Caregivers Support and Learnings

• Health811 | Ontario.ca/Health811.ca | Call 811
  A free, secure and confidential 24/7 service that can help you find health services, information and referrals or provide non-urgent health care advice. Call 811 or visit their website for more information or to use the “live chat” feature. 

• TheHealthline.ca Find up-to-date local caregiving support services and more, near you!

1. 1. Visit thehealthline.ca and select your region.
   2. Find your area using the coloured tabs.
   3. Under “Health Care Options”
   4. Select “Home Health and Community Supports”
   5. Select “Caregiver Support Services” (or Respite)Tip – By selecting, “Add to Clipboard” you can create a personalized list to share and print.

• 1. 1. Click “Add to Clipboard” next to any of the organizations you are interested in.
     2. Once done, click the “Clipboard” icon at the very top of the screen.

  Need help getting started? Watch How to find services in your area and How to Use the Clipboard

• 211 Ontario | 211ontario.ca | Call or text 211 | Toll-free 1-877-330-3213
  A free, easy and confidential 24/7 helpline that connects people to social services, programs and community supports. The helpline is answered by real people with service available in 150+ languages. Connecting is easy! Call 211 or Toll-Free 1-877-330-3213. Text 211 or visit their website.

• Ontario Caregiver Organization’s Caregiver Helpline | Available 24/7 1-833-416-2273 (CARE) Provides support, information, and referrals for caregivers.  Available in English or French.

Getting started

• Ontario Caregiver Organization | ontariocaregiver.ca| 1-833-416-2273
  Provides support, information, and referrals for caregivers. Available in English or French.
  Start here! Use the Caregiver Checklist to help you prioritize and identify the support you need. Resource Toolkits: Toolkits for Caregivers

• Advance Care Planning (ACP) Canada |advancecareplanning.ca| 1-800-668-2785
  Provides information and planning tools to help prepare for future health care decisions.
  Toolkit: My Advance Care Planning (ACP) Guide  | Mini ACP Guide
  Workbook: Advance Care Planning Workbook
  Additional Resources available for First Nations Indigenous and Metis and in Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, Italian, Punjabi, Tagalog

• Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence | candadiancaregiving.org | 416- 322-5928
  A privately funded national organization that supports and empowers caregivers and care providers. Caregiving resources and wellness programs are available.
  Programs: Caregiver Wellness

• Community and Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS) Support for Caregivers | chats.on.ca | 905-713-6596 Toll-free 1-877-452-4287
  CHAT provides supports and resources for caregivers. Additional services may be limited to residents of the York Region and South Simcoe area.
  Toolkit: Caregiving 101 Handbook

• The Caregiver Exchange | TheCaregiverExchange.ca
  Compiles information, articles, services and videos from different sources relating to caregiving.

• Young Caregivers Association | youngcaregivers.ca
  A national non-profit dedicated to service, awareness and empowerment for young caregivers and their families. Some programs may be limited to certain geographies.
  Online Resources available for parents, young caregivers, educators and more.

Online Learning – Caregiving Courses and Workshops

• Ontario Caregiver Organization SCALE Program The SCALE (Supporting Caregiver Awareness, Learning and Empowerment) Program can provide you with skills you need to find a balance between your caregiving responsibilities and personal needs.
  Webinars: SCALE webinars are available (live and recorded) to help you navigate the challenging emotions that come with caregiving.

• Self-Management Ontario | selfmanagementontario.ca| 1-844-301-6389
  Workshop: Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a free six-week workshop to provide caregivers with tools and strategies to better handle the unique challenges they face.
  Coaching: Health Coaching Online: provides support and guidance to help you make the healthy changes you want to work on such as managing your health condition(s) and its complications, finding helpful community resources and taking action to live a healthy life.

• McMaster University Continuing Education – Caregiving Essentials Course| mcmaster.ca/programs/health-social-services/caregiving-essentials/
  Course: Caregiver Essentials A free, self-paced, online course to enhance your knowledge and confidence in your caregiver role.

• Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Ontario(PGLO) | geriatricsontario.ca/caregiving-strategies/
  Online Course: Caregiving Strategies is a free online course that focuses on improving your skills, knowledge and confidence as a family member or friend caring for a person living with frailty. The associated Caregiving Strategies Handbook is available in English, French, Cantonese and Mandarin.
  Webinars: PGLO Webinars are free and easy to access interactive sessions that are between 30-60 minutes in length and usually feature an expert guest speaker.

• The Waiting Room Revolution| waitingroomrevolution.com
  Created by Dr. Hsien Seow and Dr. Samantha Winemaker for those starting their caregiver journey and to improve the patient and family illness experience.
  Resources: Patient, family and caregiver resources
  Podcast: The Waiting Room Revolution Podcast 

Support with difficult conversations

• Advance Care Planning Canada |advancecareplanning.ca| 1-800-668-2785
  Provides “how-to” resources for caregivers, families and health care professionals, including the Illness Trajectory Conversation Guide that includes scripts to support difficult conversations.

Balancing Caregiving and Work

• Carers Canada | Caregiver Friendly Workplaces– Balancing Work & Care – Carers Canada provides research, evidence and guides to support caregivers in the workplace.
• McMaster University | Caregiver Friendly Workplace Resources  provides a compilation of resources from various organizations focused on creating caregiver friendly policies and workplaces.

 

Programs and Services

• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) | cmha.ca
  Find resources to help you stay mentally fit and healthy. Find help in your area

• Connex Ontario | connexontario.ca | Call 1-866-531-2600 or Text 247247 to find mental health support in your area.
• BounceBack Ontario | Bouncebackontario.ca | 1-866-345-0224
  A free skill-building program designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Delivered over the phone with a coach and through online videos, you will get access to tools that will support you on your path to mental wellness. Youth resources also available.

Quick Exercises and Guides

• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) | cmha.ca
  Find resources to help you stay mentally fit and healthy. Find help in your area
  Guide: Take 15 Minutes Just for You is a printable booklet with quick exercises and techniques to help you with self-care and address burn out, mental health, emotional health and more.
  Online course: Living Life to the Full is an eight-session course that is based on cognitive behavior therapy that teaches participants how to face every-day challenges by learning self-management skills.
  Social/Outdoor: Mood Walks – Mood Walks is a provincewide initiative that promotes physical activity in nature, or “green exercise,” to improve both physical and mental health.

•  The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) | camh.ca | Toll-free: 1 800 463-2338
  Mobile App – CAMH’s Managing your Stress and Anxiety mobile app is now available for iOS and Android devices. If you need technical support or have questions about the app, please contact scotty@camh.ca
  Handouts:
  • Helpful Practices to Promote Mental Health
  • Coping with Stress and Anxiety – Challenging Worries and Anxious Thoughts
  • Coping with Stress and Anxiety – Dealing With Problems in a Structured Way
  • Reflection Exercise – Cup of Gratitude
  • Quick Tips to Support Yourself During Challenging Times

  Toolkit: Older Adult Mental Health – Support and information for older adults and their caregivers including tools to navigate aging and mental health challenges

  Videos

  • Three Simple Daily Habits to Boost Your Mindfulness
  • Grounding Techniques – Exercises for Anxiety and Overwhelm (Available in 14 languages)
  • CAMH – Ask an Expert Video Series

• BounceBack Ontario | 1-866-345-0224Handout: Anxiety Tip Sheet 10 Things You Can Do Right Now to reduce anxiety and stress
  Workbooks:
  • Choose from 20 different workbooks like, Understanding Worry and Stress, Overcoming Sleep Problems and Planning for the Future.
  • Choose from 12 shorter booklets like, Why Do I Feel So Bad?, I Can’t Be Bothered Doing Anything, and 10 Things You Can Do To Feel Happier Straight Away.
  • For young caregivers  9 workbooks that use youth-friendly scenarios and graphics.

  Videos: Online videos to support your mental health.

Caregiver Peer Support & Groups

• Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) 1:1 Peer Support Program matches you with a trained volunteer Peer Mentor to connect with through regular phone calls.
• Ontario Caregiver Organization Online Support Groups is led by two trained peer facilitators who have lived experience as a caregiver.
• Young Caregivers Connect (division of the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) Peer Support Group Young Caregivers Connect Live Chat | Online Forum
• Ontario Brain Injury Association | obia.ca
  Online: Caregiver Support Groups Connect with other caregivers online in a confidential setting. Through the sharing of experiences, you can exchange ideas and manage stress. Each group is designed and facilitated by a Registered Social Worker.

Ontario Government Programs:

• Assistive Devices Program (ADP) helps people with long-term physical disabilities pay for customized equipment, like wheelchairs, hearing aids and specialized supplies.
• Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit helps low- to moderate-income seniors with eligible medical expenses, such as hearing aids, hospital beds, and care.
• March of Dimes Canada | Ontario Home & Vehicle Modification Program  1-877-369-4867
  Provides funding for basic home and/or vehicle modifications.
• Credit Counselling Society | 1-877-398-0297
  Provides information to support caregivers with balancing expenses and financial planning How Caregivers Can Manage Debt and Stay Financially Well. *Some services may have a fee.

Above and Beyond Caregiver Recognition Program Caregiver Learnings is a collection of peer-to-peer recommendations, helpful tips, strategies and words of encouragement shared by our honoured caregivers.  This is updated annually following our National Caregiver Day event.