Tag: Care Partner

This 8-week in-person program is for adult child* care partners of persons 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

*although “adult child” typically means that the person living with dementia is the care partner’s parent, it can also be an aunt, uncle, sibling, cousin, or friend as long as the care partner is the primary unpaid caregiver.

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:
Wednesdays from 5:30pm–7:30pm, starting May 19th and ending July 7th.

• Week 1 – Wednesday May 19th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 2 – Wednesday May 26th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 3 – Wednesday June 2nd, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 4 – Wednesday June 9th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 5 – Wednesday June 16th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 6 – Wednesday June 23rd, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 7 – Wednesday June 30th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm
• Week 8 – Wednesday July 7th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:30pm

Please note, participants are expected to commit to all 8 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. 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.

 

Screening and an assessment are prerequisites for registration. Registration closes on May 12th, 2027. An Enhancing Care Clinician in the Social Work Department will contact you for your 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 persons 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:
Wednesdays from 3:00pm–5:00pm, starting March 17th and ending May 5th.

• Week 1 – Wednesday March 17th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 2 – Wednesday March 24th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 3 – Wednesday March 31st, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 4 – Wednesday April 7th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 5 – Wednesday April 14th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 6 – Wednesday April 21st, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 7 – Wednesday April 28th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm
• Week 8 – Wednesday May 5th, 2027 – 3:00pm-5:00pm

Please note, participants are expected to commit to all 8 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. 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.

 

Screening and an assessment are prerequisites for registration. Registration closes on March 10th. An Enhancing Care Clinician in the Social Work Department will contact you for your 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.

The TEACH (Training, Education, and Assistance for Caregiving at Home) Program is an interactive support group for care partners of persons living with dementia in Ontario, including partners, spouses, siblings, adult children and other family members and friends.

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 5:30pm–7:00pm, starting March 16th and ending April 6th.

• Week 1 – Tuesday March 16th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:00pm
• Week 2 – Tuesday March 23rd, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:00pm
• Week 3 – Tuesday March 30th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:00pm
• Week 4 – Tuesday April 6th, 2027 – 5:30pm-7:00pm

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. 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.

 

 

Join us for a special Glow-in-the-Dark Painting Art Experience this holiday season! Get creative and brighten up the season with colourful, glow-in-the-dark painting. Explore simple and fun painting techniques with Artbox Studio Gallery Instructors while creating your own festive artwork in a relaxed and social setting. No previous art experience is needed, just bring your imagination and let your creativity glow! This experience is for individuals living with mild to moderate dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), along with their care partners. Facilitator: About Artbox Studio & Gallery Artbox Studio & Gallery is a creative workshop studio in Toronto offering a variety of hands-on art experiences for individuals, families, groups, and corporate teams. From traditional painting to paint pouring, resin art, fluid bears, and unique specialty workshops, Artbox provides opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to explore their creativity and try something new. With a focus on making art approachable and enjoyable, our guided workshops provide a relaxed, welcoming environment where no previous artistic experience is needed. Whether discovering a new hobby, enjoying a creative outing, or bringing people together through art, Artbox makes creativity accessible to everyone.

For more information about this program, please contact Chitra Devi at cdevi@alz.to or phone 416-201-3678

A favourite song, an inside joke, the way you take your coffee together. What would you put in a short film about a day in your life?

In SPOUSES IN FRAME, you’ll create a short film of something meaningful about your life together. This five-session program is for people caring for a spouse or partner living with diagnosed or suspected cognitive impairment. You don’t need any filmmaking experience. If you’ve never recorded a video on your phone or have no idea how editing works, you’re welcome here.

I’m Chris Bell, a social worker at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. Before becoming a social worker, I spent 15 years writing, producing and editing for film and television. I enjoy finding creative ways to help people tell their stories, explore what those stories mean to them and notice strengths they might overlook. Through group and one-to-one sessions, I’ll help you find a starting point, capture moments on your phone and put your film together. You might begin with a clip from this morning, a photo from 30 years ago or a memory you want to tell in your own voice, you choose what to include. There’s room for hard feelings, too, without having to put a positive spin on them. That’s the spirit I bring to SPOUSES IN FRAME. You bring the story; I’ll help you make the film and find the meaning.

At the end of the program, you’ll come together to watch each other’s films and talk about what stood out. Sometimes a moment in someone else’s film puts words to something you’ve felt. Sometimes someone notices a detail in yours and says, “We do that too.” Sharing the films gives each spouse a chance to be heard and to see everyday life through another care partner’s eyes.

Program Schedule (all sessions in person unless otherwise indicated)

Session 1 – Group – January 21

Session 2 – Individual (can be offered virtually) – January 25 & 26

Session 3 – Group – February 4

Session 4 – Individual – February 15 & 16

Session 5 – Group Screening – February 19

A short screening call is required to ensure appropriateness for the group.

Email Chris at cbell@alz.to if you have any questions or want to express interest for a future iteration of the program.

The Community Connections Café is a welcoming space where people with memory loss or Dementia, and their care partners, can come to connect with others and support their brain health while socializing. This is an opportunity to enjoy simple refreshments and make new friends in a Dementia Friendly Community Space.

The Community Connections Cafe focuses on social wellness for people with memory loss or Dementia, and their care partners. The program is informal with the intended atmosphere of a local coffee shop where participants can chat over a beverage, do something creative, or play a game.

 

Every 3rd Wednesday of the month from 2:30pm to 4:30pm In-person at our AST Head Office
Location: 20 Eglinton Ave West, 16th Floor, Toronto
(Northwest corner of Yonge and Eglinton, across the street from Yonge and Eglinton subway station. Our office tower is to the left of Metro Grocery)

 

Registration is required for this program and closes at midnight (12am) the day prior to the event.
Please specify the number of guests attending when you register. You may register up to 3 persons per group.

This ongoing monthly support group provides an opportunity for care partners of individuals diagnosed with OR suspected of having cognitive impairment to come together to support each other through the caregiving experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Opportunity to share insights with each other related to their personal caregiving experiences
• Discuss and share different strategies regarding self-care and care for their family members (including stress, communication and responding to behaviours)
• Learn about how others are adjusting to their own changing relationship
• Receive updated information about dementia and the services available at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto

 

Every last Wednesday of the month from 2:30pm to 4:30pm In-person
Location: 20 Eglinton Ave West, 16th Floor, Toronto
(Northwest corner of Yonge and Eglinton, across the street from Yonge and Eglinton subway station. Our office tower is to the left of Metro Grocery)

 

*Disclaimer: Registration for this group closes on the Monday prior to the session. Your registration for this session does not apply to future dates. Please check your junk/spam email box if you do not receive the registration confirmation email. If you’re having trouble registering, please let us know by emailing: intake@alz.to

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FOR INFORMAL CAREGIVERS/PARTNERS/FAMILY/FRIENDS. If you are a PAID Healthcare Provider, please see program offerings here: https://alz.to/health-care-professionals/

This monthly support group will provide an opportunity for spousal caregivers of individuals diagnosed with OR suspected of having cognitive impairment to come together to support each other through the caregiving experience.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Opportunity to share insights with each other related to their personal caregiving experiences
• Discuss and share different strategies regarding self-care and care for the person they are supporting (including stress, communication and responding to behavioural and cognitive changes)
• Learn about how others are adjusting to and coping with their caregiving journey
• Receive updated information about dementia and the services available at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto

 

Every last Monday of the month from 1:30pm to 3:00pm online using Zoom
(Zoom information will be provided via email at least 24-48 hours prior to the date)

 

*Disclaimer: Registration for this group closes on the Friday prior to the session. Your registration for this session does not apply to future dates. Please check your junk/spam email box if you do not receive the registration confirmation email. If you’re having trouble registering, please let us know by emailing: intake@alz.to

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FOR INFORMAL CAREGIVERS/PARTNERS/FAMILY/FRIENDS. If you are a PAID Healthcare Provider, please see program offerings here: https://alz.to/health-care-professionals/

This monthly open support group will provide an opportunity for care partners of a parent diagnosed with OR suspected of having cognitive impairment to come together to support each other through the caregiving experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Opportunity to share insights with each other related to their personal caregiving experiences
• Discuss and share different strategies regarding self-care and care for their family members (including stress, communication and responding to behaviours)
• Learn about how others are adjusting to their own changing relationship
• Receive updated information about dementia and the services available at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto

 

Every 3rd Thursday of the month from 5:30pm to 7:30pm online using Zoom
(Zoom information will be provided via email at least 24-48 hours prior to the date)

 

*Disclaimer: Registration for this group closes on the Monday prior to the session. Your registration for this session does not apply to future dates. Please check your junk/spam email box if you do not receive the registration confirmation email. If you’re having trouble registering, please let us know by emailing: intake@alz.to

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FOR INFORMAL CAREGIVERS/PARTNERS/FAMILY/FRIENDS. If you are a PAID Healthcare Provider, please see program offerings here: https://alz.to/health-care-professionals/