Inside the Circle – July 26, 2022

Circle of Care has added new dates for Mask Fit Testing and CPR sessions in August. We would ask you to register for an upcoming session if your current certificate/mask fit is expired.

Important reminders – please read:

• Please arrive at the training session 15 minutes before the class begins.
• Gloves and surgical mask will be required for the duration of the class.
• After you have booked your appointment, please speak to your Service Coordinator if you need any scheduling arrangements and have clients that you will need to be booked off from to attend the CPR training/mask fit testing. Please try to book a date/time where you do not have client visits scheduled.
• Your schedule will be blocked as ‘unavailable’ for you to attend the session. You do not need to use your phone to sign into the training.
• You will be paid a total of 4 hours for the training (CPR) or 1 hour (mask fit) – this will be added to your schedule 1-2 weeks after the session has been completed and you will receive payment. The code will appear on your paystub as ‘Miscellaneous’.
• You may not be able to access the login link via the PSW mobile phones, and you may need to access the link using your personal phone or computer.

All bookings/cancellations must be managed through the online portal. You will receive a confirmation email/text notification and will also receive a session reminder.

As we continue to hear about the increasing spread of COVID-19 in our community, we wanted to remind any staff member that may also work for another  employer, specifically at a retirement home or long term care, if your facility has declared a COVID-19 outbreak, we would ask that you report this information to the office. We have specific protocols for this to ensure we are mitigating the spread of COVID-19 within our community.

We also would like to remind you that the provincial government has recently expanded eligibility for forth doses (or second booster shots) for the COVID-19 vaccine. Keeping up to date with your booster dose is the best way to protect yourself, your family, your clients and your colleagues against COVID-19. You can submit your booster shot receipts to HRDept@circleofcare.com and you will receive an additional one hour of pay on an upcoming pay stub.

Last week, Circle of Care’s Recruitment team hosted a virtual PSW hiring event. This event targeted interested individuals in Toronto Central – supporting our objective to increase referral rate acceptance in this region.

Deep Lall, Recruitment Coordinator and Mae Janer, Client Services Supervisor, hosted an information session for candidates, to introduce them to Circle of Care. During the session, interested individuals had the opportunity to ask questions about working in home care as a PSW. Individuals who met the minimum qualifications were pre-scheduled for a Zoom interview with Deep throughout that day. Those who proceed will be set up with a CSS to interview, and offered a position if they’re a fit for the organization.

Thank you to Deep, Mae, and all staff who supported this successful PSW Hiring Fair!

If you haven’t already, we invite you to RSVP to this year’s in-person Summer Social.

The deadline to RSVP is fast approaching! All RSVPs are due August 8. The event will take place 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!

July 28 – Aug 1: Toronto Caribbean Carnival Weekend

AUGUST

Aug 1: Emancipation Day | Civic Holiday

Aug 8: Last Day to RSVP to Summer Social

Aug 9: World Indigenous Peoples Day

Aug 24: Summer Social

On July 15, our placement and summer students had the opportunity to connect with each another during a networking lunch. Our VP of Technology and Information Systems, Vin Singh, attended the lunch and shared his professional journey, along with lessons he learned along the way

Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean music, cuisine, costumes, tradition and culture. The Carnival has been an annual event in the city of Toronto ever since it began in 1957. Today, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival is considered North America’s largest street festival, with attendance of up to two million people! It was created as a tribute to the Canadian Caribbean community, and the Carnival has a variety of events and activities in addition to the Grande Parade including talk tents that feature Caribbean storytellers, a variety of live music, and the showcasing of intricate costume designs worn by masqueraders.

The official Toronto Caribbean Carnival weekend will take place from July 28 – August 1, and the theme for 2022 is ‘Embrace the Carnival in You’!

To purchase tickets or passes, visit Caribana Toronto.

PSW Christine H. strives to bring happiness to her clients’ lives each day, which often gets reciprocated back.

“Making my clients happy motivates me to work harder because I know my help goes a long way for them. But when life happens and I am not in the greatest mood sometimes, just simple acts of kindness—like them being nice to me—makes me feel better and appreciated,” she says.

In June 2022, Christine was presented with Circle of Care’s Person-Centred Care Award through our Champions of Care program.

Congratulations to this week’s Champions of Care nominees:

• “Katrina Alves has recently joined the Holocaust Survivor Services team and has showed outstanding excellence and accountability in her work so far! Recently, Katrina was able to use her extensive knowledge of EasyCare to assist the team in a time sensitive issue with updating various client files for the upcoming program audit. Katrina’s high level of execution in these tasks can be attributed to her attention to detail and previous organizational knowledge. We are so lucky to have Katrina on the team!” – Rachel Quinby
• “I am impressed with the way I was treated by Ernestina Opoku during my call. Ernestina was very professional, polite and very knowledgeable. It made her feel comfortable and good that I had decided to call Circle of Care for help.” – Client