Inside the Circle – November 11, 2025

We prioritize your safety and well-being. We’re highlighting the importance of preventing slip, trip, and fall (STF) incidents—together, we have a shared responsibility to keep each other safe.

Our STF policy outlines:

1. Our commitment to providing you with a safe workplace, and the resources to prevent STF incidents.
2. Your responsibility to follow safe work practices and report any potential hazards you encounter at work.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your Supervisor/Manager or Human Resources with any questions. Let’s work together to prevent STFs and keep Circle of Care a safe space for everyone.

As flu season begins, please stay home if you feel unwell.
If you have symptoms such as cough, fever, sneezing, or a runny nose, notify your Supervisor or Manager and do not come to work.

Need health advice? Ontario offers free and confidential support through Health811 where you can connect with a registered nurse 24/7 and get health advice day or night.

Santa Claus Parade

• When: Sunday, November 23, 2025
• Traffic Changes: The Parade will start at 12:30 pm at Christie Pits, located at 750 Bloor Street West. The updated route will proceed east along Bloor Street to St. George Street, continue south on St. George, east on Hoskin Avenue, south on Queens Park Crescent and University Avenue, east on Wellington Street, and south again on Yonge Street to Front Street.
• From there, the Parade will head east on Front Street and finish at the St. Lawrence Market at Jarvis Street.

King St and Dufferin St Intersection

• When: Monday, September 29, 2025 to Mid-November
• TTC/Traffic Changes: The King St and Dufferin St intersection will be closed to vehicles and transit for TTC track replacement work.

Westbound On-ramp Closed from Park Lawn Rd to the Gardiner Expressway

• When: November 2025 – April 2026
• Traffic Changes: The westbound on-ramp from Park Lawn Road to the Gardiner Expressway will be fully closed from November 2025 through April 2026 for bridge replacement work over Mimico Creek.

Just a reminder to please take a few minutes to fill out the Global Workforce Survey. This survey gives you the chance to share your thoughts about your workplace. Your answers will help us understand what is going well and what we can make better.

The survey is anonymous (your name will not be shared). Thank you in advance for your participation!

Please complete the survey as soon as you can.

Workplace relationships can make or break how you feel about your work. Without civility and respect, you may experience emotional exhaustion, burnout, and even physical health problems.

We have an anti-bullying policy. We need to ensure we are treating each other with respect and civility.

Everyone should:

• Use sensitive, respectful language

• Hold team members accountable

• Be an ally and support your colleagues

• Share concerns and potential solutions with your CSS

Watch the video above to learn more about civility at work.

Caring safely means caring smart. Our No Lift Policy ensures that no employee lifts a client’s full weight, ever. Using lifts, belts, and assistive devices or having another person to assist, keeps everyone safe from preventable injuries.

If a client’s mobility has changed or equipment doesn’t seem right, report this to your CSS immediately. Safety is a shared responsibility, and it starts with you.

Lift Smart. Work Safe. Care Together.

Lifting and moving clients can be physically demanding, and improper techniques can lead to injuries. Whether you’re helping a client stand, sit, or transfer, following safe body mechanics can make a big difference.

Here are five key techniques to keep in mind:

1. Keep your back and neck straight. Look forward, not down, and avoid bending your back too much.
2. Use your core muscles for support. Tighten your stomach muscles to stay strong and balanced.
3. Bend at your knees, not your back. Squat down with your knees instead of bending forward.
4. Hold the client close to your body. The closer they are, the less strain on your back.
5. Lift with your legs, not your back. Your leg muscles should do most of the work, not your back or arms.

Tip: If the client is uncooperative, too heavy, or in an awkward position, get help. Do not lift more than you can comfortably handle. Ask for help to avoid injury to yourself or the client.

Sun Life is hosting a webinar called Financial Planning for the Modern Family.

Topics covered include:

• Challenges of financial planning for different types of families
• Potential pitfalls you may not have considered
• How to customize your financial plan to fit your specific needs.

When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 12:00pm

Where: Online

We are pleased to welcome the following PSWs to Circle of Care:

• Blessing Otokpa
• Victoria Taiwo
• Sarah Duabe
• Maheka Rabel
• Lovely Charles
• Sabina Gurung
• Harmanpreet Kaur
• Nelia Almazan
• Adelaide Aggrey
• Mourene Sherwood
• Sharndeep Kaur
• Linda Biney
• Yogita Gurung
• Jumina Poon

Has someone gone above and beyond at work? Give them a High Five!

The High Five program lets you publicly recognize staff members for their outstanding work. High Fives will be posted in your weekly Inside the Circle newsletter.

To give a high five, just click on the button below or use the link in the rotating banner on the Portal home page.

Please note: We do not accept anonymous submissions for this program. High Fives must be submitted by an individual person, whether they are a staff member or member of the community.

High Five for PSW Michelle Ollivierre

“I admire Michelle’s caring nature and the excellent support she provides.” – Client

High Five for PSW Maisie Bielak

“I really like Maisie and I hope to have her for future visits whenever possible.” – Client

High Five for PSW Jamuna Tamang Bal

“Jamuna is the best, she knows how to help without even asking!” – Two clients

High Five for PSW Shayamalee Roberts

“Shayamalee is a pleasure to have because of her confidence and skill.” – Daughter of a client

I receive my supply bag from the Scarborough upstairs center at Warden Avenue. I’m not receiving the supplies properly. On the paper each of the items are written, but on Oct 28 I didn’t receive my sanitizer. Hope you will find a solution to this.

Supply bags are organized and put together at our head office by our administrative team. While some occasional mistakes are to be expected, we can understand the frustration that occurs when you open a bag and it doesn’t include absolutely everything you ordered.

If you run into this situation, you can email the Admin team at reception@circleofcare.com, or call the main line 416-635-2860 to request the missing item. Alternatively, you can choose to order more of the supply for your next pick-up if it’s not urgent that you receive it right away.

How much do we get paid if we worked on statutory holidays?

Anyone working on a statutory holiday is entitled to be paid 1.5 times your regular hourly wage.

How many Float Days can we get in a year with pay?

You are entitled to one float day per year:

18.08 All Employees will be entitled to one (1) float holiday per year, subject to appropriate notice and the approval of the responsible supervisor. Such holiday cannot be taken to extend any other holiday which falls on a Friday or Monday, nor can it be carried over into the following year. Employee will be entitled to one (1) float holiday per year after one year of continuous service. Full time employees are entitled to one (1) day or a maximum of seven (7) paid hours off.

Have a question? Submit your questions or feedback anonymously below!

Please note that it may take us longer to provide some answers. If your question hasn’t been answered yet, we will get back to you as soon as we can.