Hey everyone, it’s been a while since we posted this video showing how to safely put on and take off PPE, so here is the link again:
Celebrate Caregivers this Month!
Hey everyone, last month we celebrated Community Inclusion month…this month, we invite you to join us — and other organizations in North America! — in celebrating CAREGIVERS!
While the first Tuesday of April has been adopted as National Caregiver Day in Canada, we are having caregivers take over the month of November on our blog — you can expect to see posts each week with Great News! that recognize and feature caregivers, training opportunities and resources, Frequently Asked Questions (and a summary of answers) and suggested topics!
To start us off, we are featuring the Caregivers Resource Expo — where you can find resources under the topics of connecting, empowering, and supporting caregivers — on the Carers Canada webpage. Check it out and pass it on!
Beat the Cold!
The past week has seen dropping temperatures and chilly weather here in the Okanagan, and across BC…
It’s important to know how to stay safe in the cold! Check out these 7 steps to cold weather safety, ICBC’s winter driving webpage, and Shift Into Winter from the Winter Driving Safety Alliance for more information on how to stay safe.
Daylight Saving Time Ends…
Hey everyone, just a reminder that Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends this weekend on Sunday! Since this change happens in the wee hours of the morning on November 1st, you might want to change your clocks (if needed) the night before, when you go to bed.
Win the Fight…
Hey everyone, the Boston Consulting Group has posted some great COVID-19 articles and resources on their Restarting Societies and Economies—Safely page — check it out here!
Check Out “Here to Help”
Here to Help is a BC-based resource there to help you take care of your mental health and use substances in healthier ways, find the information you need to manage mental health and substance use problems, and learn how you can support a loved one. Check out their website, and pass along the information!
Fabric Masks… do they really work?
Here’s a link to a great article on some research associated with protecting yourself and others by wearing a cloth mask.
Stay safe everyone!
Upcoming Virtual Training – Mental Health, COVID-19, and Health & Wellbeing Conference!
Hey everyone, don’t miss out on these upcoming training opportunities!
October 22 – November 26, 2020
info
Thursdays from 1:30-3:30 PM EST
Let’s Learn Research
Join a virtual course for adults with developmental disabilities to learn about mental health research. Let’s Learn Research is led by researchers at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and will run every Thursday from October 22 to November 26 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.
November 3 – December 8, 2020
Click here for more info
Tuesdays from 1:00-2:30 PM EST
Mental Health for adults with developmental disabilities during COVID
The Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH is hosting a new virtual course beginning November 3, 2020. This course is for family caregivers of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). The curriculum will specifically address the mental health challenges that this population can face during the COVID-19 pandemic.
November 26-27, 2020
7th Biennial Conference on Developmental Disabilities: Health and Wellbeing across the Lifespan VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Online registration is now OPEN, Early Bird Registration available until October 30th.The term developmental disabilities (DD) refers to people with intellectual disability, autism spectrum, fetal alcohol spectrum and related neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes. Children, youth, and adults with DD are vulnerable to high rates of general health and mental health concerns. This interactive 2020 conference will focus on practical strategies to optimize the quality of life for people with DD. Our goal is to help clinicians and caregivers learn effective ways to work with people with DD, and their families, in partnership to improve their quality of life experience. The conference will also provide educational and informative psychiatric, behavioural, mental health, and complex physical health updates specific to people with DD, and showcase best practices in the field. This conference will engage health care providers and educators from a wide range of professional disciplines in knowledge transfer and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Click here for more info
Please note that the conference is scheduled to run from 8:30am – 12:30 pm PST / 11:30 – 3:30pm EST (-/+ 30 minutes) from November 26-27, 2020. The registration fee includes access to the conference portal for the days registered, as well as viewing of all session recordings for two weeks after the conference adjourns.
Your Right to…Vote
Hey everybody, we are celebrating rights (and responsibilities) this month! Today’s post is about VOTING. You can register to vote in BC if you are:
- 18 or older by General Voting Day (Oct. 24)
- a Canadian citizen, and
- a BC resident for the past six months as of General Voting Day (Oct. 24)
While Election Day in BC is coming up next Saturday (Oct. 24), in many places advance voting starts TODAY (Oct. 15)! If you plan to vote, check out what political parties say they will do about issues you care about. For example, the BC Special Olympics focused in on health care, check out this article for more information. Inclusion BC wrote to the political parties to find out what their plans were, check out their questions and issues here. You will need to decide which political party you will vote for in the election.
When you have decided who you will vote for, you will need to know where to go to vote. Find the place you will be voting (either in advance, or on Oct. 24) on the Elections BC website.
You will need to bring some specific items with you when you go to vote. You might want to get the items together in advance (i.e. your ID, a mask, etc). If you aren’t sure what you need, there is more information in this Elections BC voter guide.
Most importantly, if you’re planning to vote… ask for help, if you need it! Here are some ideas of who you could talk to and ask for help:
- Your family or your friends
- Your support worker or your home share provider
- People you know at your church or in your neighborhood
When you’re making your plan to get out there and vote, you might need to know what help is available at the voting station. You can find information about what help is available on this Elections BC webpage.
Elections BC also has a webpage all about keeping healthy and safe while you vote — check it out here.
Happy voting!
LINK! Training – Starts next week!
Hey everyone, if you haven’t already – check out the LINK! training all about safety, sexuality and relationships, starting next week online through posAbilities! This training is open to participants in the Okanagan and in the Kootenays.
Sign up or get in touch with your questions: https://www.laurelbc.ca/c-2020/
