Life after a stroke brings many challenges, as needs and circumstances are unique and personal to each stroke survivor and their caregivers. June is Stroke Awareness Month, and in collaboration with March of Dimes Canada, this webinar shares information about the After Stroke program and available supports and services for caregivers.

Dancing With Dementia 

Dance may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about caring for someone living with dementia, but dance has a lot to offer both the care recipient and the caregiver. This webinar will explore how dance can foster social-inclusion for people living with dementia, challenges stigma associated with dementia, and supports the creation of dementia-friendly communities.

Caregiving and Chronic Liver Disease: Challenges, Insights, and Support

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.

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 change expectations and ways to communicate more effectively.

Additional resources

Info sheet: What is dementia?

Dementia and responsive behaviours

Communication

Slides: The 8 A’s of dementia

The Alzheimer Society Ontario: https://alzheimer.ca/on/en

Find your local Alzheimer Society in Ontario: https://alzheimer.ca/on/en/about-us/find-your-local-alzheimer-society

To the Outside, It Might Not Look Like I’m a Caregiver: A Conversation with Young Caregivers

Over half a million people under the age of 25 in Ontario are providing care for family members or friends with a physical or mental health challenge while balancing the demands of school, work, and life. This webinar aims to raise awareness about the hidden population of young caregivers within their own families and among others they interact with day to day such as teachers, youth workers, healthcare workers, workplace supervisors, etc. We will provide information and resources for adult family caregivers and professionals who may encounter young caregivers to help understand and support them.

Additional Resources

Young Caregivers Connect
Young Carer’s Program

Supporting Kin, Adoptive Parents and Caregivers: Challenges and Support

In this webinar, adoptive and kinship parents and other caregivers caring for children who may be at higher risk for mental health challenges will learn about issues they may face and how to get the support they need along this caregiving journey. Whether you are caring for a baby or older child, adopted locally or internationally, caregivers experience some common issues. Join our speakers, Helen Dawkes-Brown and Nicole Renaud, as they help you understand the challenges, gain insights on the adoption and permanency journey, and learn about support services and how to access them. Come prepared with your questions and leave with a better understanding of how you can be supported to achieve permanency for the children you care for so that they may reach their full potential.

Additional resources

• Adopt4Life Website
• Ontario’s Adoptive Parent Association: Toll-Free: 1.888.274.6222 x.120

Quality Standards for Delirium Care

In partnership with Ontario Health, this webinar provides an overview of delirium and how family members and caregivers can support people with or at risk for delirium. You will learn how to help prevent delirium, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of delirium, and ways to support your family member’s care.

Additional Resources

Delirium quality standard

Patient guide

Delirium quality standard placemat

Case for Improvement (slide deck)

List of tools and resources on Quorum

Non Violent Commmunication Transforming Caregiver Guilt & Resentment Through Empathy

Go beyond surface self-care efforts. This webinar investigates perspectives and tools to translate and transform caregiver guilt and resentment. It will identify underlying needs and imagine strategies to meet those needs deeply, so caregivers have the personal reserves to care for others.

Non Violent Communication Caregiving, Conflict & Compassionate Communication

Conflict is a normal and common part of relationships that still catches us off guard and leaves us frustrated and confused. This webinar explores ways to understand each other, work and grow together, even when we don’t agree with one another.

Q&A on Compassionate Communication & Self-Empathy for Caregivers

A follow-up discussion on non-violent communication and managing conflict and challenging emotions that caregivers may experience. This webinar explored self-empathy and non-violent communication as part of the caregiver role.

Caregiver Skills Getting Smart Technology to Work for You

Using smart technology such as cellphones, iPads, and security cameras can alleviate some of the stress associated with caregiving and provide a caregiver with some peace of mind. Through this interactive webinar, caregivers will learn practical tips on how technology can help them care for their family member, neighbour or friend.

When Thinking Abilities Change: Is It Dementia?

Join OCO and the Alzheimer Society of Ontario as we uncover 10 warning symptoms of dementia. Learn the importance of when and what medical tests to request as well as the benefits and the risks of seeking an early diagnosis of dementia. Together, we will also explore brain care and how we can all be a little kinder to our brains.

Responsive Behaviours Person Centered and Practical Approaches to Care

Being a caregiver to someone with dementia can be challenging. In this webinar, caregivers will learn about “responsive behaviour” in people with dementia and tips for identifying the underlying cause of this behaviour. It will also discuss the impact of COVID-19 on responsive behaviours, transition care and provide practical approaches for caregivers to support people with a dementia diagnosis.

Providing Care to 2SLGBTQ Persons

Webinar Notes – English / Webinar Notes – French

This webinar focuses on personal and professional patient-centered care for 2SLGBTQ individuals. Speakers will discuss cultural safety and humility, clinical competencies, and interdisciplinary care for cisgender and transgender patients. We will also explore chosen families, inclusive language and communications to 2SLGBTQ individuals.

Caregivers and Puppets: The Perfect Pair

Puppetry can be a playful and creative tool for some caregivers. Through puppet-making activities, we explore ways to build rewarding intergenerational connections. In this webinar, caregivers will learn how puppetry and storytelling can help caregivers: explain the caregiver role to young children, changes in family dynamics when someone needs special care, interact joyfully and engagingly with the person they are caring for, especially those who are living with dementia.