecting Offer Support.
Your turn
Our newsletter shares information about caregiving in Ontario, available supports and services and what we’re working on to enhance the caregiving experience. If you would like to contribute content to our newsletter or if you have story ideas, please contact us at  [email protected]
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