COVID-19 has been a particularly challenging time for families and caregivers who have not been able to visit or provide care to those living in long-term care homes (LTCH). Family Councils of Ontario and the Ontario Caregiver Organization have been actively working together to prepare LTCHs and their family caregivers for the re-opening of doors to visitors.

In this joint presentation, participants will learn to balance safety and infection risk with the need to welcome families back in an inclusive and respectful way. The latest Ministry of Long Term Care guidelines will be presented as will resources and tools (such as Caregiver ID) to help with this balanced approach. Scenarios will be used to illustrate the phased guidelines and the application of the tools. Additional supports for caregivers will be highlighted.

This webinar will include speakers from the Family Councils of Ontario and the Ontario Caregiver Organization.

• Samantha Peck is the Executive Director of the Family Councils of Ontario and is passionate about helping people and groups achieve their goals. In her 11 years with Family Councils Ontario (formerly Family Councils’ Program) she has supported thousands of family members and long-term care home staff improve their work to achieve the best possible outcomes and meaningful impacts. In her role as Executive Director, she focuses on building and maintaining relationships with funders, stakeholders, and interconnected organizations to carry out activities that support FCO’s mission & developing strategies that enable the organization to create positive change within the long-term care sector. Samantha holds an Honours B.A. from York University. A dedicated lifelong learner, she also holds Advanced Client-Directed Case Management and Volunteer Management post-graduate certificates from Humber College, Project Management Certificate from University of Toronto, and is currently working on her Masters Certificate in Adult Training and Development from the Schulich Executive Education Centre & Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Management Certificate from Ryerson University.

• Amy Coupal is the CEO of the Ontario Caregiver Organization, a non-profit funded by the Ministry of Health that was formed in 2018 to support Ontario’s 3.3 million caregivers. A visionary leader with 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, Amy has extensive experience building organizations from the ground up and is excited to be leading the Ontario Caregiver Organization through its early days of growth. She has held a number of CEO roles, including CEO of Learnography and My Class Needs Foundation, and has expertise in the latest innovations and technologies related to learning and education. Amy is passionate about mobilizing change through knowledge sharing and building collaborative initiatives that positively impact the lives of individuals and communities. Amy has a Masters of Education from the University of Calgary and is an Adler-trained coach. Her insights have been shared through speaking and media engagements, both internationally and here in Canada. Amy has a deep understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with caregiving. As a caregiver for most of her life, Amy helped to support her brother who had Cerebral Palsy. She was also a caregiver to her mother throughout her cancer journey and now supports her elderly father.

• Joanne Sidorchuk is the Project Lead, Strategic Partnerships & Innovation at the Ontario Caregiver Organization.