Public Health Canada

For: Everyone

Public Health Canada’s page will provide updates on the situation in Canada, how the federal government is monitoring the virus and statements on the topics as they are released.

World Health Organization: Coronvirus Information Hub

For: Everyone

World Health Organization (WHO) has become a source for information globally for those wanting expert, fact-based perspectives on the virus. This site includes videos explaining transmission, online training, press conferences as they happen, situation reports by country and a map of cases around the world. 

Plain-Language Information on COVID-19

For: Everyone

Community Living Huntsville recently created some helpful plain-language documents to help guide their community through the COVID-19 crisis. They have graciously given us permission to modify and share these documents with a wider audience.

CBC: Guide to COVID-19 in Canada

For: Everyone

Developments in the COVID-19 pandemic are nearly constant — and it’s certainly difficult to keep track of everything that’s happening. CBC News has compiled a roundup of stories, explainers and videos on a wide range of topics to keep you up to date on the latest information about the coronavirus.

Canadian Association for Community Living: Disability-Related Resources

For: Families

The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) will be sharing disability-related resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic for families on this page. They will be adding to it as trustworthy resources are developed.

New Visitors’ Guidelines Re-Opening of Congregate Living Settings

For: Families

New visitors’ guidelines for re-opening of congregate living settings no longer require a negative COVID test from visitors. It will even allow for some 12-hour absences when deemed critical to the person’s well-being. Isolation has been a huge factor in declining health for people who are supported in group settings, so we are pleased to see that our concerns have been noted and addressed with the direction of these new guidelines.

For: Self-Advocates

What to Do While in Isolation

For: Everyone

Over at ConnectAbility.ca, you can find a COVID-19 resource page that is packed full of links to keep you informed, educated, and entertained without having to leave the house.

COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool

For: Everyone

Calm: An App for Mindfulness

For: Everyone

During this time of uncertainty and change with COVID-19 many people are understandably experiencing a lot of anxiety and fear. Calm has free content curated for mental and emotional health during this period including various guided meditations, stories, and music for beginners, advanced practitioners, and children.

Blog Post: Social Connection Needed in Battle Against Coronavirus

For: Everyone

On the Tamarack Institute blog, Jim Diers writes about the vital necessity of staying connected to our communities in times of crisis.

Grocery Shopping Tips in COVID-19

For: Everyone

Family Physician Dr. Jeffery VanWingen shows us how we can grocery shop and get take out more safely during COVID-19. By adapting the “sterile technique,” used in the medical field to perform surgeries in sterile environments, Dr. VanWingen demonstrates how to decrease our risk of contracting COVID-19.

Clean My Space

For: Everyone

Looking for ways to disinfect and organize your home while isolating? Cleaning specialist Melissa Maker offers expert advice on cleaning products and tools, DIY substitutions, and time-saving tips through her YouTube channel and website.

6 Free Mindful Courses from LinkedIn

For: Everyone

To help professionals get the support they need, we’re sharing these six free courses on mindfulness and stress management to help you build up your self-care toolbox—global pandemic or not. Experts will help you learn how to cultivate mindfulness practices, manage stress and overwhelm & more.

Package and Food Delivery Tips

For: Everyone

Dr. Jeff VanWingen shares practical tips for handling package, mail and food deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is his follow up video to the first YouTube video he posted, which demonstrated how to sanitize groceries.

Achieve Your Fitness Goals

For: Everyone

Looking for ways to continue your fitness routine during COVID-19? The MS Society has a number of online workout videos you can do from home, particularly for individuals using wheelchairs or those that may have limited mobility.

A Virtual Doctor’s Visit

For: Families & Advocates

It is really important to remember that even when we can’t see our doctors in person, we can still meet with them. Most healthcare providers are able to talk with patients on the phone, but some people are also having appointments using video. It can be helpful to see each other during a meeting, especially when communicating back can be difficult. This video will show you what a virtual doctor visit could look like.

Free Guide to Living with Worry and Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty

For: Everyone

Given some of the news coverage, it is difficult not to worry about what it all means for yourself, and for those you love. This downloadable guide provides a mixture of psychoeducation about normal and excessive worry.

Ten Tips on Navigating Global Grief

For: Everyone

We are experiencing grief right now—global grief. The words “pandemic”, “coronavirus”, “COVID-19” and “isolation” are wreaking havoc on our world and changing life as we know it for the time being. This document from Love Your Life to Death shares ten ways to navigate global grief.

The Risks – Know Them – Avoid Them

For: Everyone

As economies re-open and countries deal with their second wave, Dr. Bromage an expert in infectious diseases provides some advice about being aware of, and avoiding risks associated with contracting COVID.

Managing through COVID-19: How to support your Employees’ Mental Health

For: Agencies

This guide provides recommendations on how to protect your employee’s mental health during the time of COVID-19. The guide was developed by adapting information from the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and the Workplace Strategies for Mental Health website.

Talk2Nice

For: Agencies

The National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE) has implemented TALK2NICE, a free, over the phone outreach support service to connect older adults with social workers and social work students. The aim of this outreach program is to provide much-needed support to older adults during and after the enforced isolation that is part of the current response to COVID-19, the recovery, and as we transition to a new normal in community and residential care settings, such as long-term care.

SNAP Home Workouts

For: Eeveryone

Resource: Guidance for Better Mental Health

For: Everyone

12 Famous Museums with Virtual Tours

For: Everyone

 Looking for an educational experience for all ages that you can access from the comfort of your couch? Look no further than this list of museums around the world that offer virtual tours!

Scholastic Learn at Home

For: Families

Stuck at home with kids out of school? Not sure how to keep them entertained and educated? Scholastic provides a series of remote learning tools for children up to the Grade 9 level.

Events at 250 Clark in Powassan, Ontario

For: Everyone

Looking for inspiring ways to stay connected to your community? One small town offers fun and creative ideas to keep engaged during social distancing, through their “Events at 250 Clark” Facebook page, including Live Bread Making Classes, Virtual Talent Shows and more.

ReelAbilities: ReelEducation Program

For: Educators

Google Arts & Culture: National Parks Service

For: Everyone

The Senate Virtual Tour: Your Digital Admission to the Red Chamber

For: Everyone

Webinar Recording: Supporting the Health of People with Developmental Disabilities During COVID 19

For: Everyone

COVID-19 presents major challenges for anyone managing long-term or acute health issues. It can be particularly challenging for people with developmental disabilities, who are at high risk of experiencing negative health effects, inadequate care and social isolation in this uncertain time. In light of these issues, Community Living Ontario hosted a free webinar on Tuesday, April 14 with four panellists.

Webinar Recording: Understanding & Navigating COVID-19

For: Agencies

A free webinar hosted by Community Living Ontario in partnership with Seamless Care Pharmacy with two guest physicians who are frontline COVID-19 leads at their respective hospitals. Topics covered include information on the virus and how agency staff can take care of themselves as well as the people they support.

Webinar Recording: Ask the Experts – QA Session

For: Agencies

In partnership with Seamless Care Pharmacy, Community Living Ontario hosted this question and answer session with Dr. Marwah Younis Damani and guest physician, Dr. Prashant Phalper to provide an opportunity to ask questions to bring some much-needed clarity.

Webinar Recording: Staying Safe in the Hospital Medical Safeguarding Vulnerable Patients

For: Families 

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that people with disabilities are at risk of receiving inadequate health care services without direct and personal advocacy. This workshop will help you craft a compelling argument for having a bedside advocate for hospital patients with disabilities and introduces a framework and strategies for being an effective medical advocate for people with disabilities who require inpatient hospital care.

Webinar Recording: Reducing Barriers to Inclusion Using Wearable Technology

For: Everyone

We develop technology that helps people who have an intellectual disability manage their stress so they can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying life. Our technology has been used by families and Community Living agencies throughout the province since March 2019. During this session, we will highlight stories from people who are currently using Awake Labs’ technology. We will also provide information about how this technology works, and share details on how to access this technology with Passport funding.

Webinar Recording: Self Advocates Share Real Life Impacts of COVID 19

For: Everyone 

Four self-advocates (members of the Community Living Ontario Council and Board of Directors) will discuss how various restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have affected their lives. This recording will help you gain an increased understanding of how restrictions related to COVID-19 have affected self-advocates personally, socially, financially, and with respect to their use of health and social services.

Inspiring Conversations: It’s Time to Shift from Strengths to Gifts

For: Everyone

Join us for another Inspiring Conversations session. This time around, Bruce Anderson will provide definitions of gifts and the rationale for transforming from a strength-based to a gift-based culture in a helping organization. Participants will have an opportunity to distinguish their skills from their gifts. We’ll discuss a variety of uses for gifts in support activities for people with disabilities, as well as within the employee culture. And end with a question and answer period!

Inspiring Conversations: Social Isolation and Loneliness

For: Everyone

The notions of loneliness and social isolation have been clearly identified as vexing issues in our culture today. This session will do a deep-dive into understanding social isolation. Not only will it cover the research and data related to this concept, but it will explore strategies and actions that can be employed in addressing loneliness by having social capital principles work for the people in your community.

Inspiring Conversations: Where to Now? Re-Imagining Community and Inclusion for a Post-Pandemic World

For: Everyone

Michael Bach will provide a presentation and remarks exploring how the Community Living sector might build on the radical changes implemented in response to the pandemic (e.g., closing day programs, looking for individualized options, etc.). The overall theme will focus on what transformative change could look like, the role of our sector, and how we might participate in the broader calls to address structural inequality and injustice. Participants will have the opportunity to share questions and concerns about how we take advantage of this moment to advance a transformational agenda.

Inspiring Conversations: Long Term Care – Meeting a Tragedy with Strength & Understanding

For: Everyone

This session will highlight the purpose, rationale and opportunity for fundamental reform in Ontario’s long term care and Home Care sectors. The principles, values and lessons learned by the Community Living movement and the developmental services sector in supporting people to live good lives within their community needs to be strategically shared with the leaders now deciding on the reforms to “fix” the tragic situation in LTC and Home Care. The pandemic, the Canadian Armed Forces, the media and especially the loved ones of those caught in this horrific tragedy have laid bare the need for transformation of the LTC and Home Care sector and not just incremental improvements.

Inspiring Conversations: Community is at Home Too!

For: Everyone

Cara Milne of M-Powered Planning will explore the value of community and contribution even during a pandemic. Her stories of how we can support people to be “in the community” will bring hope to the disability sector – since community is right where you are! Cara will also share examples of what happens when support teams unintentionally get in the way of responsibility and contribution. Participants will come away with real and practical ideas! Come and be inspired!

Checklist and Action Items to Access Benefits

For: Everyone

In the flurry of announcements and news about the fight against COVID-19 and ensuing financial supports from our governments, it can be hard to know if you qualify for financial support and what you need to do in order to receive it. To help answer questions about the benefits, and to let you know what you need to do, we’ve put together this list of action items you will need to take to access any available benefits.

Summary of Federal and Provincial COVID-19 Financial Relief Announcements

For: Everyone

Our multi-talented Board of Directors President Jill Teeple has compiled this document highlighting up-to-date information on the economic supports available to those whose financial situation has been affected by COVID-19.

Provincial Network on Developmental Services: COVID-19 Resources

For: Agencies

Resources to Help Your Nonprofit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

For: Agencies

TechSoup Canada is a program of the Centre for Social Innovation dedicated to empowering charities, nonprofits and libraries with the effective use of technology. They’ve compiled this list of tools and resources that can help your organization manage the crisis.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Applications for NPOs and Charities Now Open

For: Agencies

The federal government is now accepting applications for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Non-profits and charities that meet the requirements of the CEWS may apply for up to a 75% wage subsidy. The Canadian Charity Law blog has put together a short guide to your application options, with links to official information about the subsidy itself, how to apply, and what to do after you apply.

Virtual Meeting Platform Comparison

For: Everyone

There are so many virtual meeting options available. To save you time, Community Living Ontario has prepared a list comparing the pros and cons of the top virtual meeting platforms. Use the chart provided to determine which virtual platform works best for you! (Note: Prices are subject to change based on a variety of factors, such as the number of logins allowed and the number of people you would like to host.)