Inside the Circle – July 19, 2022

After three years of virtual events, we’re inviting you to join us in person for this year’s Summer Social! This event will be located outside in our backyard at 4211 Yonge St. on August 24 from 3pm-6pm (weather permitting). There will be games, food, drinks, a raffle, and prizes!

To ensure we have enough food and drinks, please RSVP for the event before August 8.

As viruses like COVID spread, they inevitably change and some of those changed varieties push others aside. BA.4 and BA.5 are subvariants with new mutations — of the Omicron variant that popped up late last year and then spread like wildfire through global populations.

Public health officials in Ontario and Quebec say the subvariants are helping fuel a new wave – the seventh so far. An expert with Ottawa’s Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network said previously that BA.5 would account for 70 per cent of Canadian cases by July 1. Considering this, please review the following FAQ’s regarding the VOC (variants of concern) Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5 shared with us by our Central HCCSS IPAC Consultant Dale Moses.

As we begin to see our new normal emerge, you may find that prioritizing yourself is becoming a challenge. It’s important to make a conscious effort to carve out time for yourself every day and do something that benefits you and only you. When you consider the ways in which you take care of yourself, think about the various components of your overall well-being to look out for – physical and psychological, the latter comprised of both mental and emotional self-care.

Physical self-care:

Your body is your powerhouse. When you take care of your physical needs, you can prevent potential physical conditions from developing and you reduce the risk of heart diseases, strokes and even cancer. Taking care of your physical health means getting restful sleep, eating nutritious meals and attending regular health checkups with your physician.

Mental self-care:

The way you think, the associations you make, and the conclusions you draw (among others) are all part of your mental health. The practice of acceptance and self-compassion can play a leading role in taking care of your mental health.

Emotional self-care:

This deals with developing skills that help you cope with life’s challenges in a healthy way. Taking care of your emotional well-being may look like opening up to a friend or therapist and talking about your feelings. Therapy is also a powerful tool in your toolbox which can serve to maintain or improve your mental health.

July 24th is International Self Care Day. Click here for tips on how to incorporate more self-care into your daily routine.

For more resources and tools to help prioritize your self-care, you can also visit our EFAP.

Sonia’s Source of Happiness

For Sonia, her clients make her smile everyday on the job.

“Some people only work for the end result of making money, but in my role as a PSW, I also get the privilege of working for happiness,” she says. “The most important thing for me is how I feel, and I’m always so happy to see my clients waiting for me – and they’re always so happy, which makes me happy!”

In June 2022, Sonia was presented with Circle of Care’s Champions of Care Award for Excellence. She was nominated by her CSSs for her never ending patience and compassion. Read her story by clicking the button below!

JULY

July 24: International Self Care Day

July 26: No Thanks, I Had a Shower Today

On July 26th, Circle of Care is hosting a webinar on resistance or refusal of personal care. With guest speaker Tracy Wong, Behaviour Support Education Facilitator with LOFT, this webinar answers questions to resistance and provides current therapeutic strategies-based caregiver approach, environmental factors, and practical adaptations to personal routines.

Register for the webinar by clicking the button below!

Congratulations to this week’s Champions of Care nominees:

• “I would like to nominate my Coordinator Josie Mandana, she’s always there when I need help immediately during my client service. She’s very helpful, understanding, and provides assistance on how to deal the client issues. She immediately responds, even after leaving a voicemail. For me, she’s the best coordinator I have. Lastly, she takes care of all of her PSWs, she always connects to us.” – PSW Ma Anne Esto
• “I consider PSW Beverly Knewels to have the most difficult clients – that’s the clients that are either physically abusive, or mentally unstable. Beverly goes above and beyond and even sometimes goes in on days off because no one else will fill in. She deserves to be recognized.” – Christine Haughton
• “During CSS’s follow up assessment, client had so many compliments about PSW Canvis Phillips. The client said that she is kind, patient, knowledgeable, and a hard worker. She said that Canvis taught her how to maintain her independence by showing her how to safely perform her activities of daily living. The client said that she is the absolute best and wouldn’t be where she is today if it wasn’t for her!” Jennifer Hawkins