Innovative Strategies for Supporting Family Caregivers of Older Adults

Help start a conversation with the adults you care for

Caring for and about older adults poses a significant challenge that impacts caregivers, patients, and society as a whole. This course will provide practical and research-based approaches to improve the way we care for our aging loved ones. Participants will gain insight on topics including roles, responsibilities, self-care, communication skills, relationships with professionals, care coordination and planning, and supportive resources.

Who is this course for?

Whatever your role in the caregiving process—whether you are a caregiver, employer, employee, or friend of a caregiver—this course can help. You’ll learn about the needs and challenges faced by family caregivers; and how to support them, so they can continue to care for an aging loved one while maintaining their own well-being.

Instructor

Adriana Shnall

Dr. Adriana Shnall, PhD, MSW, RSW, is the Program Director of the Koschitzky Centre for Innovations in Caregiving at Baycrest. Prior to that, she was the Program Director of Baycrest@Home, Clinical Programs. As part of her portfolio, she led the Seniors Counselling and Referral and Senior Support Programs. She was also the Manager and Professional Practice Chief for Social Work at Baycrest. Adriana has over 30 years of clinical experience working with older adults and their families including outpatient community services, long-term care and inpatient services. She was the recipient of the Baycrest Outstanding Innovations award. Adriana has an academic appointment with the Faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor and teaches at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and at the Institute for the Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto. Adriana is the Chair of the Caregiving Committee for the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE) and is a member of the Ontario Caregiver Coalition and the Toronto Caregiver Coalition. Adriana integrates clinical practice, education, research and leadership experience to support healthcare providers and caregivers enrich their own quality of life and those they care for.

NICE Learning Series on Aging

With our subscription-based program you get:

  • Access to the full library of previous courses

    Gain full access to all previous courses presented by the NICE Learning Series on Aging.

  • Access to our private Facebook Group

    Discuss and network with like-minded individuals across the globe.

We are N.I.C.E!

The National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly

NICE is an international network of researchers, practitioners, students and seniors dedicated to improving the care of older adults, both in Canada and abroad.   Our members represent a broad spectrum of disciplines and professions, including geriatric medicine, gerontological nursing, gerontological social work, gerontology, rehabilitation science, sociology, psychology, policy and law.   Through our international arm, the International Collaboration for the Care of the Elderly (ICCE), we have researcher and student partners in nine countries: Australia, China, England, Germany, India, Israel, Scotland, South Africa and Switzerland. Find out more at www.nicenet.ca 

Course curriculum

  1. 1

    • How this course will work...

    • Before we begin may we ask some questions?

    • Survey Section – Knowledge

    • Survey Section - CONCEPTUAL IMPACT

    • Survey Section - Demographics
  2. 2

    • Slides

    • Introduction

    • Goal of course

    • What we mean by Caregivers

    • Use of language

    • Increased need for help as we age

    • Caregiver statistics

    • Facts about Caregivers

    • Live Audience Questions

    • Racialized Caregivers

    • Caregiver Findings

    • Caregiver organizations

    • International Alliance of Carer Organizations - Global State of Care Report

    • OECD (2011). Policies to Support Family Carers.

    • COVID and Caregivers

    • Parmar, J. et al. (2021). Neglected Needs of Family Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic and What They Need Now: A Qualitative Study. Diseases

    • Assignment 1

    • Assignment #1

    • Live Audience Questions and Signoff

    • Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (2020). Better Together: Re-Integration Of Family Caregivers As Essential Partners in Care in a Time of COVID-19

    • Caregiving in Canada: Challenges and opportunities shaping a national conversation

    • More References

    • Sessions Notes
  3. 3

    • Slides Session 2

    • Introductions and Assignment 1 Discussion

    • Language and Definitions

    • Research on Technology to Support People

    • Questions From the Audience

    • Auditing Websites

    • Mobile Apps

    • Questions From the Audience 2

    • Intergenerational Communication

    • Adapting Technology and Closing

    • Session Links
  4. 4

    • Session 3 Slides

    • Intro Part 1

    • Evidence Based Practice Part 2

    • Types of Proven Interventions Part 3

    • Audience Questions Part 4

    • Identifying Issues Part 5

    • Obtaining Funding Part 6

    • Audience Questions 2 Part 7

    • Virtual Support Groups Intro Part 8

    • How To Find Support During These Difficult Times Through Virtual Support Groups

    • Audience Discussion Part 9

    • Discussion About Assignment 3 Part 10

    • Assignment 3

    • Closing Part 11
  5. 5

    • Slides

    • Intro

    • Energy Audit

    • Audience Comments and Closing

    • Audience Question

    • Lecture Continues

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How will this course be taught?

    Expect a mix of recorded lessons and live classes taught by the instructor. Miss a livestream? No problem. All livestreams are recorded and available on demand. You’ll also participate in animated online discussions and be able to work on assignments to increase your knowledge retention.

  • What are the dates and times of the courses?

    The workshops will be held on March 9th, March 16th, March 23rd and 30th at 12 pm ET.

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