Inside the Circle – December 21, 2021

We are saddened to announce the death of PSW Marie Williams, who passed away at the age of 50 from cancer. Marie started working at Circle of Care in April 2017, and worked in the North York – Etobicoke area.

Circle of Care requires that all PSWs and Homemakers be certified with valid and current CPR training. Circle of Care has begun to secure some dates for CPR recertification, and we would ask that anyone who has an expiring CPR certification to sign up for one session. To learn more about upcoming sessions in January and February, click the link below.

Annual e-Learning: Workplace Violence & Harassment

The deadline to complete the course is February 7, 2022.

Mental Health Training

The deadline to complete the course is March 31, 2022.

These paid training opportunities are available to you on the Dayforce Learning App and accessible via the Dayforce website: Dayforcehcm.com. You can use the below PDF to assist you in logging in. Your credentials will be the exact same as when you login to the standard Dayforce App (to view your pay stubs).

Congratulations to this week’s Champions of Care nominees:

“Jowelyn Curiba demonstrates outstanding performance as a PSW, and has been complimented by her clients many times. Passion, empathy, patience and flexibility are some of the qualities that Jowelyn has demonstrated as a PSW. Jowelyn is able to deal with challenging circumstances in a positive way, putting her clients first, and is able to take charge when necessary. She always does her very best in her work and has an incredible personality. A few weeks ago, one of her clients had an important appointment and had to be ready for WheelTrans pick up at 8:30 am. When Jowelyn arrived to get the client ready, she realized that there was no water in the apartment. Jowelyn did not panic, she dealt with the challenge, and managed to get the client ready for their appointment and ensured that the client was calm and on time, for which the client was incredibly grateful.” – Nataly Vilgan

“PSW Cynthia Daley has been with Circle of Care for over fifteen years and has worked at Shepherd Village Retirement home for most of those years. Cynthia has been an informal leader for the group of PSWs at the home who appreciate her leadership qualities. Most of the PSWs who have started with Circle of Care have been trained by Cynthia, who will share how she manages her time, ensuring all equipment is gathered before the work is started. Cynthia has done laundry for clients who were desperate for clothes on the independent floor. She has offered to work weekends when staffing has been short during COVID-19. Cynthia not only goes out of her way for her own clients but will care for all the clients in the home. She notices if someone has their shirt on inside out and will fix it for them or do up buttons. She always stops to share a laugh with the clients and brings music in herself to play while caring for her clients.” – Shirley Barnes

“PSW Christine Haughton is so dedicated to the needs of her clients and makes certain that we are able to accommodate any changes they require. Her clients are very dedicated to her as well and I think it is beautiful. One of her clients in particular had become very depressed due to a recent report that her cancer had returned. Her schedule would have to be changed to accommodate her frequent doctor visits. Christine was willing to work outside of her availability on an ongoing basis to accommodate this client. Christine’s willingness to serve this client brought such great joy to this client who was afraid of having someone new during the pandemic. This is only one of many acts of kindness and dedication that Christine showcases daily. She is a rare soldier of love!”- Tammyrose Humphrey

“Judith Boyce and Hongmei Wang are regular PSWs at McNicoll Manor. Judith works on the 4th floor and Mei on the 5th floor. During the height of the pandemic up to today, both Judith and Mei never get tired of coming to work to help clients in that facility. Even when there were lots of residents who were Covid-19 positive, they continued to help their clients because they said they were needed now more than ever. At the time when some PSWs refused to attend to clients who are covid-19 positive, it’s the opposite for Judith and Mei. Neither of them gave up. They both each helped at least 12 clients, covered from head to toe in PPE, and never got tired. For Judith and Mei, their clients are the priority. They have also both covered the evening shift due to shortage of staff and continue to do so up to today. Judith and Mei are excellent workers. They both know what they’re doing, and are always available to help. Judith and Mei are just amazing!” – Maria Ana Magno

“CSS Jeri Mae Janer is extremely professional and helpful. She is a team player, I had a situation that required me to make an urgent visit to the office. Jeri Mae was so helpful in assisting me and made the trip to the office on my behalf. I have seen Jeri Mae handle complex clients needs, her care plans are detailed. Jeri Mae is a great leader for her team of PSWs; she is always available to assist the team with calls/ concerns.” – Muna Sheerin

“On Monday December 13, we received iRIDE service to Sunnybrook. Your service was perfect in both directions. Thank you. The driver of the return trip, Donna Brazeau, went out of her way to bring to our apartment a book that we forgot in her car. We appreciate it very much. It is a good feeling to deal with your service. Thank you to you and to Donna.” – iRIDE clients

“I want to express my sincere gratitude and gratefulness for my Personal Support Worker Imelda Magbanua. Imelda is extremely kind and she is devoted and committed to her job. I never have to remind her what needs to be done. She knows perfectly what I need and does everything perfectly. And if Imelda notices my mood deteriorated, she improves my mood with her smile, her kind words, and her caring suggestion to go out for a walk with her. During my walks with Imelda, we talk about various topics. Imelda is interested in listening to me talk about my past and all the hardships I lived through during the horrible war against facism. This makes me forget about all my problems today. This kind of relationship and attention that I get from Imelda is especially important during these tough times with COVID-19. For almost two years, we have not had our usual kosher lunches, lectures, and concerts. This makes my relationship and communication with Imelda even more important/essential so that I do not feel alone and isolated. I often call Imelda my psychologist, and this is the truth. I also have to express my gratefulness and gratitude to Client Services Supervisor Marina Dalgetty, and Service Coordinator Julia Ioffe; they always respond to my inquiries and requests. I am expressing my gratefulness because this help and assistance is priceless and indispensable. Thank you!” – Holocaust Survivor client

“I would like to express my gratitude to Olga Friedmann, who is helping me with my needs, providing me with great support and advise! I am really grateful for her help and for all the amazing work of Circle of Care staff! Thank you for everything you do for the elderly!” – Client

Make sure you register for an appointment to receive your COVID booster as soon as you are eligible. A reminder that the Ontario government has reduced the interval between 2nd and 3rd doses to a minimum of 84 days, and registration for adults 18+ opens on the Ontario portal today.

If you have received a booster dose, you can download your updated vaccine certificate with official QR code or visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/get-proof/ to learn how to get your enhanced vaccine certificate. Make sure to save and submit your proof of vaccination to HRDept@circleofcare.com. Once you have submitted your booster information, you will receive an additional 1 hour of paid time. This will be added to an upcoming pay with the code ‘vaccine payout’.

Please be aware that the federal government is once again warning Canadians against non-essential travel abroad as the Omicron variant continues to quickly spread worldwide.

Officials announced last Wednesday that Canadians, regardless of their vaccination status, should avoid non-essential international travel. Many foreign governments are implementing strict travel restrictions due to spread of the Omicron variant and international transportation options may be limited. As a result, you may have difficulty returning to Canada, or may have to remain abroad for an indeterminate period if you decide to leave the country.