Frequently Asked Questions

All Ontario long-term care homes are eligible to enroll, receive tuition coverage, and get backfill reimbursement for team member participation.

All of the training programs we offer are available to anyone employed by a long-term care home in Ontario, including, but not limited to: 

• Personal Support Workers (PSW, Health Care Aide, Care Aide) 
• Nurses (NP, RN, RPN)
• Administration (DOC, Administrator, etc.)
• Recreation Professionals
• Environmental Services

Please note that unpaid placement students and volunteers are welcome to participate in training opportunities, but are not eligible for backfill reimbursement.

LTC Team Members: Training is coordinated through your LTC home. We recommend you speak with your supervisor, education lead, or home’s leadership before proceeding.

LTC Leaders / Managers: 

Step 1: Browse Course Options 

The PSW Fund offers seven different workshops.

Step 2: Enroll Your LTC Home

Enroll your home in your desired course(s) by clicking the “Enroll my LTC Home” button on the course page. You may enroll in as many courses as you like. The contact information you provide on the enrollment form will be used to identify a Lead Contact from your home. 

Step 3: Register Team Members

For virtual workshops: Your Lead Contact will receive an email registration link upon completion of the enrollment form. Use your registration link to view upcoming session dates and register team members from your LTC home. Please note registration links are home and program specific.

For in-person workshops: Your Lead Contact will receive a confirmation email upon completion of the enrollment form. We will reach out to discuss next steps.

The contact information you provide on the enrollment form will be used to identify a Lead Contact from your home. Lead contacts need to be able to: have frequent access to emails; coordinate with schedulers in your LTC home; communicate with team members; and respond to PSW Fund emails in a timely manner. Examples of roles of lead contacts currently enrolled in the PSW Fund are: 

• Education Specialists / Leads
• BSO Leads
• Human Resources team members
• Resident Experience & Programs Leads
• Manager of Professional Development
• Quality Manager

If you plan on enrolling in more than one course, we recommend you use the same lead contact. For organizations with more than one LTC home, we are able to support one lead contact for multiple homes or lead contacts for each.

If a session needs to be cancelled, registered participants and their lead contacts will be notified at least three (3) business days in advance.

Please note the following specific guidelines:

Backfill Coverage: If a session is cancelled after registered participants have already arrived, homes will receive backfill coverage for those participants.

Minimum Attendance: For The Working Mind LTC, a minimum of eight (8) participants must join by the scheduled start time, or the session will be cancelled.

We understand that sometimes, training sessions may need to be rescheduled. If this is the case, please contact us at pswfund@the-ria.ca or 226-581-2369 as soon as possible.

Yes, our course offerings are consistently reviewed and updated to ensure they meet the needs of the LTC sector. Subscribe to the Ontario CLRI newsletter to be notified of future PSW Education Fund opportunities.

Although most PSW Fund courses can be taken in any order, there are several recommended learning pathways that can help ensure new concepts are introduced to team members in a step-wise manner:

1. Creating a Culture of Belonging (CCB) > EDIB Champion Coaching Program

The CCB workshop is a prerequisite for the EDIB Champion Coaching Program. EDIB Champions will build on foundational knowledge learned during the CCB workshop, deepening their insights into the tools and knowledge needed to foster a more inclusive and affirming environment for residents, care partners/caregivers, and fellow team members.

2. LIVING the Dementia Journey > Better Together Dementia Care

In LDJ, participants gain awareness and understanding that changes not only the way they view dementia but the way they support people living with it. If your team has previously completed LDJ, BTDC is a highly recommended progression. This in-person training offers practical strategies to support people living with dementia and will equip your team with a more comprehensive knowledge of dementia care. 

3. New to LTC? Consider One Day: Person-Centred Culture Training and LIPHA 

One Day training is applicable to anyone starting a career in LTC. It helps LTC team members understand how they can foster a person-centred approach in their care provision and among their teams.  LIPHA is a virtual, asynchronous training program that is specifically geared towards new hires. It allows new team members to safely rehearse simulated, real-world healthcare scenarios with instant feedback. It is a 6.5-hour virtual job shadowing experience focused on best practices, safety and teamwork.

Yes. Physical workbooks are available for the LIVING the Dementia Journey, One Day: Person-Centred Culture and Creating a Culture of Belonging workshops. Workbooks will be shipped to your LTC home ahead of your training date, addressed to your lead contact. Digital workbooks will also be emailed to all participants 24-48 hours ahead of the session start-time. 

You can request more workbooks by emailing pswfund@the-ria.ca.

Register for upcoming virtual training sessions using your home- and program-specific registration link. Please connect with your home’s lead contact or email pswfund@the-ria.ca if you do not have your registration link. 

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email from noreply@clri-ltc.ca confirming your selected session date. If you do not receive the confirmation email within one hour of registration, please contact pswfund@the-ria.ca. 

You will receive a second email with the Zoom link and digital course materials 24-48 hours before your session. Physical workbooks are available for the LIVING the Dementia Journey, One Day: Person-Centred Culture and Creating a Culture of Belonging workshops. Workbooks will be shipped to your LTC home ahead of your training date, addressed to the lead contact for your home. 

Please ensure you have access to a computer or tablet with a stable internet connection, Zoom capabilities, and a working camera and microphone. At the discretion of your LTC home and lead contact, you are welcome to attend the session from home or a quiet space within your LTC home. Attendance will be taken at all training sessions. Participants must be present for the full training session in order to qualify for backfill funding and receive a certificate of completion.

Device sharing is not recommended, but we will allow up to four participants to join from a single device (laptop or tablet). Team members should plan to be actively participating in training and, whenever possible, cameras should be on.

Virtual Only

Creating a Culture of Belonging: From Awareness to Action (CCB) 

EDIB Champion Coaching Program (EDIB)

The Working Mind Long-Term Care (TWM)

Virtual or In-Person

LIVING the Dementia Journey (LDJ)

One Day: Person-Centred Culture, Making a Difference Every Day (One Day) 

Virtual Asynchronous 

The Virtual Job Shadowing Package for New Hires in Long-Term Care (LIPHA)

Virtual sessions run Monday – Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. LIVING the Dementia Journey and One Day: Person-Centred Culture training are typically offered three to five times per month. Both the Leader and Team Member versions of The Working Mind LTC training are offered at least once per month. Please visit the Creating a Culture of Belonging course page for a full list of workshop dates and times. 

Please note that training options may not be available every week, depending on holidays, facilitator availability and demand. There is no requirement to register team members for sessions after enrollment if the available dates and times do not work for your home. If your home is interested in training on alternate dates or evenings, please contact the PSW Fund team.

No, team members from the same LTC home do not have to attend the same training session. Lead contacts should consider when PSWs and other team members are scheduled to attend training to maintain appropriate staffing levels within their LTC home.

Participants should log into the Zoom waiting room five to ten minutes ahead of the session start-time so any technical issues may be resolved. Participants must be present for the full training session in order to qualify for backfill funding and receive a certificate of completion.

Please note that for The Working Mind LTC:

• participants who miss more than 30 minutes of content will not receive a certificate of completion. 
• If we have not reached the minimum number of participants (8) by the beginning of the session, the session will be cancelled. For more information, please see the Cancellation Policy.

We recommend that each team member join from their own laptop or tablet. However, we understand that this is not always possible, and we will allow up to four people per device for LIVING the Dementia Journey and One Day: Person-Centred Culture training. For The Working Mind LTC, each team member must join from their own device. If technology is a barrier to participation for your LTC home, please contact the PSW Fund team.

Lead Contacts are responsible for liaising with the PSW Fund team and providing support to team members attending training. 

This includes:

• Completing the course enrolment form(s) on behalf of your LTC home.
• Working with your LTC home’s scheduling to register team members for upcoming sessions ***OR*** encouraging team members to register for upcoming sessions themselves.
• Ensuring team members have the necessary equipment to participate in training (i.e. access to an individual laptop or tablet with A/V capabilities). 
• Receiving workbook shipments and distributing workbooks to registered team members ahead of their session.  

Lead Contacts need to be able to: have frequent access to emails; coordinate with schedulers in your LTC Home; communicate with team members; and respond to PSW Fund emails in a timely manner. Lead contacts will be CCd when registered participants are sent the Zoom link and course materials for virtual sessions.

We understand that team member schedules may change on short notice. If a registered team member can no longer attend, you may send a substitute. 

Please email pswfund@the-ria.ca by the session start time and include:

• Full name of the registered team member
• Full name of the substitute
• Substitute’s email and role in your LTC home
• Any accessibility or accommodations required for the substitute

Yes. Registration links expire on March 31st of each year. Homes will be asked to enroll again and will receive updated registration links for the new program year.

Please contact pswfund@the-ria.ca.

Backfill pay is intended to cover the cost of replacement staff, allowing team members to participate in workshops during their scheduled shifts without any loss of regular wages. Backfill payments are made via EFT and delivered directly to homes within approximately 60 days of successful course completion. Payments are processed automatically upon course completion with no invoicing or action required from LTC homes. Backfill pay is also optional, and homes may choose to opt out if they prefer to participate without reimbursement.

EFT has been arranged for most Ontario LTC homes through existing Ontario CLRI programs, and setup is generally not required upon enrollment. If you have questions about who receives payment notifications for your home, please contact PSWFund@the-ria.ca.

Backfill pay is paid by EFT within 60 days of team members successfully completing the course(s). Team members must be registered and must attend the full training session in order for their LTC home to receive backfill funding. Attendance is taken in the morning and afternoon; active participation throughout the day is required. 

There are no upfront expenses and LTC homes do not need to submit expense forms to claim backfill. Backfill pay is reimbursed at a standard rate of $30 per hour. Please see the Backfill Funding page for more information.

Please contact pswfund@the-ria.ca.

Please see our Backfill Funding page for a full breakdown of backfill rates by program.

Certificates will be emailed within 45 days of completing training. If you have not received your certificate within 45 days, please contact pswfund@the-ria.ca.

In-person sessions are hosted at your LTC home with PSW Fund facilitators. In-person delivery is an option for LIVING the Dementia Journey (LDJ) and One Day: Person-Centred Culture training. Better Together Dementia Care (BTDC) training is only offered in-person. Please visit the BTDC program page for details on the requirements and considerations for this program. 

Considerations for hosting in-person LDJ and One Day sessions:

• In-person sessions are typically planned 8 weeks in advance.
• Sessions require a minimum of 12 team members. If you are not able to fulfill the minimum, we may be able to combine with a nearby LTC home.
• Ideally, you will have training space for the number of team members you wish to train. Please note that this is not a necessity, and other options are available upon request. 
• AV equipment such as a projector and speakers are required for the training space. 
• Catered lunch is provided for all participants and dietary information will be collected when you register team members.

Please note that our registration process for virtual sessions does NOT include registration for in-person sessions. Registration for in-person sessions takes place following confirmation of the session date, via a different portal. Inquiring about an in-person session does not guarantee or confirm the session as they are dependent on the availability of our facilitators.

To express interest in a Better Together Dementia Care in-person session, please use the enrollment form.

To express interest in a LIVING the Dementia Journey and / or One Day: Person-Centred Culture in-person session, please complete the enrollment forms or reach out to pswfund@the-ria.ca.

Please note that while every effort will be made to accommodate in-person training requests, completing the enrollment form or expressing interest does not guarantee or confirm an in-person session. Our registration process for virtual sessions does NOT include registration for in-person sessions. Registration for in-person sessions takes place following confirmation of the session date, via a different portal.

In-home sessions are hosted at your LTC home with your trained facilitators.

This delivery format is only available to LTC homes who have a team member who has completed The Working Mind (TWM) Facilitator Training or LIVING the Dementia Journey Train-the-Trainer (LDJ TTT).

If you have facilitators with current LDJ TTT or TWM Facilitator certification, your home can facilitate the session independently and submit the attendance sheet afterward to claim backfill reimbursement. Attendance sheets must be submitted to pswfund@the-ria.ca by March 31 in order to receive backfill funding.

If your LTC home has certified LDJ trainers, you do not need to connect with the PSW Fund team in advance to run an in-home LDJ session.  

Your home can facilitate the session independently and submit the attendance sheet afterward to claim backfill reimbursement. Your LDJ facilitator can access current course materials via the RIA Learning Portal. Please submit attendance sheets via this form to receive backfill funding.

If your LTC home has certified TWM trainers, you do not need to connect with the PSW Fund team in advance to run an in-home TWM session.

Your home can facilitate the session independently and submit the attendance sheet afterward to claim backfill reimbursement. Please complete this form by March 31 in order to receive backfill funding.