The SCALE Program (Support for Caregivers Awareness, Learning, Empowerment) nurtures mental health and wellness for caregivers.
About this event
The SCALE Program aims to empower caregivers with practical information and skills to focus on their own mental health and well-being. Participants will receive strategies, tools, and resources to better cope with difficult caregiving emotions.
Our Program
Weekly Psychoeducational Webinars
- You can sign up for the entire session or individual weeks, depending on your availability and/or interest.
- Watch live or recorded. All live webinars have been recorded and will be posted exclusively on the Ontario Caregiver Organization YouTube channel after the live event. Only registered participants will be emailed a link after the webinar.
Online Group Coaching and Individual Counselling
- Counselling is free and confidential as well as optional to register for.
- Spaces are limited, and registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis.
- To receive the maximum benefit from the group and individual counselling, it is highly encouraged to also take part in the weekly webinars.
Registration
- A zoom link to join live will be emailed to those who register.
- An online booking link will also be sent to everyone who registers with the opportunity to register for group and/or individual counselling through Dynamic Health.
Other Information
This program is brought to you in partnership with the Ontario Caregiver Organization and Dynamic Health.
Please note that all live webinars are from 12 p.m – 1 p.m Eastern Time
SESSION 1: UNDERSTANDING THE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE OF CAREGIVING
The following topics will be explored each week:
Week 1: Your Caregiving Journey (February 8th)
Explore the stages of caregiving while heightening your understanding of the care recipient’s experience. The transition into the role of a caregiver evolves through these three stages:
- The Catastrophic Event
- Taking on the Role
- Moving into Advocacy
Together, we will explore each stage to understand the impact of each event within your own caregiving role, as well as the shifts it brings to your relationship with your care recipient. We will also begin to discuss the shifts you can make to improve your experience as a caregiver and manage the stress the caregiving relationship has on you.
Week 2: How Caregiving Stress Affects You (February 15th)
Explore the physical, emotional, and mental impacts of caregiving.
The stress of caring for a person with an illness can take both a physical and mental toll on a caregiver. In this session, you will begin to understand how the nervous system responds to this stress and how this can be both helpful and harmful to the body. Together, we will explore the difference between stress and burnout and key signs of when you should seek help.
Week 3: How Caregivers can Manage Anxiety & Anger (February 22nd)
Explore where the feelings of anxiety and anger come from, and how to manage them in the context of your caregiving role.
Understand anger and recognize that it is an acceptable emotion to express as a caregiver. Learn about anxiety and how it can be a positive emotion that alerts us to any danger but can also be a negative emotion that starts to impact our mental health when we become overwhelmed.
This session will help you differentiate between two coping pathways: (1) thoughts and (2) emotion and unpack the cognitive distortions we face when dealing with feelings of anxiety and anger. In addition, we will also be working on non-violent communication with our negative thoughts, allowing us to consider a different way to speak to ourselves and giving us more self-compassion.
Week 4: How Caregivers can Manage Sadness & Guilt (March 1st)
Explore the feelings that drag you down and keep reminding you that you aren’t doing enough and about the cognitive distortions that keep you in the shame-cycle.
Understand different caregiver’s experiences of sadness and guilt. Learn about the signs of guilt and the common themes often associated with guilt as a caregiver. This session will help you differentiate between two coping pathways: (1) thoughts and (2) emotion. Too often we face cognitive distortions, the sneaky ways your mind convinces you of something that isn’t really true. Learn to identify and unpack these cognitive distortions that you may be having as a caregiver like “I should be able to care for her on my own at home” or “I’m a failure as a daughter.” We will question these negative thoughts and ask, “is this 100% true?”. We will also explore the emotion of sadness and the triggers that cause it, including the grieving process.
SESSION 2: STRATEGIES FOR CAREGIVERS MENTAL WELLBEING
The following topics will be explored each week:
Week 1: Become a Mindful Caregiver (March 8th)
Explore the seven attitudes of mindfulness and how this can be integrated into your caregiving relationship.
In this session, we will explore practical suggestions to activate your parasympathetic nervous system to trigger a state of relaxation, while learning mindfulness-based exercises you can easily do at home as a caregiver. We also learn and unpack the seven attitudes of mindfulness to help you within your caregiving relationship: (1) non-judgement, (2) patience, (3) A beginner’s mind, (4) trust, (5) non-striving, (6) acceptance and (7) and letting go.
Week 2: The Self-Compassionate Caregiver (March 15th)
Manage your inner critic through developing your soothing self.
In this session, we will learn how to utilize the mind-body connection to bring relaxation, self- compassion, and overall mindfulness to our experiences. There is significant research demonstrating the positive impact of practicing mindfulness techniques on one’s emotional health and ability to cope with ongoing stress. Together, we will explore the meaning of self-compassion and its three components: (1) notice your suffering, (2) treat yourself with kindness and (3) remembering that you are human. You will walk away with practical tips and strategies to incorporate self-compassion into your life and caregiving role.
Week 3: Find Your Caregiving Strengths (March 22nd)
Explore the top attributes and resources that you already possess that enable you to succeed in your caregiving role.
In this session, you will learn about your own character strengths, understand how they impact your caregiving role, and learn how to maximize these strengths to bring about hope and well-being. You will learn about the 24-character strengths in the Values in Action Model and understand how we can overuse or underuse them. You will have the opportunity to take a free survey to discover your own character strengths based on the science of well-being and learn how your strengths can empower you within your caregiving role. You will also learn how to start noticing strengths in others, particularly your care recipient, and how this can impact your relationship.
Week 4: Time for Self-Care while Caregiving (March 29th)
Explore strategies on how to integrate psychological and physical tools to manage your mental health daily.
In this session, you will learn the concept of self-care and the repercussions of not prioritizing some time for yourself as a caregiver. Together, we will explore the ABC’s of self-care, as well as, its five dimensions and suggestions to improve each dimension: (1) professional self-care, (2) spiritual self-care, (3) social self-care, (4), emotional self-care and (5) physical self-care. Strategies and tools presented are based on Motivational Interviewing skills, health coaching techniques and integrative health assessment quizzes.
Our Speakers
Shoshana Kulik (MSW RSW) is a Registered Social Worker who provides psychotherapy to individuals and couples at Dynamic Health Collaborative in North York. Shoshana has provided support to caregivers through the SCALE program since fall 2020. She works compassionately to help caregivers feel supported and has a strong awareness of the physical and emotional challenges that caregivers experience. She has run many support groups, including those for individuals struggling with grief and for those impacted by a loved one’s illness. Shoshana utilizes the strengths-based model which capitalizes on a client’s strengths to foster growth, as well as a solution-focused approach. Her history of being a spiritual leader can help those who appreciate spirituality to find strength from the spiritual to help deal with challenging times.
Naomi Levine (MSW RSW) is a Registered Social Worker who provides psychotherapy to individuals, families, and groups at Dynamic Health Collaborative in North York. She has worked in youth corrections, a trauma program for children, youth and their families, and, currently, practices trauma-informed psychotherapy with adults and families. She has been an intersessional lecturer at McMaster University, teaching Mindfulness and Cognitive Therapy to undergraduate students. She also supervises graduate students who are completing their clinical internships. Naomi completed her master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Toronto in 2008. Naomi brings curiosity and compassion to her work with caregivers, giving them the space to explore their struggles and cultivate self-compassion and effective self-care.
Malki Nadoff (AAPC CMCC) is a Certified Coach and Counsellor providing relationship and emotion coaching at Dynamic Health Collaborative in North York. Malki has personal experience caring for aging parents who struggled with Alzheimer’s Disease and other complex medical issues. Using both positive psychology and a goal-oriented approach, Malki helps caregivers navigate the difficulty inherent in caring from aging parents. She works with compassion and sensitivity helping caregivers acknowledge and appreciate the rewards that can come with caring for one’s parents. She is also a speaker at non-profit events empowering individuals to work through difficult family dynamics.
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About this event
Today’s pharmacists and pharmacies can offer much more than just information about medications. They remain an integral part of the overall healthcare picture, providing various supports and resources to the people in their communities. In collaboration with the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, and the Ontario Pharmacists Association, we will be hosting a Q&A panel with pharmacists and caregivers. Pharmacists, Shelita Dattani and Angeline Ng, will talk about the valuable role of pharmacies and pharmacists in providing care and supportive resources to both patients and caregivers in the community and different healthcare settings such as primary care and long-term care. Our caregivers, Louise Sullivan and Rani Sinanan, will speak to how building a relationship with their local pharmacists has benefited them in their caregiving role and their own self-care.
Our Clinicians
Dr. Shelita Dattani is the Vice President of Pharmacy Affairs at the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada. In this position, she leads a team in advocating for pharmacy’s evidence-based role in delivering accessible, high-quality healthcare and building capacity in public health and primary care. Shelita is a pharmacist with over 20 years of experience in many sectors of the profession, including community, hospital, academia, industry, group purchasing organizations, and professional and pharmacy associations. She maintains a part-time practice in team-based primary care, community pharmacy, and remote hospital tele pharmacy. Shelita also serves as a lecturer at The Memorial University of Newfoundland, and as a guest lecturer at The University of Waterloo’s Doctor of Pharmacy program. Shelita is committed to contributing to the pharmacy’s growing role as an integral healthcare partner.
Angeline Ng is the Vice President, Professional Affairs for the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) and a practicing pharmacist. In her role at the OPA, Angeline helps to evolve the profession and advocates for excellence in practice and patient care by supporting pharmacy professionals to practice to their fullest potential. Prior to joining the OPA, Angeline worked as a clinical pharmacist in long-term care and retirement homes, providing care directly to residents and their caregivers. She is passionate about championing the role of pharmacy professionals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system.
Our Caregivers
Louise Sullivan is a valued OCO volunteer acting as a Peer Mentor in our 1:1 Peer Support program, where she provides mentorship to other caregivers. She currently cares for her husband, whose life has been affected by a stroke.
Rani Sinanan had participated in OCO caregiver working groups and focus groups providing her valuable insights to our programs and services. She currently cares for her parents, who are both living with cancer.
Information
• Please note that this presentation is available in English only.
• Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez
www.aidantsontario.ca our communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca.
• For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011
About this event
As a caregiver of someone living with chronic liver disease, you may share many of the same emotions as your care recipient: fear, isolation, stigma and anger. Caregiving over a long period of time can also increase the risk of burnout. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself and those with chronic illness. In collaboration with the Canadian Liver Foundation, we invite you to join our expert speakers, Dr. Angela Cheung and caregiver Evelyne Chenard, as they discuss the challenges of chronic disease, specifically chronic liver disease. You will gain insights into the patient and caregiver journey, and learn about support services and how to access them.
Clinical Expert Speaker
Dr. Angela Cheung is an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa and an associate scientist with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. As a liver specialist and researcher, she is interested in treating and improving our understanding of chronic liver disease and related cancers, with a particular interest in autoimmune liver disease. Her research focus includes understanding the causes of liver disease to develop new treatments, and biomarkers for these diseases. She is also passionate about working closely with patients and patient advocacy groups to help improve the diagnosis and care of patients with liver disease.
Caregiver Speaker
Evelyne Chenard is a retired health care professional who lives with her husband in Edmonton, Alberta. Evelyne has experience working as an allied health care professional and as a facilitator in health care improvement. She enjoys the outdoors, family, and takes time to smell the roses. Evelyne credits her medical background to navigating her mother’s journey with cirrhosis for over 20 years, and brings this experience when speaking to others about the caregiver journey.
Other Information
Please note that this presentation is available in English only.
Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez
www.aidantsontario.ca ou communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca.
For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011
Register:
Caregiving and Eating Disorders: Expect the Unexpected
About this event
Nobody is to blame for an eating disorder. Although you may be trying to help, it may seem like you are constantly fighting an uphill battle. Eating Disorders are extremely complicated and impact not only the sufferer but also family members in ways that are hard to imagine. As caregivers, our ability to look after ourselves is tested every day. Learning to expect the unexpected and to approach each day as a new beginning has been key for webinar presenters, Wendy Preskow and Michelle D’Amico, in navigating their caregiving journeys. As Wendy and Michelle share their respective caregiving experiences in this webinar, attendees will learn about the caregiver’s role in supporting recovery from an eating disorder and some helpful strategies and resources. Strategies and resources for caring for the caregiver will also be explored.
Our Speakers
Wendy Preskow founded the National Initiative for Eating Disorders in 2012, after realizing that there was very little help available for her daughter, who was suffering from this serious mental illness. Over the past nine years, Wendy has been a strong advocate for change, speaking about the need for increased funding for early intervention and treatment, and about her role as a compassionate caregiver to her adult daughter who continues to strive for inner peace and happiness.
Michelle D’Amico has been a volunteer with NIED for the past five years and has been in the Executive Director role since November 2021, when she left her career in the federal government to work with NIED. Michelle is the parent of a young adult who developed an eating disorder as a teenager and is now committed to sharing her caregiving journey with others, so they don’t feel alone.
Please Note:
- This presentation is available in English only.
- Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez www.aidantsontario.ca our communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca
- For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011
Register on Eventbrite:
Healthy Sleep Habits – Helping you get a good night’s sleep
About this event
Sleep is one of the three main pillars of health. Now, more than ever, we need to be sleeping well to better our immune systems and overall health. As caregivers, we often sacrifice sleep to care for others, to worry about our loved ones, and to run through our endless responsibilities. When we value the importance of healthy sleep as we do eating well and physical activity, we can achieve
overall health and wellness that benefits us and our care recipients. When we focus on changing our mindset and everyday lifestyle habits, we can build a foundation to sleep and feel better. Join this webinar to learn from sleep expert, Alanna McGinn, about how to incorporate proper sleep hygiene into your daily life, with tips and strategies to quiet your mind, shorten sleep onset, and strengthen your relationship with sleep and your bed.
Our Speaker:
Alanna McGinn is the Founder and Certified Sleep Expert of Good Night Sleep Site, a global sleep consulting practice. She serves on the faculty of The Family Sleep Institute and is the host of the ‘This Girl Loves Sleep’ Podcast. Alanna has established Good Night Sleep Site as a worldwide brand and #1 sleep resource for families.
She and her team of sleep consultants strive to help families (baby to adults) and corporations to overcome their sleep challenges and have well-rested smiles in the morning. You can follow Alanna’s expert advice in national publications like Forbes, Macleans, Prevention Magazine, and Today’s Parent, and she has appeared as a leading sleep expert on The Marilyn Denis Show, Your Morning, Cityline, and Breakfast Television. Alanna lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and their three children (1+twins!). You can find out more about Alanna McGinn at goodnightsleepsite.com and follow Alanna and all her sleep tips on Instagram.
Please Note:
- This presentation is available in English only.
- Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez www.aidantsontario.ca our communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca.
- For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011.
Register on Eventbrite:
The 8 A’s of dementia
Dementia is a general term referring to a variety of brain disorders. By understanding the reasons for the changes in behaviour of a person living with dementia, caregivers can improve their skills to support and help the person make use of their remaining abilities. The 8 A’s of dementia give us clues to understand the meaning behind the behaviours and the brain changes that contribute to them. In this webinar, participants will learn about the 8 A’s of dementia, recognize their impact on behaviour, how to shift our expectations and ways to communicate more effectively.
Our Speaker:
Josée Desrochers Leduc is the Education Coordinator for the Alzheimer Society Cornwall & District. She has extensive experience working in the health care system. In her role, she provides educational support to people living with dementia, their families, caregivers, and health care professionals. Josée coordinates a variety of programs and has led educational workshops on various topics. She is very passionate about dementia care. Her goal is to educate more people about the impact of stigmatization on people living with dementia and their families.
Please Note:
This presentation will be available in French on January 20th. Click here to register for the French webinar.
For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011.
Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez
www.aidantsontario.ca.
Si vous éprouvez de la difficulté pour vous inscrire, communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca ou téléphonez-nous au 1-888-877-1626 X 1011.
Register for free on Eventbrite:
The holiday season is packed with messages that no matter what, life is good! However, this ideal is often not the reality, especially for those who are in the sacred role of being a caregiver. This webinar will look at all the direct and hidden messages of how we should be feeling around the holidays and how it often collides with the reality of being a caregiver, which can include loss and grief. Self-care is never selfish so this webinar will highlight how to incorporate daily practices that show kindness and consideration to oneself. The webinar will also review how COVID-19 continues to provide increased hardship for caregivers, especially during the holiday season. The participants in this webinar will learn:
- The subtle but overwhelming messages about the joy of the holidays and how that may add to a caregiver’s burden.
- How to identify old, ingrained family practices that may be difficult to continue during the holiday season.
- Practical and helpful ways of creating new practices and rituals that may complement caregiving.
- The importance of increasing self-care during the holidays and how to incorporate kindness and consideration into one’s daily routine.
Our Presenter:
Eugene Dufour is an Individual, Marital, and Family Therapist, Bereavement Specialist, Compassion Fatigue Educator, and a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Consultant. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree from King’s College at the University of Western Ontario. He has been working in bereavement, trauma work, hospice palliative care, and the HIV/AIDS movement for the past 30 years. He is a past president of the Ontario Palliative Care Association and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. In 2002, Eugene received the Commemorative Medal for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee by the Governor-General of Canada for his work in hospice palliative care. In June 2019, Eugene was named a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for his involvement in establishing the Rotary Hospice of Stratford Perth.
Eugene presently works as a Psychosocial Spiritual Care Clinician with the Huron Perth Palliative Care Outreach Team. In March of 2012, Eugene and Michelle O’Rourke published their book: Embracing The End of Life: Help for Those Who Accompany the Dying.
NOTES:
-Please note that this presentation is available in English only.
-Pour de l’information sur nos programmes et services en français, visitez
www.aidantsontario.ca our communiquez avec nous par courriel à info@ontariocaregiver.ca.
-For any difficulty with registration or any other questions, please contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca or call 1-888-877-1626 X 1011
Register on Evenbrite:
Are you a caregiver?
Physical distancing can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is true for family caregivers and the person they support.
Discussion will be driven by caregivers and facilitation will be done by an OCO staff member and/or OCO trained volunteer on the following days:
Tuesday between 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 2pm – 3pm (currently full)
Thursday between 2 pm – 3 pm (spaces open for registration)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (spaces open for registration) – offered bi-weekly on the first and third Friday of the month
All discussions are completely confidential.
Connect with other caregivers. Register today.
If these times don’t fit your schedule or you’d like to find out about other supports and programs offered by OCO, contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca
You can also join our mailing list to receive news as soon as new online support groups or other programs become available.
Are you a caregiver?
Physical distancing can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is true for family caregivers and the person they support.
Discussion will be driven by caregivers and facilitation will be done by an OCO staff member and/or OCO trained volunteer on the following days:
Tuesday between 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 2pm – 3pm (currently full)
Thursday between 2 pm – 3 pm (spaces open for registration)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (spaces open for registration) – offered bi-weekly on the first and third Friday of the month
All discussions are completely confidential.
Connect with other caregivers. Register today.
If these times don’t fit your schedule or you’d like to find out about other supports and programs offered by OCO, contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca
You can also join our mailing list to receive news as soon as new online support groups or other programs become available.
Are you a caregiver?
Physical distancing can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is true for family caregivers and the person they support.
Discussion will be driven by caregivers and facilitation will be done by an OCO staff member and/or OCO trained volunteer on the following days:
Tuesday between 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (currently full)
Wednesday between 2pm – 3pm (currently full)
Thursday between 2 pm – 3 pm (spaces open for registration)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (spaces open for registration) – offered bi-weekly on the first and third Friday of the month
All discussions are completely confidential.
Connect with other caregivers. Register today.
If these times don’t fit your schedule or you’d like to find out about other supports and programs offered by OCO, contact us at info@ontariocaregiver.ca
You can also join our mailing list to receive news as soon as new online support groups or other programs become available.
