Training for personal support workers or front-line health-care providers.

GPA® Basics is a 4 module evidence-based education session designed for team members who care for older adults who display responsive behaviours associated with dementia. The GPA® curriculum will educate staff on how to use a person-centred, compassionate and gentle persuasive approach and to respond respectfully, with confidence and skill to responsive behaviour associated with dementia.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the relationship between the disease process and a person’s behaviour response
• Apply emotional, environmental, and interpersonal communication strategies to prevent and diffuse responsive behaviours
• Demonstrate suitable and respectful techniques to use in situations of risk

 

Date and Time:

Monday, July 6th from 9:00am to 5:00pm
(You must attend the full day to complete the training)

Cost: $87

 

This is an In-Person workshop at our Alzheimer Society of Toronto head office.
Address: 20 Eglinton Ave West, 16th Floor, Toronto   M4R 1K8
(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. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Registration deadline is Thursday, July 2nd, 2026

Dementia Foundations: The first step in your dementia education journey.

This 3-hour course will provide you with a foundation of dementia, enabling you to enhance your knowledge in providing quality care for persons living with dementia.

By the end of this 3-hour course, learners will be able to:

• Describe Person-Centered Care
• Describe general aspects of aging, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• Interpret how changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease will affect all aspects of an individual’s life
• Recognize that challenging behaviour is responsive behaviour
• Recall services and programs offered by the local Alzheimer Society for professionals, people living with dementia and their care partners

Learners are highly encouraged to take this course before registering for U-First! or Palliative care to enhance the learning experience.

 

Please Read Before Registering
At the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, we are committed to providing accessible education opportunities to health care professionals. When participants are unable to attend and do not cancel their registration, it limits access for others.
If you are unable to attend a session you’ve registered for, please notify us as soon as possible! This allows us to offer the spot to someone else.
Please note that repeated absences without notice will result in restrictions on future registrations.
By registering for this session, you are agreeing to the statement above

 

Click the link below to register

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6wBMBQUZRK6T7eaCqDDmSA

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom. Registration is required.

U-First!® Advanced is a new education program for health care staff who provide direct care, who have already taken U-First!® and want to enhance their skills and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework.

This 6 hour education program will help you to:

• Deepen your understanding and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework
• Improve collaboration among all members of the team, including care partners
• Increase the wellbeing of people experiencing behaviour changes
• Reduce stress and increase job satisfaction for you and for others on the team

 

Who should attend?
U-First!® Advanced is for healthcare professionals who have previously taken part in a U-First!® Basics for Health Care Professionals or U-First!® Online course and want to enhance their skills and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework.
Health care and other service providers with a direct role in supporting people experiencing behaviour changes due to dementia or other cognitive impairment in a variety of settings (e.g. Support Workers, Dietary staff, Recreation staff, Housekeeping, Developmental Service Workers, Adult Day Program staff).

 

Eligibility Criteria:
1) Must be currently in a healthcare role supporting people experiencing behaviour changes due to dementia or other cognitive impairment in a team setting (i.e. LTC, retirement home, Adult Day Program etc.)

2) Must have previously taken part in a U-First!® Basics for Health Care Professionals or U-First!® Online course. It must be at least 6 months or more ago that the course was taken, to allow participants to have had the chance to practice the U-First!® framework.

 

Date and Time: 
Tuesday, March 2nd from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 17th, 2027

U-First!® Advanced is a new education program for health care staff who provide direct care, who have already taken U-First!® and want to enhance their skills and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework.

This 6 hour education program will help you to:

• Deepen your understanding and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework
• Improve collaboration among all members of the team, including care partners
• Increase the wellbeing of people experiencing behaviour changes
• Reduce stress and increase job satisfaction for you and for others on the team

 

Who should attend?
U-First!® Advanced is for healthcare professionals who have previously taken part in a U-First!® Basics for Health Care Professionals or U-First!® Online course and want to enhance their skills and ability to apply the U-First!® Framework.
Health care and other service providers with a direct role in supporting people experiencing behaviour changes due to dementia or other cognitive impairment in a variety of settings (e.g. Support Workers, Dietary staff, Recreation staff, Housekeeping, Developmental Service Workers, Adult Day Program staff).

 

Eligibility Criteria:
1) Must be currently in a healthcare role supporting people experiencing behaviour changes due to dementia or other cognitive impairment in a team setting (i.e. LTC, retirement home, Adult Day Program etc.)

2) Must have previously taken part in a U-First!® Basics for Health Care Professionals or U-First!® Online course. It must be at least 6 months or more ago that the course was taken, to allow participants to have had the chance to practice the U-First!® framework.

 

Date and Time: 
Monday, October 5th from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026

This 1.5 hour workshop  will inspire you to find more of the best moments in your caregiving practice.

We will explore some of the challenges in caregiving, and some of the ways that we can engage more meaningfully with our clients.

This workshop is intended for PSWs and other frontline healthcare providers. So whether you work in Long Term Care, Retirement, or in-home care this course will invite you to think differently and become curious about yourself and the caring relationships you cultivate.

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom. Registration is required.
Registration deadline is Monday, December 14th, 2026.

This 1.5 hour workshop  will inspire you to find more of the best moments in your caregiving practice.

We will explore some of the challenges in caregiving, and some of the ways that we can engage more meaningfully with our clients.

This workshop is intended for PSWs and other frontline healthcare providers. So whether you work in Long Term Care, Retirement, or in-home care this course will invite you to think differently and become curious about yourself and the caring relationships you cultivate.

 

Workshop will be presented using Zoom. Registration is required.
Registration deadline is Thursday, July 9th, 2026.

U-First!® for Health Care Professionals supports health care and other service providers who work with people living with dementia or other cognitive impairments. U-First!® builds on existing curriculum and encourages learners to make lifelong learning a goal. The vision is to provide every member of the care team with consistent education on key skills and best care practices. It sets the stage for common knowledge, language for communicating with all members of the care team (including informal care partners), and a comprehensive approach to care.

This program is for personal support workers and other front-line health care workers (including dietary, rehabilitation and social service staff, activationists, nurses, and health care students).

We highly recommend that you take Dementia Foundations prior to registering to this course.

 

Date and Time: 
Thursday, February 25th from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Thursday, February 11th, 2027

 

U-First!® for Health Care Professionals supports health care and other service providers who work with people living with dementia or other cognitive impairments. U-First!® builds on existing curriculum and encourages learners to make lifelong learning a goal. The vision is to provide every member of the care team with consistent education on key skills and best care practices. It sets the stage for common knowledge, language for communicating with all members of the care team (including informal care partners), and a comprehensive approach to care.

This program is for personal support workers and other front-line health care workers (including dietary, rehabilitation and social service staff, activationists, nurses, and health care students).

We highly recommend that you take Dementia Foundations prior to registering to this course.

 

Date and Time: 
Tuesday, November 17th from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Wednesday, November 4th, 2026

 

U-First!® for Health Care Professionals supports health care and other service providers who work with people living with dementia or other cognitive impairments. U-First!® builds on existing curriculum and encourages learners to make lifelong learning a goal. The vision is to provide every member of the care team with consistent education on key skills and best care practices. It sets the stage for common knowledge, language for communicating with all members of the care team (including informal care partners), and a comprehensive approach to care.

This program is for personal support workers and other front-line health care workers (including dietary, rehabilitation and social service staff, activationists, nurses, and health care students).

We highly recommend that you take Dementia Foundations prior to registering to this course.

 

Date and Time: 
Tuesday, August 25th from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Thursday, August 13th, 2026

 

U-First!® for Health Care Professionals supports health care and other service providers who work with people living with dementia or other cognitive impairments. U-First!® builds on existing curriculum and encourages learners to make lifelong learning a goal. The vision is to provide every member of the care team with consistent education on key skills and best care practices. It sets the stage for common knowledge, language for communicating with all members of the care team (including informal care partners), and a comprehensive approach to care.

This program is for personal support workers and other front-line health care workers (including dietary, rehabilitation and social service staff, activationists, nurses, and health care students).

We highly recommend that you take Dementia Foundations prior to registering to this course.

 

Date and Time: 
Thursday, June 11th from 9:00am to 4:00pm

 

Program is presented using Zoom.

Registration is required. [When registering, please ensure the email provided is one you have regular access to. In the unlikely event of cancellations or other changes, we will reach out to you via email]
Please ensure you are registering for the correct funding (Community or LTC)

Registration deadline is Sunday, May 31st, 2026