Volume 19 | MAY 2021
May is Caregiver Month!
May is Caregiver Month and while we firmly believe that caregivers deserve to be celebrated year-round, this month we’re combining our efforts with caregiver organizations across Canada to share information, resources and raise awareness about common issues faced by caregivers from coast to coast to coast.


Throughout the month of May, our social media touches on four themes:
  • Mental health & caregiving
  • Financial impact of caregiving
  • Work, school & caregiving
  • Caregivers as essential partners in care


Follow us and our partners on social media to see what’s available for caregivers Canada-wide, and help us raise awareness about the impacts of caregiving, and share resources that help.
New to Caregiving? Take the Course: Caregiver 101
According to OCO’s Spotlight Report, the majority of caregivers say their caregiver role is rewarding. However, many caregivers also face challenges, such as conflicts within their caregiving relationship, caregiver stress and burnout, and they often don’t know where to turn for support.

This 45 minute free course offers an introduction to caregiving for those who are new to the role, but can also provide information and supports to experienced caregivers.

Listen to caregiver stories, find out more about what to expect, explore how to develop resilience and learn where to find support.
Supporting Caregivers in the Workplace
Working caregivers are struggling to balance work and caregiving demands. They play an invaluable role in the lives of those they care for, while taking on many different tasks in addition to work responsibilities.

  • Caregivers make up 35% of the Canadian workforce. Across Ontario alone, there are 3.3 million caregivers.
  • As the burden of care increases through the pandemic, employees are taking on caregiving roles more than ever before.
  • 50% of caregiving employees are in their prime career ages of 45-64 years. Replacing experienced employees and failing to retain these employees will result in the loss of valuable skills.

That’s why the Ontario Caregiver Organization has created a guide to support caregivers who balance their caregiving responsibilities with employment. This toolkit was designed to help caregivers manage these competing needs while taking care of their own health and wellbeing. It provides practical tools, tips and resources to help caregivers communicate with their employer, their care team and create space for their own health. Using this toolkit can help caregivers better balance the demands of being a working caregiver and explore ways to take care of their own wellbeing and mental health.
 
The Ontario Caregiver Organization has also created a new guide to assist employers in better supporting caregivers in the workplace.

The benefits of supporting caregivers include:
  • Reduced stress or sick leave
  • Improved job satisfaction and morale
  • Employee loyalty
  • Cost savings
Caregiving experience builds flexibility and strong problem-solving skills.
  • Caregiving responsibilities require strong problem-solving skills, flexibility and dependability.
  • Supporting caregivers in the workplace means nurturing the skills they bring, while building a resilient and sustainable workforce.

For more information on caregivers in the workplace, and how to support those who are working while caring for a family member, partner, neighbour or friend, visit our site and download the guide today.
The SCALE Program continues
Designed with a busy schedule in mind, the SCALE Program (Supporting Caregiver Awareness, Learning and Empowerment) is a flexible program that can be tailored to each caregiver’s schedule. The program consists of eight weekly webinars that are recorded and can be watched individually or as a series. It also includes optional online group coaching, or 1:1 counseling by telephone.

You can join live or watch the weekly webinars on our YouTube channel at the time that suits your best. Register now to receive all the links to the replays!
Upcoming Webinars
May 20: Grief & Bereavement

An important principle concerning bereavement is that grief is a natural response to a significant loss. This webinar will walk participants through the grief journey and will present helpful tools to use during this time. We will also explore Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s Model of Grief Companioning to help participants find healthy and useful ways to grieve. The presentation will focus on how COVID-19 has created “complicated grief” and how participants can work through it. There is no right way or wrong way to grieve – just your way!

This webinar will present different approaches participants can follow to “do grief your way.” This webinar will be respectful in giving a Trauma-Informed way of working through one’s grief.

*This presentation will be in English and available as a recording after the event.
June 10: Creating a Life You Love

We all want to be happy. But we sometimes think of happiness as a thing that happens to us — something we have no control over. It is easy to link the idea of happiness with a situation. We might tell ourselves, "If only things were different, then I'd be happy." But a big part of how happy we are depends on our mindset, the habits we practice, and the way we live each day. By learning the key ingredients of happiness, we can use them to become happier.

This workshop will empower you with tools and techniques to elevate your emotional and mental wellbeing while being a caregiver.

*This presentation will be in English and available as a recording after the event.
Past webinars
Missed a webinar?

If you weren’t able to attend our recent webinars, you can still watch them as a recording.

Make sure to register for the webinars you’re interested in to receive the link to the replay directly in your inbox.
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