Inside the Circle – September 30, 2026

At Circle of Care, we review incidents to learn and improve. The goal is to identify gaps in our processes and help keep clients safe.

A Recent Adverse Event

In Summer 2026, a Circle of Care PSW arrived for a scheduled visit and found the client unresponsive. The PSW responded appropriately by calling 911, and the client was taken to hospital. A review of the situation found that some approved visits for the client had not been added to the schedule. As a result, the client did not receive all their authorized visits. To help prevent this from happening again, we are adding new safety checks and weekly reviews to identify differences between approved care hours and scheduled visits.

How You Can Help

As a PSW, you know your clients best and may notice concerns before anyone else. Please contact the office if:

• A client says they are missing visits
• The visit schedule does not appear to match the care plan
• A client’s needs or condition have changed
• You have any other concern about a client’s care or safety

Reporting concerns right away helps us investigate issues, respond quickly and ensure clients receive the care they need. Please do not assume that someone else has already reported it.
Thank you for your important role in helping keep our clients safe.

Happy Retirement, Liubov Egorova!

Thank you, Liubov, for your dedication, kindness, and compassionate care as a PSW. Your support has made a positive difference in the lives of many clients, families, and colleagues.

We wish you good health, happiness, and all the best in this exciting new chapter. Thank you for everything you have done. You will be greatly missed!

Congratulations on your retirement!

Subway Line 1 Early Nightly Closures

• When: September 28-October 2
• Details: Line 1 will close early each night starting at 11:59 p.m. between St. Clair and College stations for maintenance work. Shuttle buses will operate during the closures.

CIBC Run for the Cure

• When: October 4
• Details: Queen’s Park Crescent (East & West): Fully closed between College St. and Bloor St. W. University Avenue: Southbound/ Northbound lane reductions and closures from College St. down toward Dundas St. W./Armoury St. Hoskin Ave. & Wellesley St. W.: Restricted access between St. George St. and Queen’s Park.

We are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for everyone. If you experience or see workplace violence, harassment, discrimination, or hate while at work, we encourage you to report it to your CSS, Supervisor, or Human Resources.

When you report an incident, we can provide support, follow up appropriately, and take steps to help maintain a safe workplace for employees, clients, and caregivers.

You can also submit a confidential report using the Anonymous Incident Reporting Form. We will handle all reports with respect, discretion, and confidentiality.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a time to remember the children who never returned home from residential schools, honour survivors and their families, and learn about Indigenous history.

What can you do?

• Take time to learn and reflect.
• Explore Indigenous resources and stories below.

Learn more:

• Woodland Cultural Centre
• Mohawk Village Memorial Park
• Indigenous Resource Guide
• Two Spirit and LGBTQIA+ Indigenous Resource

To support your safety and meet requirements, Circle of Care provides free CPR training and free N95 Mask Fit testing. Your CPR certificate is valid for 3 years, and your Mask Fit must be renewed every 2 years.

CPR Training Locations: 

• North York: 700 Lawrence Ave, North York (The Career Foundation, Lawrence Allen Centre)
• Scarborough: 1533 Victoria Park Ave, Scarborough

N95 Mask Fit Testing Location: 

• Head Office: 4211 Yonge Street, Suite 401, Toronto

How to Register

Text 647-496-5189 with:

• Full name

• Email

• Training location

• Preferred time

or call 905-272-9214 or register online using the button below.

Registration closes 7 business days before the session.

Important Reminders

• Arrive 15 minutes early.

• After booking, tell your Service Coordinator if you need schedule changes.

• Choose a time when you do not have client visits.

• Your schedule will be blocked as Unavailable for the training.

• You will be paid after completion:
  • CPR: 3 hours
  • Mask Fit: 1 hour

• Payment appears on your paystub as “Miscellaneous.”

Responsive behaviours are actions, words, or gestures that are used to communicate a need, feeling, or concern. They are often seen in people living with dementia. These behaviours are a response to something happening in a person’s environment or how they are feeling. When a person has dementia, changes happen within their brain. As a result, they may behave differently than they did before.

Why Responsive Behaviours Happen

Responsive behaviours are not usually intentional. They are often a way for a person to express that something is wrong. Common causes include:

• Pain or physical discomfort
• Hunger or thirst
• Feeling confused or frightened
• A noisy or unfamiliar environment
• Emotional distress
• Unmet needs

Examples of responsive behaviours may include:

• Agitation
• Restlessness
• Verbal outbursts
• Aggressive behaviour

When we understand that responsive behaviours are a form of communication, we can respond with patience and compassion.

Try to:

• Look for the cause of the behaviour
• Check for unmet physical or emotional needs
• Reduce noise and distractions when possible
• Use calm and respectful communication
• Help the person feel safe and supported

Circle of Care has safety procedures to help prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

These procedures cover common workplace hazards such as:

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Muscle and joint injuries
• Workplace violence
• Other safety risks

You are encouraged to read over these procedures to help keep yourself safe. 

Your safety matters! When travelling between client visits, remember to:

• Follow all speed limits and traffic laws.
• Never use your cellphone while driving.
• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Stay focused and avoid distractions.
• Adjust your driving for weather and road conditions.
• Never drive when you are too tired or impaired to do so safely.
• Allow enough time between visits—never rush or speed to get to your next client. If you are running late, please report to the office.

If you drive for work-related purposes, please review our Vehicle Safety Policy and Safe Driving SOP. These resources outline your responsibilities and expectations for safe driving while performing your work.
Drive safe. Stay focused. Get home safely.

Do you drive to work? Save with Perkopolis and Shell:

• Save 3¢ per litre on fuel
• Get 10% off car washes and eligible in-store purchases
• For a limited time, get an extra $8 off an Ultimate car wash after your first fuel purchase using the Shell App.

How to Sign Up for Perkopolis: 

1. Visit the Perkopolis website: Go to perkopolis.com and click the “Register” button.
2. Enter your email address: Use your preferred personal email.
3. Check your inbox: Perkopolis will send you an email with a verification link. Click that link to complete the sign-up process. (Note: The verification link is time-sensitive, so try to complete your registration soon after it arrives.)
4. Enter your Member ID code: The site will ask for a registration code to confirm you’re part of Circle of Care. Enter “CC” + your employee ID number (for example, CC12345). Use all caps and no spaces when typing the code.

Caring for others can be rewarding, but it can also feel stressful or overwhelming at times.

Frontline Wellness is a free and confidential program that supports health-care workers in Ontario. You can talk with a professional, learn coping strategies, or join group sessions to connect with others and build new skills.

Getting started is easy. Complete a self-referral and choose a time that works for you.

Questions? Please contact:

• frontlinewellness@waypointcentre.ca
• (705) 549-5144 | 1-877-341-4729 x 5000

Each week, we’re proud to recognize the PSWs who are celebrating their work anniversaries. Every anniversary—no matter the number of years—represents the dedication, compassion, and commitment you bring to supporting our clients and community. Thank you for the important role you play at Circle of Care. This week’s list includes PSWs celebrating work anniversaries between September 27-October 3. 

Congratulations to the following staff on their years of service with Circle of Care:

September 27:

• 5 Years (MILESTONE!): Genalyn Otaza, Veronica Ashton

September 28:

• 6 Years: Lerie Rose Bondoc

October 1

• 8 Years: Annibeth Lumanglas, Jerbeh Balang, Sheryll Agno

Individuals celebrating milestone anniversaries (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 years) will receive a one-time cash award to their pay cheque at the end of the quarter. Payment amount will depend on service length.

High Five for PSW Emelita Ragel

“I am so happy with Circle of Care, and Emelita is the best.” – Client

High Five for PSW Dimple Reyes

“I am very happy with Dimple and would like to have her more often.” – Client

High Five for PSW Elsie Mencias

“I was very impressed with Elsie’s professionalism and respectfulness. She went above and beyond to ensure my mother’s privacy and dignity.” – Client Family Member

High Five for PSW Ma Anne Esto

“Ma Anne is so nice and helpful.” – Client

High Five for PSW Tanya Dixon

“Tanya came for the first time and was so helpful, smart, and intelligent. I would like to have her more often.” – Client

High Five for PSW Lilly Annor

“Lilly is exceptional, has a heart of gold, and is very patient.” – Client

High Five for PSW Mariam Mustapha

“Mariam is amazing, and I really appreciate how good she is with me.” – Client

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

I want to share this with the office about your newly hired PSWs. If you hire new PSWs you need to screen them too. You should ask questions about what kind of clients they expect to encounter in their role, so that you know whether they have an idea of what the job involves. Most of the new hires I’ve trained are PSW or RPN graduates, so they have an idea of how to work with a client, for example, a dementia client. But some don’t.

Thank you for sharing your feedback and insights. We greatly appreciate your perspective based on your experience working with our newly hired PSWs.

We make every effort possible to set realistic expectations throughout the recruitment and onboarding process, including expectations related to our client population, service areas, and the role itself. We also assess candidates to ensure they demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed as a Personal Support Worker in the community.

Your feedback is valuable and will help us continue to strengthen our screening practices and better prepare new hires for success at Circle of Care.

What are the benefits if you reach 1300 hours? Will I be sent something to fill in, or will I automatically become a permanent staff member?

All employees who worked 1300 hours in the 2026 calendar year will qualify for full-time status for the 2027 calendar year. Employment status is updated for all employees on an annual basis (so you will have to wait until January 2027 for your Employment status to be updated and to be considered full-time).

All union staff who completed 1,300 hours of work or more in the previous calendar year are automatically enrolled in the Group Benefits program that provides health benefits.

I am a part-time PSW; how many hours do I have to work to maintain Health benefits?

Part-time employees do not have access to the benefit coverage through SEIU and Global Benefits. These benefits are only available to full-time employees who have completed 1,300 hours of work or more in the previous calendar year.

We are tired of complaining about not getting enough hours as a part-time employee, and you keep telling us the same thing over and over. I’ve worked at Circle of Care since 2019, and I’m getting only 1-2 hours a day.

If you are not receiving enough hours and have already spoken with your coordinator, you should escalate this so an investigation can be done to see if there are hours available in a nearby caseload. You can connect with one of the Service Coordination Supervisors – Zarana Kansiyawala (ext.232) or Tariq Shafi (ext. 256).

I can handle the BM and urine because I can wash underneath my shoes and proceed to my next client, but I can’t wash out bed bug eggs. Why is my supply order request for shoe covers being denied over and over? Isn’t it part of the PPE? I have to use grocery shopping bags to cover my shoes. And after all this, I have to go home to my family. I would like to know what actions are going to be taken; it’s like things are going from bad to worse.

Circle of Care works hard to provide our staff with the safest work environment possible. If a client or their family reports bed bug problems to you directly, or if you suspect that a client may have an infestation, report this to the office immediately at 416-635-2860, so we can make a note on the client’s file and notify your supervisor.

If we are notified that a client’s home has a bed bug infestation, we will notify you immediately and advise you on how to protect yourself and your client. We will try our best to schedule these visits at the end of your workday, so that you do not have to travel to another client’s home afterwards.

Shoe covers are only provided to staff based on approval from their CSS for infestation purposes. You should ensure that you are wearing appropriate footwear while in your clients’ homes, which means that you may need to have a change of shoes for indoor use.

We have information available on the Portal regarding best practices in situations where there are reported/suspected bed bugs:
https://psw.circleofcare.com/index.php/your-health-safety/#bedbugs

Why is it that every time we call our coordinator’s extension number, it always goes to voicemail? Do they not want to talk to us? Leaving messages doesn’t make any sense at all, especially if they don’t even call us back. If they don’t want to answer our phone call, they should not be in the position to work with us! I’m tired and sick of these rude call center people talking to us!

Thank you for your feedback. We will share your feedback with the managers who oversee the Service Coordination team. If you are continuously having problems reaching your Service Coordinator and they are not responding to you, even when you leave voicemails, you can reach out to one of the Supervisors who oversee the Service Coordinators: please contact either Tariq Shafi (extension 256) or Zarana Kansiyawala (extension 232).

If you have any concerns about the professionalism of any of the call center staff, you are always welcome to reach out to the Operations Supervisor, Alicia Cimini, at ext.424.

Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!

Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.

If you experience violence, harassment, discrimination, or hate at work or during working hours, please report it to your Supervisor or Human Resources.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can submit a report using the Anonymous Incident Reporting Form by clicking the button below.

You may choose to include your name to help with the investigation, but it is not required. Anonymous reports will still be reviewed and investigated.