By the end of 2025, the Caregiver Support & Education Program Team will have delivered 4 Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC) Workshops. Each PTC Workshop is a 6-week series that provides caregivers with tools and strategies to better handle the unique challenges they face.

In the classes, caregivers develop a wealth of self-care tools to:

• reduce personal stress, change negative self-talk, communicate their needs to family members and healthcare or service providers, communicate effectively in challenging situations.
• recognize the messages in their emotions, deal with difficult feelings, and make tough caregiving decisions.
• class participants also receive a copy of The Caregiver Help book, developed specifically for the class.

(Self Management Ontario, 2025)

What do Caregivers have to say?

“Thank you so much for your very effective leadership of our Powerful Tools for Caregivers course. Your enthusiasm, sensitivity and your personal sharing were very much appreciated. There were lots of ‘take home’ value for me. Thank you again.”-PTC Participant

“I left the Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshop feeling more confident and equipped thanks to your guidance.” -PTC Participant

“Powerful Tools and your leadership gave me new strategies I can apply right away.”- PTC Participant

The Caregiver Support & Education Program Team has also delivered 3 Guided Painting sessions and 3 Mood Painting workshops. (photo below)

Painting and making art, has contributed to higher mental well-being, giving the participants a break from everyday stresses in their lives and giving them another focus, even if it was only for a few hours.

Next to the painting workshops, the team has worked closely with community partners to bring education about Stroke Prevention and First Aid at Home to several groups in our community.