Have you heard of the Patient Ombudsman? The OCO is pleased to welcome Ontario’s Patient Ombudsman, Craig Thompson to talk about what the office of the Patient Ombudsman is, what it does and what caregivers need to know about making health care complaints in Ontario. In this presentation, you will learn about:
• How the Patient Ombudsman works with patients, residents, caregivers, and health organizations to resolve complaints
• Examples of complaints the Patient Ombudsman helps resolve
• What the Patient Ombudsman can and cannot do for caregivers
• How to make a complaint when your care recipient has a negative health care experience, including best practices for caregivers
Our Speaker: Craig Thompson is Ontario’s Patient Ombudsman. The office of the Patient Ombudsman helps resolve complaints from patients, residents, and caregivers about experiences in Ontario’s public hospitals, long-term care homes, home care, and community surgical and diagnostic centres.
Who should attend? Anyone who would like to learn more about the Patient Ombudsman in Ontario.
Relationships with healthcare providers are an important part of the caregiving role. It gives us a sense of belonging and strengthens our interactions affecting positive change. But it is often difficult to connect with people when we do not understand their culture or background.
Cultural competency is knowledge and behaviour that enable caregivers and healthcare providers to interact respectfully in a manner that is mindful, open, and sensitive to differences we may not be familiar with. Join our webinar to:
• Learn more about cultural competency in healthcare settings and understand why this is important
• Explore the ways in which we see and respond to differences and how it impacts our interactions with those around us
• Examine barriers in healthcare that relate to the caregiving space
• Take away tips and strategies to foster culturally competent relationships in healthcare settings
Who should attend? For caregivers, clinicians, and health care providers who would like to learn more about the role of cultural competence in healthcare settings.
Our Speakers:
Usha Shanmugathasan, M.Ed., OCT, is a passionate teacher, mentor, and advocate for equity in the educational space. She recently graduated from OISE/UofT with her master’s degree in educational leadership and policy and is the Project Co-Lead for the Cultural Competence toolkits published by the SAAAC Autism Centre.
Munira Khilji, M.B, B.S, is a physician and a parent of two children with autism, ADHD and learning disabilities. Her insight and experience as an advocate for health equity in underserved communities deeply informs the initiatives she supports. Currently, Munira is a manager for the SAAAC Autism Centre’s Entry to School Program working to provide culturally responsive autism services in structurally marginalized communities.
Being a caregiver is a challenging journey, and for those living in rural communities, the path can be even more demanding. Accessing essential support and resources when living far from healthcare can be time-consuming, especially during a crisis. Join our informative webinar and hear from Cierra Garrow, a young caregiver with firsthand experience and knowledge of rural caregiving. You will get insights on:
• Tools, tips, and practical strategies for caregiving in rural communities
• Navigating the rural healthcare system and getting access to the support you need
• Building a support network to share experiences with other caregivers
Who should attend? This webinar is for caregivers who live in all communities, but especially for caregivers who live in small towns, cities, and hamlets all over Ontario.
NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, there has been a change in speaker. We have updated the speaker bio below.
Speaker bio: Susan is a social worker of 37 years whose focus has been to provide mental health services to persons in rural and isolated communities. Susan has a passion for caregiver support, having worked as a medical social worker in hospital, residential and community programs across the Northwest, but also in rural Southeastern Ontario. Susan’s hope is to acknowledge and support caregivers with an understanding of how difficult caregiving can be with the challenges of living in rural Ontario. Susan is a mother of two adult children, grandmother of one and caregiver to her own parents in Northwest Ontario. Susan is, currently, a psychotherapist in private practice, providing both virtual and in person support.
Supporting a person with an eating disorder can be
very stressful for family caregivers as they navigate the
health care system to find effective treatment for their
care recipient.
This webinar provides caregivers with information,
resources, and tools to help them support people
with eating disorders receive high-quality care. Two
caregivers will also share their lived experiences. Join
the webinar and learn how to:
• Utilize the Eating Disorders Quality Standard, patient
guide and caregiver guide to empower caregivers to
access high-quality care
• Recognize key areas to better understand pathways
of care
• Access additional tools and resources to support
people with eating disorders and their caregivers
Speaker: Sarah McTavish, Lead, Clinical and Quality
Standards, Ontario Health, supports the development of
the Eating Disorders Quality Standard. She will highlight
opportunities to improve care for people with eating
disorders and their caregivers, including evidencebased
psychotherapies and helpful resources.
Communication is a vital part of our lives, and it is how we maintain our relationships. When dementia affects a person’s ability to express themselves and understand, it can strain the bonds between caregiver and the care recipient. As a caregiver, you will want to be aware of these changes so the person you care for can feel supported.
Join our webinar with the Alzheimer Society to:
• Understand the symptoms of dementia and how to respond to changes
• Learn how dementia affects communication
• Receive useful tips and strategies for your conversations with people living with dementia as they progress through the disease
• Find access to support and resources
Who should attend? Anyone who would like to learn more about communication tips and strategies for those living with dementia.
Le programme ANCRÉ a pour but de vous outiller par rapport à
l’aidance naturelle, afin de soutenir votre propre santé mentale et votre
bien-être. À travers ce programme vous recevrez des outils
et des ressources pour mieux gérer les émotions qui
accompagnent l’aidance naturelle.
Notre programme comporte :
• 2 sessions de 4 webinaires hebdomadaires
préenregistrés sur des sujets variés touchant la santé
mentale;
• Séances gratuites d’accompagnement de groupe
en ligne et /ou de counselling individuel. Nous
respectons la confidentialité. Les places sont limitées,
faites vite!
Pour vous inscrire ou pour recevoir de l’information sur
notre programme, visitez le Programme ANCRÉ sur notre
site web.
SESSION 1 : COMPRENDRE LE CÔTÉ
EMOTIONNEL DE L’AIDANCE NATURELLE
du 12 octobre à 2 novembre, 2023 à
4:30 pm heure de l’est
Semaine 1 : Votre parcours d’aidance
naturelle
Semaine 2 : L’impact du stress de
l’aidance naturelle
Semaine 3 : Comment gérer l’anxiété et
la colère
Semaine 4 : Comment surmonter la
tristesse et la culpabilité
SESSION 2 : STRATÉGIES POUR LA
SANTÉ MENTALE ET LE BIEN-ÊTRE
DES PERSONNES AIDANTES
NATURELLES
du 9 novembre à 30 novembre, 2023 à
4:30 pm heure de l’est
Semaine 1 : L’aidance naturelle en pleine
conscience
Semaine 2 : Développer la compassion
envers soi-même
Semaine 3 : Découvrez vos atouts pour
l’aidance naturelle
Semaine 4 : Prendre aussi soin de
soi-même
The SCALE Program aims to empower caregivers with practical information and skills to focus on their mental health and well-being needs by offering:
• Weekly psychoeducational webinars (LIVE or RECORDED) are divided into two 4-week sessions (see below for Session 1 and Session 2 topics). You may register for all of Session 1, Session 2, or individual webinars to suit your needs.
• Strategies, tools, and resources to better cope with difficult caregiving emotions.
• Free and confidential online group and/or individual counselling (OPTIONAL). *Space is limited. Registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. *If you’re planning to access these services, it is highly encouraged that you register for the full session of webinars to receive the maximum benefit from group or individual counselling.
Seeing this past OCTOBER 10, 2023? You can still sign-up for any of the remaining live webinars!
SESSION 1: UNDERSTANDING THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE OF CAREGIVING
OCTOBER 10 TO 31, 2023
(Tuesdays from 12 PM to 1PM EST)
Week 1: Your caregiving journey
Week 2: How caregiving stress affects you
Week 3: How caregivers can manage anxiety and anger
Week 4: How caregivers can manage sadness and guilt
SESSION 2: STRATEGIES FOR CAREGIVER MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING
NOVEMBER 7 TO 28, 2023
(Tuesdays from 12 PM to 1PM EST)
Week 1: Become a mindful caregiver
Week 2: The self-compassionate caregiver
Week 3: Find your caregiver strengths
Week 4: Time for self-care while
The demands of caregiving can leave you feeling stressed,
burned out, and low on energy. One way to boost your health
is through nutritious meals. Good nutrition is essential for
caregivers, as it helps regulate your health, energy, and mood.
But with rising food costs and food insecurity, caregivers
may find it challenging to maintain a regular nutritious plan.
Join our webinar and hear from Nishta Saxena, a registered
dietitian and nutritionist, on how you can:
• Create quick nutritious meals and snacks for yourself
while on a budget
• Manage stressors in your caregiving journey and what
impact they have on your mood and sleeping habits
Our Speaker: Nishta Saxena is a Toronto-based Registered
Dietitian and Child & Family Nutritionist. She is the owner of
a busy nutrition clinic Vibrant Nutrition in Toronto. Her clinical
expertise spans 16 years, and she has helped thousands of
people and families to understand and implement strategies
to improve their health. She knows the transformative power
of nutrition in people’s lives, and her mission is to increase
access to information that helps people make strategic
changes in their lives. Nishta is a Food and Nutrition Expert
with CTV Your Morning and appears regularly on television
and in the media as a nationally recognized nutrition expert.
She is also a busy married mother of 2 tweens, and is part of
the notorious sandwich generation, with an elderly father and
a thriving business to support.
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) exists to improve the lives of caregivers across Ontario. At OCO, we offer a variety of free programs and services to support many different types of caregiving needs. Caregivers often ask:
• What type of caregiving support is available?
• What programs have caregivers found most useful for their caregiving journey?
Join us as we chat with caregivers who share their experiences with OCO programs such as:
• Education supports such as OCO webinars, eLearning, and 90second Caregiver
• Peer Support such as 1:1 Peer Support, Online Caregiver Support Groups, and Young Caregiver Support
• Mental Health and Wellness programs such as SCALE program and Caregiver Coaching
• The OCO Helpline 1-833-416-2273 (CARE)
We will also demonstrate a walk-though of the OCO website so that caregivers will learn how to access, find, and register for programs.
Our Caregiver Co-host: Ron Beleno is an experienced family caregiver to his late father who lived with Alzheimer’s for over 10+ years while supporting his mother during their caregiving journey. Ron is an active advocate for dementia, caregiving, aging, and research communities.
Who should attend? If you are an unpaid caregiver (e.g., family/friend), work in the health or social services sector, or are an employer of caregivers.
Caring for another person can be challenging, particularly when the relationship is complex or strained. You may be experiencing mixed feelings about the situation and how to best accept the caregiving role. In this webinar, join our Caregiver Coach, Jane Vock, and learn about:
• Strategies on accepting your caregiving role and the person you care for
• Understanding what forgiveness is and how it can help you
• Mindfulness exercise – learn to stay in the present moment
• Letting go of negative feelings and setting boundaries
• Find meaning for yourself – do things that make you happy
• When and where to seek professional help, counselling, coaching
Our Speaker:
Jane Vock is a registered social worker, with over 30 years of experience working with individuals and families, first at a community services agency, then as a home care social worker, and currently as a Caregiver Program Manager for SE Health and a Caregiver Coach for OCO.
