Inside the Circle – January 31, 2023

Completing the Dementia e-learning is mandatory for all PSWs & Homemakers. Thank you to everyone who has already completed this training.

To those who have not yet completed their training, we will be adding three hours of paid training into your schedules starting next week. While you do not have to complete the training during precisely these hours, we encourage you to think of it as a reminder to complete the training during that week.

If you are unable to complete the training on your own, or would like some assistance, we are offering the following options:
– Complete the courses on a ZOOM call with a Circle of Care staff member
– Come to the office to use a computer to complete the courses (must be scheduled in advance)

To choose one of these two options, please contact your service coordinator, CSS, or email learning.development@circleofcare.com.

Please note: ALL PSWs who have completed their Dementia courses already will be paid for 3 hours. This may come in a split payment.

With winter weather upon us, we wanted to take a moment to remind everyone of the importance of wearing appropriate footwear when travelling through the community during or after snowfall.

When selecting shoes for winter, consider the following:

1. Breathability and Waterproofness: wet feet are cold feet, so wearing footwear that is waterproof is essential for keeping healthy in the winter. Choosing shoes that are breathable but waterproof will keep your feet dry and warm even in the snow.
2. Warmth: shoes or boots with insulation are recommended for more severe weather – although they will be heavier and less comfortable for walking long distances, insulated boots will provide more protection against extreme temperature.
3. Traction: safety should always be a top priority when navigating the climate and winter challenges. Outsoles made with special materials (have a rough surface and are embedded with certain types of fibers or hard particles) will perform better than regular rubber outsoles, especially on ice.
4. Accessorize if Necessary: if you aren’t able to find a boot in your budget that satisfies all three of the requirements above, there are other accessories that can be utilized to compensate for other features. For example, wearing thicker warm socks to compensate for less insulation, or use removable traction devices, like micro spikes or crampons, on shoes that have less effective grips.

In the market for new boots this winter? Circle of Care offers discounted pricing via Perkopolis, and employees can access discounts of 10%-25% off on Winter Footwear brands such as Baffin, Hunter and Columbia.

[yop_poll id=”12″]

It is important that employees plan ahead when they are preparing to travel in the community and during their shift to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. Whether travelling by car or public transit, employees are responsible for planning ahead and making sure they are being cognizant of their surroundings, to be aware of any potential safety hazards.

Here are some general safety tips for travelling in the community:

• Get to know the area that you are travelling in and around;
• Plan where and how you are traveling before your trip;
• Make sure you are paying attention to your schedule, and checking your phone several times each day;
• Keep important telephone numbers handy (taxi service, reliable tow truck company, supervisor, office etc.);
• Carry your work phone with you at all times and always be aware of your surroundings;
• Be aware of road/sidewalk conditions, including ice and snow;
•  Watch where you are walking as you exit TTC vehicles and stations;
• Avoid wearing headphones that will reduce your ability to hear sounds around you;
• Stick to maintained pathways where you can and don’t try to take shortcuts through parks where the snow/ice may not be cleared as quickly;
• Call the office if you are running behind to a client visit and you need more travel time (avoid rushing to client visits).

Circle of Care has partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), to offer a workplace mental health training for health care workers. The sessions will cover topics such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury/traumatic stress. The online sessions will provide coping strategies to support your psychological safety and mental well-being at work, while encouraging support between colleagues.

Circle of Care requires that all PSWs and Homemakers be certified with valid and current CPR training, and that employees be properly fitted for N95 masks. Upcoming sessions for both CPR and mask fit have been booked for February and March. Appointments must be booked through our vendor, First Aid Care, and can be booked by calling 905-272-9214 or by clicking the button down below.

Important reminders – please read:

• Please arrive at the training session 15 minutes before the class begins.
• 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 and/or mask fit training. 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) and 1 hour for 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’
• 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.

We also encourage you to review our CPR Tips and Guidance below.

February is Heart Month, a time to bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health, and what we can to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease. We can all reduce our risk of heart disease by making healthy lifestyle choices, including quitting smoking, eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol levels. During Heart Month, we should all take the opportunity to learn more about the risk factors for heart disease and what can be done to prevent it. Making one small change towards a healthier lifestyle can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being.

For additional resources that focus on healthy living, please visit:

I would like to ask about the gift card during Christmas time. Why are you not sending gift cards to all the employees? This is not a good idea to put into Applause. Not everybody knows how to use a computer. I hope you understand. Thank you.
Last year, Circle of Care moved to the Applause platform for employee recognition as this platform allows us to be more flexible and consistent with our recognition of employees. We understand that this platform may be difficult for some of our employees to use, and that it will take time to learn how to use Applause, especially those who may not be as comfortable with using computers. However, we’ve made it simpler by adding the mobile app on your PSW phones so you can access the app through your work phone. One of the biggest benefits of Applause is that it gives our employees choice – you get to choose what you want to spend your points on. There are many different options for gifts and gift cards to choose from. Please see below for a tutorial on how to redeem and use your points.

If you are having challenges with logging into the app, please reach out to the Human Resources team at HRdept@circleofcare.com.

I been working for Circle of Care for 18 years. How many weeks of vacation am I entitled to?
First of all, congratulations on reaching 18 years of service – that’s quite the milestone! All PSWs and Homemakers can read through the Collective Agreement to determine how many weeks of vacation you are entitled to, based off of your years of service with Circle of Care. In the case of 18 years, the following information (found in Section 19.01) will apply:
(d) employees with fifteen (15) or more years but less than twenty-five (25) years shall receive five (5) weeks vacation with vacation pay equal to ten percent (10%).

We invite you to submit your questions or feedback below. Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers, so if you’ve asked a question that hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you in the coming weeks.