The TEACH (Training, Education, and Assistance for Caregiving at Home) Program is a support group for unpaid caregivers of persons with dementia which consists of 4 weekly group sessions that are each 90 minutes long.

Learning objectives:

• Coaches care partners in practical communication and coping skills
• Focus on common caregiving themes including; self-care, healthcare system navigation, relationship changes and future planning
• Provides opportunity to share and learn from other care partners

Session dates:
Tuesdays from 5:00pm–6:30pm, starting August 11th, ending September 1st.

• Week 1 – August 11, 2026
• Week 2 – August 18, 2026
• Week 3 – August 25, 2026
• Week 4 – September 1, 2026

Please note, participants are expected to commit to all 4 sessions listed above. Kindly register only if these dates work for you.

 

If registration is closed or this schedule does not work for you at this time, you are encouraged to fill out the form on this webpage: https://alz.to/programs/support-services/enhancing-care-program/. Additionally, you can check out our ongoing support groups that are available for registration month-to-month. See a list of upcoming support groups here.

 

Location: This program takes place online using Zoom.

 

 

This 8-week online program is for adult child care partners of people with mid- to late-stage dementia. Developed by the Reitman Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital, CARERS is a comprehensive dementia care program that supports problem-solving skill development and introduces the innovative use of standardized patients – actors trained to simulate real-life situations – so that caregivers, guided by expert clinical coaches, will learn how to address communication challenges. Alzheimer Society of Durham Region made an excellent video that explains the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaB0aHqBC98

Goals of the Program:

• Enhance practical skills for caregivers
• Improve caregivers’ coping and problem-solving skills
• Enhance caregivers’ confidence in dealing with challenges
• Improve caregivers’ social interaction and social support

Session dates:
Tuesdays from 10:30am–12:30pm, starting June 9th and ending July 28th.

• Week 1 – June 9, 2026
• Week 2 – June 16, 2026
• Week 3 – June 23, 2026
• Week 4 – June 30, 2026
• Week 5 – July 7, 2026
• Week 6 – July 14, 2026
• Week 7 – July 21, 2026
• Week 8 – July 28, 2026

Please note, participants are expected to commit to all 8 sessions listed above. Kindly register only if these dates work for you.
If this schedule does not work for you at this time, you are encouraged to check out our ongoing support groups that are available for registration month-to-month. See a list of upcoming support groups here.

 

A phone screening and an assessment appointment (in-person or via Zoom) are prerequisites for registration. Registration closes on Friday May 29th.

An Enhancing Care Clinician in the Social Work Department will contact you for your phone screening and assessment. Phone screenings usually take 10-15 minutes. Assessments can be done in-person or via Zoom and usually take 30-90 minutes.

This 8-week in-person program is for spousal care partners of people with mid- to late-stage dementia. Developed by the Reitman Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital, CARERS is a comprehensive dementia care program that supports problem-solving skill development and introduces the innovative use of standardized patients – actors trained to simulate real-life situations – so that caregivers, guided by expert clinical coaches, will learn how to address communication challenges. Alzheimer Society of Durham Region made an excellent video that explains the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaB0aHqBC98

Goals of the Program:

• Enhance practical skills for caregivers
• Improve caregivers’ coping and problem-solving skills
• Enhance caregivers’ confidence in dealing with challenges
• Improve caregivers’ social interaction and social support

Session dates:
Thursdays from 10:00am–12:00pm, starting June 11th and ending July 30th.

• Week 1 – June 11, 2026
• Week 2 – June 18, 2026
• Week 3 – June 25, 2026
• Week 4 – July 2, 2026
• Week 5 – July 9, 2026
• Week 6 – July 16, 2026
• Week 7 – July 23, 2026
• Week 8 – July 30, 2026

Please note, participants are expected to commit to all 8 sessions listed above. Kindly register only if these dates work for you.
If this schedule does not work for you at this time, you are encouraged to check out our ongoing support groups that are available for registration month-to-month. See a list of upcoming support groups here.

 

Screening and an assessment are prerequisites for registration. Registration closes on Monday June 8, 2026.
An Enhancing Care Clinician in the Social Work Department will contact you for your phone screening and assessment. Phone screenings usually take 10-15 minutes. Assessments can be done in-person or via Zoom and usually take 30-90 minutes.

 

If you are interested in a future session, please Click Here to fill in the expression of interest form.

The focus of the session will be on providing an overview of MCI and the differences between normal aging, MCI and dementia.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Increase knowledge of MCI and the differences between normal aging, MCI and dementia
• Explore how MCI impacts individuals and families
• Learn how to optimize cognitive health
• Develop an understanding of supportive services in the community

 

This workshop is for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and/or care partners of people living with MCI.

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.

This workshop is for care partners of persons in the late stage of dementia. It provides an opportunity to discuss issues regarding changes in the late stage, approaching the End-of-Life, making difficult decisions for this stage, grief and the need to take care of yourself.

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals.

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.

This workshop will review the importance of Advance Care Planning, and the steps involved in the process, in the case where one becomes mentally incapable of making their health care decisions.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding Advance Care Planning and why it is important
• Learning about the steps involved in Advance Care Planning
• Understanding what a Substitute Decision Maker is, and how to appoint a Power of Attorney for Personal Health, and a Power of Attorney for Property
• Recognizing what capacity and incapacity mean in Ontario

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals. 

 

The focus of the session will be on exploring the concept of denial and anosognosia, how it impacts persons with dementia and their care partners, and strategies for assisting families.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Exploring the concept of denial and anosognosia, particularly, how they differ
• Identifying how denial impacts persons with dementia and their care partners
• Strategies for supporting someone through denial or anosognosia

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals.

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.

The focus of the session will be on exploring significant sources of conflict for families dealing with dementia and strategies for assisting families, building on strengths and resilience.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Identifying family dynamics and their effects on families
• Exploring significant sources of conflict for families dealing with dementia
• Reviewing strategies for assisting families, building on strength and resilience

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals.

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.

Losing someone who had dementia can be a unique and complex experience for those who cared for them. This presentation will explore these issues, identify various approaches to grief, and suggest ways for care partners to cope with loss.

 

This workshop will incorporate a support group element.

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals.

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.

This workshop provides an overview of behaviours in dementia and communicating in a supportive manner. It will focus on providing participants with the knowledge of how behaviours and communication can change over the course of the disease and ways to supportively communicate with a person living with dementia.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Learning how dementia impacts communication
• Recognizing that behaviour is a form of communication
• Discussing how to identify the meaning of behaviours in dementia and ways to offer support

 

Please note this workshop is only for informal care partners (friends, family, etc) of a person living with dementia. This workshop is NOT for healthcare professionals.

Workshop will be presented using Zoom, registration required to receive link.