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April 4th 2023 is National Caregiver Day

Four million caregivers across Ontario provide an estimated 75 per cent of the care in our healthcare system. They play a critical role in providing physical, emotional, and mental support to family members, partners, and friends in need. While most caregivers have a positive outlook on their experience and a sense of fulfillment, two-thirds admit they had no choice but to assume the work of caregiving.

On National Caregiver Day, the OCO is partnering with the City of Toronto and the Toronto Caregiver Collaborative to thank family caregivers and let them know we see you, we hear you and we’re here to help. The theme for this year’s event is #CelebrateACaregiver. We encourage you to celebrate and recognize the family caregivers you know. Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #CelebrateACaregiver

Learn more about the resources available in the Toronto area, through the Caregiver Collaborative. If you are a caregiver living outside of the Toronto area, call the 24/7 Caregiver Helpline to find resources in your community 1.833.416.2273.

Caregiver Day Live Event

Join us on National Caregiver Day, Tuesday April 4, to celebrate family caregivers! We will be hosting a live event from 9:00 to 10:00AM where we will hear from caregivers and their caregiving journey, along with remarks from:

Jennifer McKelvie, Deputy Mayor of the City of Toronto
Amy Coupal, Chief Executive Officer of The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO)
Samantha Peck, Executive Director at Family Councils Ontario (FCO)

How the OCO Can Help Caregivers

The OCO offers free programs and services to Ontario’s 4 million caregivers across the province.

What Can I Do To Support Caregivers?

Are you a health care or community service provider?

• Ask caregivers how they’re doing. A simple “how are you” makes a difference

• Recognize and engage caregivers as essential partners in care, include them in decision making and provide them with the information they need to be successful. To the best of your ability, explain what they can expect next

• Check out resources on our website to support meaningful caregiver engagement and our Partners in Care Tool Kit created with health care providers and caregivers to help support access in care settings

• Take our e-Learning modules for health care providers, setting the foundations for building a culture of care partnerships

• Visit our dedicated page to find more resources to support care providers

• Collaborate with us on how we can support your organization in engaging caregivers as partners

• Refer caregivers to the Ontario Caregiver Organization to access programs and supports at ontariocaregiver.ca

• Refer caregivers to the 24/7 Ontario Caregiver Helpline at 1 833 416 2273 (CARE) to find resources in their area
Are you an Employer?

• Create a caregiver-friendly workplace by demonstrating your commitment to caregiver employees through enhanced HR policies, supportive conversations, and flexible work options

• Engage with your employees to identify caregivers in your organization and determine what they need to help balance work and caregiving

• Work with the Ontario Caregiver Organization to host training and information sessions for your managers and staff

• Check out our Guide for Employers and Employer e-Module to determine what strategies may be helpful in your workplace

• Share information about the Ontario Caregiver Organization; our 24/7 Helpline at 1 833 416 2273 and point them to resources available at ontariocaregiver.ca including the Peer Support Programs and educational webinars

• Ensure they have access to information in your Employee Assistance Program

• Caregiving situations can change over time. Check in with your employee, ask how they’re doing, it can make a difference
Are you an Educator?

• Caregivers are children and youth too. Identify caregivers in your classrooms. Ask how they’re doing. It can make a difference

• Provide reasonable accommodations to your students who are caregivers. Flexible deadlines, recorded lessons, and notetakers can help these students keep up with their education responsibilities while balancing their caregiver responsibilities

• Refer young caregivers to YoungCaregiversConnect.ca and the Ontario Caregiver Organization where they can access information, programs, and supports including the Peer Support Program
Are you a friend or neighbour?

• Ask caregivers how they are doing. It’s a simple thing that makes a significant difference

• Tell caregivers about the Ontario Caregiver Organization and let them know we have resources and programs that may help

• Offer practical help and support to the caregiver(s) you know. Caregivers are often reluctant to ask for help but providing practical or emotional support may make a significant difference. This could include errands, day to day tasks, providing food or a simple phone call to check in with the caregiver on how they are doing

The Toronto Caregiver Collaboration Forum

The Toronto Caregiver Collaboration Forum is a Toronto and GTA based committee, with a mandate of advising on and advocating for the development of Caregiver related strategies, policy changes and service development, to improve the experiences of caregivers and to enable a close alignment of services through caregiver lived experiences.

Explore resources that members of the Collaborative have shared.

Caregiver Resources

Care Partner Stress and Building Resilience
Reduce your caregiver stress by exploring the different types of caregiver stress and coping strategies, increasing awareness of the importance of self care and learning about supportive services. View the resource.

Enhancing Care Program
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto offers two groups called TEACH and CARERS which help caregivers to develop specific plans and skills to deal with caregiving challenges. They were developed by the Reitman Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital and are available via Alzheimer Societies across Ontario via the Enhancing Care Program. TEACH is a four-week group that covers topics that a lot of caregivers want to know about, like how to find services and plan for the future, and CARERS is an eight-week group that supports caregivers to develop problem-solving and communication skills to use with the person they are caring for. The Reitman Centre has developed a series of videos featuring Enhancing Care clinicians describing the CARERS program, which you can watch via the link provided.

Understanding Behaviours and Supportive Communication
This webinar provides an overview of behaviours in dementia and communicating in a supportive manner. It will focus on providing participants with the knowledge of how behaviours and communication can change over the course of the disease and ways to supportively communicate with a person living with dementia.

CareLective connects the voice of aging to researchers and innovators creating a world of healthy longevity. Learn more about the CareLective community.

Safety, Crisis and Readiness Tool
NIED recently introduced a new education tool called the Safety, Crisis Readiness and Essential Information for Caregivers. It provides parents and other caregivers with a comprehensive set of steps and critical information to help them navigate the complexities of Eating Disorders in Canada on behalf of loved ones impacted by an Eating Disorder. This important tool and the links will be constantly updated as new and relevant information becomes available.

Caregiver Navigation Support Video Series
New caregivers don’t know what they don’t know. Often unsure of where to start, what services are available, and how to access supports. Further still, WoodGreen Community Services and East Toronto Health Partners (ETHP), have identified a gap in tools/resources for people with diverse cultural and linguistic needs. Caregivers who do not understand health information fall through the cracks, and subsequently experience adverse outcomes. Learn more about the video series.

Jill’s caregiver story – Staying at a hospital
WoodGreen/ ETHP’s Caregiver Advisory Group is developing a series of animated instructional videos on a range of caregiver topics such as staying at a hospital, LTC, PSWs etc. To compliment the instructional videos we have also recorded caregivers’ stories that relate to the topics in the instructional videos.

Jill, an East Toronto caregiver and member of the ETHP Caregiver Advisory Group, shares her story and providing advice for caregivers while staying at a hospital. The themes covered in the video include:

Getting to know the doctors and nurses
Advice how to communicate with them
The responsibility of the caregiver to take notes and document everything before the care recipient is being discharged home

The video is to be played in conjunction with the animated instructional video on Staying at a Hospital.

WoodGreen’s Caregiver Support & Wellness program
The Caregiver Support & Wellness program is designed for individuals caring for a family member, partner or friend living with physical, mental, or developmental health issues. Our social workers provide one-on-one counselling to help caregivers problem solve, prevent burnout and improve their health and wellbeing. The monthly virtual support group, facilitated by a counsellor, offers a safe space for caregivers to share their experiences and learn from one another.

WoodGreen and Toronto Seniors Helpline’s Caregiver Resource
The translation into various languages of Caregiver resources from SE Health and Baycrest, was made possible by a Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation’s SPARK grant. The resource page was supported by the East Toronto Health Partnership and Toronto Seniors Helpline.

Services for Children with Developmental Disabilities
The goal of the Parent Outreach Program (POP) is to works with families to enhance the independence of children living with developmental disabilities. Coaching and support is delivered by Caregiver Support Workers, who are parents of neurodiverse children and have lived experience raising neurodivergent children along with experience navigating the Developmental Services Sector. Caregiver Support Workers offer home visits, coaching and support groups led by parents with experience raising children who are neurodivergent, to help  foster children’s social and emotional growth, to support and coach parents/caregivers on how to teach their children ADLs at home, and to offer and foster a supportive learning environment with classroom teachers. Explore the services available.