This is a compilation of resources relevant to LTC leaders and team members facing the ongoing challenges from COVID-19. This page provides Ontario CLRI resources and points to select external resources to support LTC homes in delivering high-quality care to residents during the pandemic:
Use the following links to skip down to specific sections:
Orientation and Training
Communication at End-of-Life
Resident Quality of Life
Supporting and Engaging Families
Mental Health and Well-Being
Operations Resources
New resources will be updated on this page as they become available. Please also check out our upcoming events for webinars and other virtual offerings relevant to COVID-19 in LTC.
Long-Term Care Orientation Training
It is important for new and existing team members and volunteers to understand the culture, values, and expectations in LTC homes, especially during this pandemic. These orientation resources can help LTC homes to get new hires and redeployed workers ready to work in LTC in a variety of roles.
LTC Orientation Page
Free online training resources to help orient new and redeployed resident support aides and other roles to the LTC culture and give them the basic skills to support residents. These materials can also be used for volunteers and families who are supporting residents with care during visits.
ourLTC App
This on-the-job reference app allows PSWs and nurses to use their phones to access short tools, 2-minute videos, and other resources specific to LTC.
Support at Mealtimes eCourse
The Eating Assistance eCourse shows LTC team members how to safely support residents during mealtimes.
Visit our LTC orientation page to learn more.
Communication at End-of-Life
Transitioning to end-of-life care can be a difficult time for a resident and their family in the best of times; during the pandemic the pressure and challenges of end-of-life care have increased. Developing communication at end-of-life skills are crucial for long-term care teams to foster therapeutic relationships with the residents and their families.
CEoL Mini-Webinar Recordings
This resource is a series of recordings to support communication at end-of-life in LTC homes during COVID-19 and beyond. The series offers practical tips for creating calm and strengthening team members.
eLearning Course
This course is designed to refresh or develop team members’ communication skills to give quality end-of-life and palliative care. Includes three self-paced, 20-minute modules.
Summary Learning Documents
These summaries offer a brief snapshot and reference to the education from the CEoL program. Use them as visuals or refreshers for your team members.
Visit the Communication at End-of-Life page to explore all resources
Boredom Busters for LTC
In an effort to minimize boredom and loneliness for residents living in long-term care during this challenging time, the Ontario CLRI at Bruyère and iGen Ottawa have put together a list of online resources for recreation therapists and recreation professionals to use in programming for residents.
Virtual Peer Support for Social Workers
This community of practice is for social workers and social service workers in LTC. The group explores the psychosocial care of residents during the pandemic and shares relevant resources and successes. Co-hosted with Family Councils Ontario.
Dementia Social Isolation Toolkit
The Dementia Isolation Toolkit (DIT) gives guidance and tools to support best practices in the isolation care of people living with dementia in LTC. The toolkit was created by the DIT team at University Health Network and is available to students, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
Family Huddle Tool eCourse
This eLearning module will introduce families and LTC homes to the Huddle Tool, a set of five simple questions that families can use to effectively and efficiently share any experience, situation, or need with you over the telephone, especially when you can’t meet in person.
Social Connectedness Webinar
This webinar recording explores the current research evidence that links social connection to mental health outcomes for LTC residents and strategies that might help to build and maintain social connections for residents. Presented by The KITE Research Institute (University Health Network) together with Behavioural Supports Ontario.
Partners in Care Toolkit
The Partners in Care Toolkit, by the Ontario Caregivers Organization and Change Foundation, provides resources for LTC homes that can be downloaded and tailored, including caregiver ID badges and stickers, and a one-page overview of what family caregivers can expect when they arrive in LTC
Visit our families page to learn about other resources to support families
Homeweb.ca
Homewood Health is giving free access to their web resources to all Ontario LTC team members during COVID-19. These online resources include a self-directed cognitive behavioural therapy program for anxiety and depression, a health and wellness library, articles, 20+ e-courses and other resources to support the well-being of LTC team members.
Honouring Grief and Increasing Resiliency: Webinar Recording and Workbook
This recording and workbook will show leaders and team members how to strengthen self-awareness and self-kindness and build compassionate and resilient teams when working with individuals experiencing chronic illness, death and dying.
ECHO Care of the Elderly for LTC: COVID-19
Project ECHO Care of the Elderly is a telehealth, case-based learning program to enhance the quality of care to residents by improving the knowledge and skills of their primary care providers. These 20-minute educational recordings cover topics relevant to LTC homes during COVID-19, such as Burnout and Engaging/Integrating Redeployed Staff and are followed by Q & A from the live sessions.
Visit our mental health resources page to learn about other resources for LTC team members
A Tool to Update LTC Operational Plans Reflecting COVID-19
This tool will support discussions between senior leadership and the leadership team to enable reflection on the COVID-19 pandemic and to inform the development of a plan to move forward. The tool can also facilitate discussions within LTC teams and with other key stakeholders to inform planning decisions.
ECHO Care of the Elderly for LTC: COVID-19
These 20-minute educational recordings give guidance for pressing needs during COVID-19:
- Preparing your Long-Term Care Home for COVID-19
- Busting Infection Control Myths about COVID-19 in LTC
- Ethical Guidance for Long-Term Care During a Pandemic and the Isolation of Residents with Dementia
Sessions include recorded Q & A from the live audience that will prove helpful to leaders in LTC.
Factsheet for Team Members:
What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
This Public Health Ontario printout will support LTC leaders to communicate and facilitate informed consent around the COVID-19 vaccines. We acknowledge that some people have experienced legitimate, longstanding, systemic issues that have damaged their trust in the health care system. We encourage everyone to seek out multiple reliable sources of information to guide their vaccine decisions.