Inside the Circle – April 9, 2024

Has you ever had a client use racial slurs, sexualized comments, aggressive or violent behaviour, or other problematic language?

We’ve added new content to the Portal on working with difficult clients. You can view the content here: https://psw.circleofcare.com/index.php/psw-scripts/#aggressivebehaviours

Here are some examples of words to say to diffuse these situations. Try them out, it may help.

• “I am here to help you, but I will not accept being spoken to/treated that way because of my race/ethnicity/religion/etc.”
• “I know you want to get the best care possible and I want to provide you with that care. In order for that to happen, you need to treat me with respect.”

Always remember to report any event in which inappropriate comments are made. Please call Circle of Care to report to a Service Coordinator or CSS and get any support required from your Supervisor with the client.

Remember: You have the right to refuse work in the case of any violent or aggressive discriminating behaviours that causes you psychological injury impairing your ability to provide service to the client. (For example, the client forces you to remove your religious symbol item or apparel to enter their home. This must be reported to our HR/Health & Safety representative.)

We have also added updated content to the Portal on working with clients with responsive behaviours. Click to read more: https://psw.circleofcare.com/index.php/working-with-clients/alzheimers-dementias-care/

We’re excited to announce the winner of our Hydration Challenge! But first, a big thank you to everyone who participated. Your enthusiasm and commitment to staying hydrated have made this challenge a resounding success.

Big congratulations to Wanli (Shirley) Xie – Your commitment to staying hydrated has paid off, and we’re delighted to award you 2500 Applause points. Expect these points to be added to your account next week.

Let’s all continue to embrace the healthy habits we’ve developed and stay hydrated.

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:

• May 14 CPR – Scarborough
• May 7 Mask Fit – Main Office
• June 12 CPR – North York

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.

The Toronto Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis (TICP) is launching a ‘Pay what you can program’ for in-person psychotherapy sessions with their Student Therapists. The clinic is located at 427 Vaughan Road (North of St. Clair) and the clinic is looking to provide more affordable Mental Health services to employees working in health care. Through this program, TICP is looking to offer weekly, in-person sessions and is recommending prospective clients pay between $5-$25 per session – but prospective clients are welcome to pay what they can.

For more information and to access the referral form, please click the button below.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you’ve wanted to express your feelings but struggled to find the right words? Or perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of criticism that left you feeling defensive or misunderstood. This is where ‘I language’ comes in. In this video, you’ll explore the basics of ‘I language,’ including what it is, how to use it effectively, and some helpful tips for incorporating it into your interactions.

Circle of Care is committed to supporting the health, safety and well-being of our employees. We want to achieve a Healthy Workplace where our employees feel valued, engaged in their work and can thrive in their role. A key component of this is seeking employee feedback and input on Healthy Lifestyles, Mental Health & Workplace Culture and our Organizational Supports.

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey by May 3. All responses are anonymous. We will be reviewing and integrating your feedback into our Wellness at Work Strategy and Action Plan for 2024-2025.

Financial wellness means more than just having money; it’s about using your money smartly to reach your goals and stick to your values.

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada: Tools and Resources

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) provides tools to enhance your financial literacy and wellness. Explore resources such as mortgage calculators, budget planners, and financial goal calculators on their site: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada – Canada.ca

Clever Girl Finance: Empowering Women in Personal Finance

Clever Girl Finance is a personal finance platform designed by Bola Sokunbi. It offers resources, tools, free online courses, and a supportive community to help women improve their money mindset, budget, save, invest, pay off debt, and grow their income. Visit Clever Girl Finance | Personal Finance Platform For Women to learn how you can transform your financial future.

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

Beyond Silence is a free and confidential mental health support program for you. 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, or 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.

Why have my biweekly payments decreased by $100?

Thank you for your question. Because each individual tax situation is different, it is very hard to pinpoint the reason for this. We would ask that you contact Payroll directly with your name and a particular pay date, so they can go back and check to see the reason(s) for the decrease. You can contact Payroll by email at payroll@circleofcare.com, or by calling Joan Gordon (ext. 479), Harpreet Kaur (ext. 241) or Shelina Gulamani (ext. 454).

I can’t go through my Dayforce learning.

We’re sorry to hear you’re having challenges with Dayforce. Please contact Support to have them help you connect to Dayforce. You can learn how to do this by visiting https://psw.circleofcare.com/index.php/psw-phone-and-app/psw-cell-phone/ and going to the Troubleshooting Your Phone section.

Does Circle of Care provide a yearly uniform, and if so how can we request the uniform?

Our employees are able to order Circle of Care branded scrub tops – if you would like to request another uniform top, please speak to our Reception/Administrative team.

Why don’t we have our bonus anymore? I remember that if you’re full time you get $250 and if you’re part-time you get $150 every April.

This one-time bonus was part of our previous Collective Agreement. However, for our current Collective Agreement which is in place for 2021-2024, this is not a benefit that was negotiated into the current Agreement.

Why do we need to stay with Global Benefits? I’ve heard a lot of complaints, even myself – I appear single, but I’m married and have a kid. I tried to contact them, but no answer and no response. Why don’t we change to another provider like Sunlife or Manulife?

Thank you for your feedback and we are sorry you are frustrated with Global Benefits. Our HR team has been working to escalate this feedback and your concerns to our corporate contacts at Global Benefit to request improvements in service going forward. We will also be reviewing our benefit partnerships at the upcoming Collective Bargaining for the new Collective Agreement and will ensure this feedback is brought forward.

I received my Global Benefits card this year. In February I went to the dentist and there was no money – I call the office HR and the lady told me on her side my card is ok and that funds been send to the company. Now when I call GB they told me my card is terminated and I should call my union. I did but I get nowhere.

We are sorry for your frustration with this matter. If you reach out to HRDept@circleofcare.com and send us an email, we can escalate this matter to our corporate contact at Global Benefits to look into this matter for you and get this resolved.