Inside the Circle – October 7, 2026

When travelling between client homes, hazards can change quickly. Stay aware of your surroundings and follow the steps below to protect yourself.

Watch for:

• Traffic hazards: Busy roads, intersections, pedestrians, bicycles, and parked cars/trucks.
• Road conditions: Rain, snow, ice, potholes, and other bad weather.
• Environmental hazards: Uneven walkways, construction, debris, bad lighting, and slippery surfaces.
• Client property hazards: Driveways, stairs, and other obstacles.

Take your time, stay alert, and adjust your route or approach when conditions are unsafe. Your safety comes first!

Subway Line 2 Early Nightly Closure

• When: October 5-9
• Details: Subway service on Line 2 between Kipling and Jane stations will end nightly at 11:59 p.m. (Shuttle buses will run.)

Toronto PumpkinFest 2026

• When: October 9-12
• Details: Downsview Park Area – Expect heavy traffic around Keele St, Sheppard Ave W, Chesswood Dr, and Carl Hall Rd near Downsview Park entrances.

Subway Line 2 Full Weekend Closure

• When: October 10-11
• Where: Subway service on Line 2 between Kipling and Jane will be closed. (Shuttle buses will run.)

Scarborough Street Festival – Fall Celebration

• When: October 10-11
• Where: Kingston Road will be closed between Markham Rd E and Eglinton Ave W.

Subway Line 2 Late Opening

• When: October 12
• Where: Subway service on Line 2 between St George and Broadview will not open until 10 a.m. (Shuttle buses will run.)

Subway Line 1 Delays at Night

• When: October 13-15
• Where: Subway service on Line 1 between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Finch West stations will operate on a single track nightly starting at 11 p.m. (Customers may experience delays of up to 15 minutes between these stations.)

Subway Line 2 Early Nightly Closure

• When: October 13-16
• Where: Subway service on Line 2 between Kipling and Jane stations will end nightly at 11:59 p.m.

TCS 5K

• When: October 17
• Where: The following roads will be closed:
  • Bay St. (Queen St. W. to Front St.): Closed from 4:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • Bay St. (Front St. to Lake Shore Blvd. W.): Closed from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • Lake Shore Blvd. W. (Yonge St. to Bathurst St.): Closed from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

TCS Marathon & Half-Marathon

• When: October 18 (3am-4pm)
• Where: Here is the general layout of what to expect on Sunday:
  • Lake Shore Boulevard (both East and West) is entirely closed to vehicles for the majority of the day. You cannot drive right along the lake or cross over Lake Shore Boulevard at most intersections.
  • Yonge Street and Bay Street are closed from the north end of downtown all the way down to the water.
  • Full details and road closures

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.”

You never know when you may need to help in an emergency. Take a few minutes to watch this short video and refresh your Hands-Only CPR skills.

Responsive behaviours are actions that may happen when a person living with dementia is trying to express a need, feeling, or frustration. Understanding the reason behind the behaviour can help you respond with empathy and provide better care.

Examples:

• biting
• hitting/kicking
• hurting others or themselves
• hiding
• wandering
• making unexpected noises
• becoming withdrawn

Watch this short video to learn why responsive behaviours happen and how to manage them safely and effectively.

Menopause can affect more than physical health. It can also impact mood, sleep, emotions, confidence, and relationships. Join this online webinar to learn more about menopause and ways to support yourself and others.

• When: Monday, October 19, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
• Where: Online

Topics include:

• How menopause can affect mood, anxiety, sleep, and emotions
• How stigma can make it harder to seek support
• The impact of menopause on identity and aging
• Ways to support yourself and others

Difficult conversations happen at work. Join this webinar to learn strategies for handling challenging discussions with confidence and compassion.

• When: Wednesday, October 28, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Where: Online

You’ll learn how to:

• Prepare for difficult conversations
• Manage emotions during discussions
• Reduce defensiveness
• Communicate clearly and respectfully
• Find positive solutions together

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 October 4-10. 

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

October 4

• 24 Years: Raya Rivkind

October 5

• 10 Years (MILESTONE): Joan Ellis, Maryna Sazonova, Ronda Chitan, Suzette Capinpin, Wyndy Sibayan
• 16 Years: Eugenia Wise, Gemma Escano

October 6

• 12 Years: Carolina Burguillos, Elieonora Sudakov, Merriam Costales, Naomi Slutsky, Valentyna Martsenyuk

October 7

• 7 Years: Nichola Morgan, Shiela Foronda, Shobha Khadka, Sonia Myal, Zhem De Los Santos

October 8

• 13 Years: Muna Mohamed
• 18 Years: Hsiu Tse

October 9

• 1 Year: Eugenia Laryea, Genevie Acosta, Lilly Annor, Melissa Pamo

October 10

• 2 Years: Anita Osei, Brenda Baetiong, Chinelo Iloegbunam, Jasmine Kaur, Jelica Cordero, Koswar Hashi, Moneica Bennett, Oluchukwu Aloekwe
• 3 Years: Joy Gayle, Vivian Okolie
• 9 Years: Maliha Abdi, Rebecca Pescante, Tatyana Leyzerovich, Wezam Solomon

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 Rupa Dhakal

“Rupa was very helpful, and I’d like her added to my preferred PSW list.” – Client

High Five for PSW Stephanie Otupri

“I really enjoyed my conversations with Stephanie. She made me feel comfortable, and I would love to have her more often.” – Client

High Five for PSW Jeramie Desiderio

“Jeramie has a pleasant attitude, is very kind, and did a great job.” – Client

High Five for PSW Michelle Refol

“Michelle is wonderful, and I’m very happy with her service.” – Client

High Five for PSW Santoshi BK

“Santoshi did an amazing job. My parent was very happy and comfortable with the service provided.” – Client’s Daughter

High Five for PSW Anthonia Nwaokenyebulor

“Anthonia is doing a marvellous job, and my parent is very happy with the care provided.” – Client’s Son

High Five for PSW Keni Patel

“Keni is excellent, courteous, and I’m very appreciative of the service provided.” – Client

High five for PSW Delia Labang

“Delia is not only exceptional with clients, but she is also an incredible source of support and guidance. Your help and advice are always appreciated.” – 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.

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.