Connecting Through Care 2024 | Navigating Challenging Conversations in Long-Term Care

Our conference this year will be a paid event. However, if a financial barrier is a challenge for you to access this conference, please let us know at events@fco.ngo (a limited amount of Pay-What-You-Can tickets are available).

The rates are:

General Admission: $50 (access to full day of sessions and plenaries, kick-off entertainment)

General Admission + Training by the Institute for Change Leaders: $100 (access to full day of sessions and plenaries, kick-off entertainment & training on the 12th)

Register on Zoom events.

June 11th, 2024 - Conference Kickoff Entertainment!

June 11th, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

A heartfelt mix of Celtic soul and groovy acoustic roots music from award-winning Scots-Canadian performing songwriter David Leask.

June 12th, 2024 - Effective Messaging for Social Change by the Insitute for Change Leaders

1:00 pm-3:00 pm

The good work done by too many social movements, community groups and NGOs is simply not known outside their base. Too often we keep using the same tools and channels, which limits our impact, recruitment and fundraising.

This workshop will provide tools to help identify audiences, messages and the key drivers of behaviour to craft effective and unique campaign strategies and tactics. By focusing our energy – and our message – where it will have the biggest impact our work can take us further. The course will include presentations, small group work, and coaching.

Expected Outcomes

• Learn how to craft your stories to move your supporters and your community to action.
• Refine your key messages and improve your individual presentation skills.
• Practice strategies to improve your profile and effectiveness.
  

June 13th, 2024 - Full Day Conference

10:00 am Opening Remarks from FCO & the Ministry of Long-Term Care

10:30 am: Talking About Death Won't Kill You with Kathy Kortes-Miller

Kathy infuses tenderness into a topic that is all too frequently charged with fear, approached with grim stoicism, or avoided at all costs. Using stories and research laced with her unique brand of compassion and humor, Kathy extends an engraved invitation to view death as not a taboo subject - but rather a shared life experience. Let’s shift our perspectives about conversations about dying, death, loss, and grief together!

11:30 am: Wellness Break & Council Vlog #1

11:45 am: Cannabis and Older Adults - Know the Facts! with Marilyn White-Campbell

In this session, Marilyn White-Campbell will help family council members to: understand the types of cannabis and the special considerations for older adults, explore the current evidence for the risks and benefits of cannabis for older adults, and discuss the implications for the use of cannabis in long term care including persons living with or without dementia.

12:45 pm: Lunch & Council Vlog #2

2:00 pm: Talking About Sexuality and Intimacy in Long-Term Care with Lori Schindel Martin & Kristy McKibbon

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias may cause changes in how the person expresses their wish for companionship and intimacy. Despite these changes, people with dementia have needs and wishes for companionship, intimacy, and the expression of their sexuality. If the person with dementia lives in a long-term care home, support should be available to help the person and their partner maintain their intimacy. To reduce the influence that personal biases may be having on the care provided, healthcare providers and family partners are encouraged to learn about later-life and same-sex relationships. Their own feelings and attitudes toward sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual expression, and later-life relationships can influence the care provided. In this presentation, we will discuss the resources available to support staff and families to help the person with dementia maintain their intimacy while living in a long-term care home.

Presented by: Kristy McKibbon, BAH, MA, GDBA and Lori Schindel Martin, RN, PhD, GNC(C), FCAN

3:00 pm: Networking Session

Join FCO, conference speakers, and family council members from across the province in discussion about the day's conference sessions and share your experiences of caring and leading in long-term care.

3:30 pm: Wellness Break & Council Vlog # 3

3:45 pm: Transforming Long-Term Care Through Advocacy, Policy, and System Planning with Sam Peck and Tiffany Fearon

As caregivers play an essential role in the well-being of residents and are actively engaged in their direct care, they’ve become more and more immersed in tangible facets of the sector. Considering this, a growing number of caregivers and Family Councils want to participate in wide-scale advocacy, public policy, and system planning to improve the current state of the long-term care sector.

While Family Councils Ontario is continuously seeking opportunities to inform system planning, the organization is committed to strengthening the abilities of our service users so they can utilize their lived experiences to transform the policy landscape. This conference session will discuss promising practices for caregivers and Family Councils to elevate their advocacy efforts, stay abreast of sector trends, and contribute to policy reform and implementation.

4:45 pm: Closing remarks

We understand that plans can change, and sometimes attendees may need to cancel their registration. Please review our refund policy below:

1. Refund Eligibility:
   • Full refunds will be issued for cancellations made within two business days of the conference start date.
   • After the conference start date, no refunds will be issued for cancellations.
   • All refund requests must be submitted via Zoom events.
2. Refund Process:
   • Refunds will be issued back to the original payment method as per Zoom events.
   • A confirmation email will be sent once the refund has been processed.
3. Substitution Policy:
   • If you are unable to attend the conference, you may transfer your registration to another individual at no additional cost.
   • Please notify us of any substitutions at least two business days prior to the conference start date.
4. Force Majeure:
   • In the event that the conference is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, such as natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or government regulations, we will provide a full refund to all registered attendees.
   • We are not responsible for any additional expenses incurred by attendees, such as travel or accommodation costs.
5. Partial Attendance:
   • No refunds will be issued for attendees who are unable to attend the entire conference or specific sessions.
6. Non-Transferable Credits:
   • Refunds cannot be transferred to future conferences or events organized by our organization.
7. Policy Updates:
   • We reserve the right to update our refund policy at any time. Any changes will be communicated to registered attendees via email and will be effective immediately.

By registering for the conference, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to abide by the terms of this refund policy.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our refund policy, please contact us at events@fco.ngo