CENTRAL OKANAGAN PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS SOCIETY MARCH 2014

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1 CENTRAL OKANAGAN PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS SOCIETY News for Adult Home Share Providers & Helping Professi onals MARCH TRAINING INITIATIVES IN MOTION FOR HOME SHARE PROVIDERS The executives of COPCS is pleased to announce we will be providing increased training opportunities for all Home Share Providers in the southern interior region. The delivery method will include identifying training gaps and ensure no duplication of training occurs that is already available in the community. COPCS will gather feedback from home share providers, host agencies and CLBC with a Training Needs Assessment to determine priorities in training topics. PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Dear Fellow Members, COPCS will continue to provide it s yearly large scale community conference to Home Share Providers and community partners. This years conference is scheduled for May 30th and is titled Health & Well-Being in Developmental Disabilities. For further information about this workshop go to copcs.ca and click on Workshop Registration Form. In addition to the training mandates, COPCS will work together with CLBC towards transferring a portion of the de- livery of yearly standards training required of all CLBC home share providers. By implementing additional training and learning opportunities we will improve service to the adults we assist and increase education and awareness in the unique challenges Home Share Providers encounter. COPCS has worked to develop our Strategic Plan over the past six months expressing what we want to accomplish over the coming two years. We are run by a volunteer board and one paid part-time Administrator. Over the past year board members have contributed roughly 500 volunteer hours. For the future growth and direction of the society, the board is seeking volunteers to join our board or various committees. If you can donate four hours a month, please let us know by , phone or in person. I look forward to including the many diverse skills and ideas our membership holds and hope to hear from you soon. Margaret Milsom - Administrator adultcare@shaw.ca Phone: (250) Website: copcs.ca COPCS would like to thank CLBC for their From left to right: ongoing support and Jack Sawatzky, Bruce Hedmann, contribution for the Tess Letailleur, Margaret Milsom delivery of educational opportunities to Home and Colleen Braidwood Share Providers. Inside this issue: Training Initiative & Presidents Message COPCS Member News 2 Home Share Living 2 CLBC & Pathways News 3 Host Agency News 4 1 Bruce Hedmann President - Central Okanagan Professional Caregivers Society Upcoming COPCS Mtgs. and New Members COPCS Membership Form 5 6

2 2 Page 2 CENTRAL OKANAGAN PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS SOCIETY COPCS MEMBER NEWS FREE TAX PREPARATION COPCS FREE FAMILY BBQ COPCS member Carey Earl is a volunteer with Revenue Canada s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. If any of your clients require their income taxes done please call Carey at or you can drop them off at Access Resources, 981 Borden Ave. in a sealed envelope with the following: all their tax slips plus on a piece of paper their name, address, birthdate, social insurance and phone number. As well indicate if they want to be on the registered voters list just yes or no to vote. Taxes are prepared on the weekends. Carey will call to indicate when done and when to pick up your completed information. COPCS AGM The COPCS Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 24th at 11:00am 2:00pm at Dakoda s, 1574 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna. COPCS will be having it s annual free family BBQ on Saturday, June 28th from 12:00 3:00 at the Okanagan Activities Centre, 4398 Hobson Road. We are happy to announce that Glory Days Duo will be providing the entertainment for us at the BBQ. Please mark this date down on your calendar and COPCS will send out registration info. to members prior to this well attended event. BC PARKS DISCOVER CAMPING There are no camping fees for BC provincial campgrounds for individuals & families with PWD status. You are required to complete the (Release of Personal Information) form from Income Assistance for this exemption. You must present this form upon registering at the campground. If you make reservations you only pay a minimal fee. COPCS surveyed it s members in asking two questions to the individuals they support: 1) What is it about your Home Share Provider that makes him or her happy? 2) What is one good memory that took place while living in Home Share? These are just a few of the responses we received from individuals in Home Share: Donna Poupart, Lyla Hunter COPCS XMAS Social PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OK College is offering NVCI Training which focuses on prevention and offers proven strategies for safely defusing anxious, hostile or violent behavior at the earliest possible stage. Contact continuing studies at to register. Course is on Saturday, April 12th from 9am to 3pm and cost is $175. Course code: HLT 178 WHAT IS IT THAT MAKE S YOU HAPPY IN HOME SHARE LIVING? He tells me that what makes him happy is that he has me to talk to and that I listen to him. One good memory since living with us he say s is the time we took him up to our cabin and he got to go on our pontoon boat and go fishing. Daniel and Dianne He said even when he s in a bad mood, I make him smile. One good memory he has is going camping with us and trusting him to chop wood. Daniel say s he likes my food and my hugs. His favorite memory while living with me is when I have all his family and friends over for a party. She said what she liked about me is when we have pizza for dinner. I like you because you trust me and my favorite memory is when I moved in and you helped me connect with my family.

3 3 Page 3 CENTRAL OKANAGAN PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS SOCIETY CLBC NEWS Quality Service Office News: Welcome to Toni Jestadt who joined the QS team as an analyst in January. Changes to Individual Contribution to home share for individuals over 65 years old: Individuals who are over 65 receive Old Age Security Pension (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) funding from Service Canada. Previously, individuals paid $ to the home share directly for room and board. Effective April 1, 2014, individuals over 65 will pay $ to the home share directly for room and board. If you are a home share that supports an individual who is over 65, your CLBC contract will be modified accordingly to balance the change. Please do not hesitate to contact your liaison quality service analyst if you have any questions or concerns at Health Services For Community Living (HSCL) HSCL provides non emergency nursing and rehabilitation services to adults with developmental disabilities. In addition, support, education and training about health care issues are available for individuals served and the people in their circle of support, such as family members and home share providers. Services HSCL provide: dental, speech & language, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and a dietician. HSCL services are available to any person 19 years of age or older who are eligible for services to people with developmental disabilities under the guidelines of CLBC. The majority of referrals come through CLBC but anyone can refer a person to HSCL as long as they are eligible under the CLBC guidelines. This includes individuals requiring service, their family members or home share providers. INCLUDE ME! - CLBC INTERIOR UPDATE Include Me! Provides individuals with developmental disabilities an opportunity to voice how they feel about their own quality of life by completing a brief survey about the things that are important to them. The data collected helps service providers look at and make changes in how they do things and identify areas that need improvement. As this year s survey process winds down, the survey data will be debriefed to participating providers in the spring of Thanks to individuals, service providers and home share providers for their involvement with the Include Me! survey process. For any questions contact Chelsea Muskens at or Chelsea.Muskens@gov.bc.ca PATHWAYS ABILITIES SOCIETY Maria Schmitke - Prize recipient Include Me! Pathway s activity service and administration has moved to their new location,123 Franklyn Road. Their new building (formerly home to Crossroads Treatment Centre) is now Pathways main activity service hub. The building is a BIG breath of fresh air, giving them much better space and enhances the many services they offer. It s an amazing and exciting next step in the evolution of their organization. From it s incredible kitchen and auditorium, to it s numerous offices, activity rooms, admin. area and more.of course we can t forget the central courtyard, which will be getting a lot of use as the Summer months approach. Pathways Integrated Career Opportunities (ICO) employment service has relocated to 555 Fuller Avenue, joining Social Ventures. The lost and stolen bike services still operates out of this location as well. Pathways are planning an open house for May 1, 2014 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

4 4 AGENCY SUPPORTED NEW S 4 ACCESS HUMAN RESOURCES INC. The past six months have seen exciting changes come to Access Resources (AR). In November, AR took over coordination of seven home shares in addition to two existing agency coordinated home shares. In February, the agency took on coordination of another home share. AR is very excited to be expanding into this area of support. AR are accepting applications from individuals who may be interested in providing home share support or respite support on a temporary (i.e. emergency relief) or permanent (i.e. continuing contract) basis. Application involves filling out an applicant and family profile, as well as a interview process and home study. Application packages and additional information are COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS SUPPORT SERVICES This past year has seen some major changes in Community Connections Home Share Coordinator s role. First things first, Karen Milner is doing fantastic and loving retired life, she has popped into the office and gives her best to everyone. After a horrific accident this past October, Angie Ferraro is making leaps and bounds on her road to recovery and is back home. We all continue to wish Angie all the best! Erika Biser has covered Angie s position as Home Share Coordinator and is enjoying the work very much. Erika will be beginning her practicum position for completion of her BSW in April. Thus, from April until September Erika will be working part time and will team up with Jeanette Kirschner to ensure quality support and consistent coverage. Jeanette comes into this co-coordinator position with a wealth of experience in working with youth with disabilities and has also provided foster care for a number of years. Jeanette understands what monitoring is all about first hand. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Erika Biser at ext. 103 and Jeanette Kirschner at ext.106, or via erika@commconn.ca and jeanette@commconn.ca available from Jane Fedyk, Home Share Coordinator at ext. 201 or jane@accessresources.ca AR is happy to announce that the agency has prequalified with CLBC to provide supports in new areas. If you would like AR to provide support services, inform your facilitator of your preference for the agency and that we are pre-qualified in all of the following areas: Individualized Funding Host Agency, Residential (Supported Living: Outreach Support, Shared Living, Staffed Residential), Respite Contracted, Community Inclusion (Employment, Skill Development, Community- Based, Home- Based), Support for Individuals and Families (Behavioural, Home-Maker, Support Coordination) If you have questions about the supports please contact Sonja Alsemgeest, Programs Coordinator at ext. 205 or sonja@accessresources.ca KELOWNA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY Kelowna Community Development Society (KCDS) is currently recruiting Respite Providers to support their existing Home Share Providers. They also continue to recruit new Providers seeking full time Home Share Placements. The process starts with an initial meeting with their Home Share Coordinator to discuss the requirements and expectations of Home Share and Respite Providers. The next step is their application process where you will be asked to provide your qualifications and references, including doctor s certification, driver s abstract and a successful RCMP criminal records check. After all reference checks have been completed, a Home Study is done, which includes all members of the household. Depending upon the circumstances, this may be done in one visit, or a number of visits over a specific time period. Once a new Home Share Provider is approved, KCDS will contact CLBC and advise them of the home dynamics to assist in finding a suitable match to ensure the success and longevity of the placement. If you are interested in becoming a respite or full time Home Share Provider, please contact KCDS Home Share Coordinator, Karen Waldal at ext. 101, or via at kwaldal@kcds.info

5 5 Central Okanagan Professional Caregivers Society COPCS EXECUTIVE MEMBERS Bruce Hedmann - President: ibhedmann@gmail.com Jack Sawatzky - Vice President jacksawatzky@telus.net Colleen Braidwood - Treasurer: creativecolleen@yahoo.com Margaret Milsom - Administrator: adultcare@shaw.ca Address: 815 Wilson Avenue Kelowna B.C. V1Y 6X8 Phone: (250) Upcoming COPCS Business Meetings Dates & Locations Monday, April 7, :30pm The COPCS executive encourages all CLBC funded Home Share Providers and Adult Respite Contractors to become members of our Society. Some of the benefits of membership include: Discounts at local stores Medical/Dental Plans & Life Insurance Social Opportunities Education & Training Opportunities Preparation prior to CLBC home reviews Create more respite options Receive Newsletters & resource information Individual support to members as requested The COPCS executive would like to welcome the following new members: Michelle & Stephen Beckman Shelly & John Stoll NEW COPCS MEMBERS The COPCS executive are happy to have your fellowship and look forward to your involvement with our society. Monday, May 5, :30pm Monday, June 2, :30pm Denny s Restaurant 2130 Harvey Ave. Kelowna All COPCS members and Home Share Providers are welcome to attend COPCS business meetings. It is not our disability that is the problem, but rather it is the way our disabilities, are viewed by others. - Drexel Deal If you wish to attend COPCS business meetings and can t do so because you can t acquire respite, please contact Margaret Milsom at in advance.

6 6 C.O.P.C.S MEMBERSHIP FORM NAME OF CLBC CONTRACTOR: SPOUSE: ADDRESS: CITY: POSTAL CODE: PHONE: DATE: THIS IS A NEW MEMBERSHIP THIS IS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP THIS IS A RENEWAL Signature Dues can be paid by cash, cheque or money order Annual dues are $20.00 per household Please make cheques payable to: Central Okanagan Professional Caregivers Society Date Please mail completed form to: C.O.P.C.S. Membership 815 Wilson Avenue Kelowna BC, V1Y 6X8 (250)