Inside the Circle – March 26, 2024

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 are available. Appointments must be booked through our vendor, First Aid Care, and can be booked online here: https://firstaidcare.ca/circleofcare-firstaidcare-ca/ or by calling 905-272-9214.

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.

April is Autism Acceptance Month, celebrating the talents of autistic individuals globally. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) includes different conditions that affect how people communicate, interact, and perceive the world. Each person with ASD has their own strengths. It’s important to understand that autism is not the same for everyone; it’s a spectrum with varying degrees. Learn about why many autistic people prefer identity-first language: https://www.autisticscholar.com/84-2/

Let’s use this month to celebrate diversity and to make our workplace a welcoming place for everyone.

Please remember you are not permitted to lift clients or anything over 5kg.

Learn more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1enBXiK9eM4o2XOdQ4oOXBMySPpTmTE1D/view?usp=sharing

On April 8, 2024, a spectacular and rare celestial event is set to unfold – a total solar eclipse, where temporary darkness will sweep across parts of the country. Here are some safety tips regarding this remarkable event:

• Never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.
• Use eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard
• Supervise children using solar viewers to ensure they do not look at the sun without proper protection
• If you don’t have eclipse glasses, consider using an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector
• Remember to wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing if you are watching the entire eclipse, as you may be in direct sunlight for hours

Resources for More Information
The Canadian Space Agency (https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/eclipses/total-solar-eclipse.asp) offers insights into the eclipse’s path of totality and times for various locations in Canada.

The Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) is starting up their next round of English classes in May. The 10-week online course focuses on improving communication skills, navigating difficult situations with professionalism, and enhancing written communication for effective documentation. The next classes will run from May 27, 2024 – August 2, 2024.

To sign up call 416-940-3375 or email wendy.wu@welcomecentre.ca.

We want to hear from you! Please complete the following survey once you are done attending the Elder Abuse training sessions.

Don’t forget to check-out the ‘Beyond Silence’ app! This is a free and confidential mental health support program to our PSWs and Homemakers. Through the app, you can access resources to support your mental well-being, and you are able to speak with a trained Peer Support Provider. You can access the app on your Circle of Care work phone, and on your personal device.

ACCESS CODE: CCYP527J8

We ask that if you have just started using the Beyond Silence app, that you fill out the following form:
Baseline: https://canchild.mcmaster.ca/surveys/?s=9XKXWR4KLF44FACE

If you’ve been using the app for a while, please fill out the follow-up form:
Follow-Up: https://canchild.mcmaster.ca/surveys/?s=DDW89H4A9RA47PKH

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.

I would like to know how to earn points at Applause, Because most of the things I like is not enough for my points. Thank you.
There are a few different ways that you can earn points in Applause:

• All staff earn points around the holidays, as a holiday gift from Circle of Care to you
• Staff also earn points for Years of Service milestones, when you reach a 5-year anniversary (i.e., 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.)
• You can participate in one of our wellness challenges, where you’re entered into a draw for a chance to win points.
• You can also earn points when management recognizes your excellent work – this can occur when you go above and beyond in your role, or when you respond wonderfully in an emergency situation.
• Lastly, if someone writes a recognition for you, management can “boost” those posts, giving you points.

If someone wants to apply for resignation, how can they apply for it?
We’re sorry to hear that you no longer wish to work at Circle of Care. To submit your resignation, please contact either your supervisor or Human Resources and let them know.

Just wondering, how come someone who lives in a retirement home is serviced by home care, when they have retirement home staff?
Retirement homes provided standard, regular services to their residents. If retirement home residents are entitled for additional personal care services due to medical or health related issues, they can apply to the government agencies like HCCSS for additional support.

I have noticed lately that our job as PSWs is becoming increasingly hard, especially where I work in the retirement setting of Terrace. it’s like we work in long term care, and the money we make doesn’t add up. We have residents who say, “I hope you get paid well because you work so hard doing this job.” My question is, who is looking after us?
We recognize that providing personal support to clients can be challenging at times. If you are having difficulties in your role, we encourage you to reach out for peer support using the Beyond Silence app, and book a peer support session.

When is the next CPR workshop? I would like to update my CPR. Thank you.
The next CPR training will take place on April 17 in North York. To view the list of upcoming sessions, please visit https://firstaidcare.ca/circleofcare-firstaidcare-ca/

To the worker that wanted to know about the $3 dollar increase from the federal government: the Prime Minister promised us a pay increase when he was campaigning for the last election. it is a pattern for the Liberal party; Miss Wynne won on that line, and she tried it a second time in her campaigning and she lost. Have a nice day.
All parties make election promises while they are running for office. The timeline for which they decide to act on those promises is up to the party leaders. Our organization, along with our partners, does our best to advocate to the government on behalf of PSWs as well as the home care sector in general. Healthcare is a provincial responsibility; however, it is funded through money given by the federal government. As a result, both levels of government are involved in healthcare-related funding.