During the COVID-19 Pandemic, people are feeling more isolated than ever. Evergreen is offering the following programs to anyone who is feeling a need for connection with others and wants to share or learn about other resources that are available in their community.
The following programs are available via Zoom and are either booked for a company or group for a closed session, or are available through Evergreen and open to the public.
Connection Café
Evergreen’s Connection Café launched Monday, November 2, 2020 to help people find social activities and resources in this extremely isolating time. Since then, we have met virtually on the first Monday of every month to play games and discuss community events and activities. It has been a great way to keep connected and combat loneliness during a challenging time.
This year, we are continuing to grow our Connection Café. We will be offering a Connection Café Club once a week. Each Club will have a focused activity based on the requests we’ve heard from our Connection Café attendees. You will find details on each of these Clubs below.
All Café Clubs will continue help people looking for social activities and community events in addition to providing interest-based activities to those who attend. They are open to clients, volunteers, staff, and community members – everyone! These clubs are not support groups – just a way to connect people.
Connection Café – Games Galore Club
The Evergreen Connection Café Games Galore Club will meet the first Monday of every month from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. We will meet to play games and discuss fun activities.
Connection Café – Walking Club
The Evergreen Connection Café Walking Club will meet the 2nd Monday of each month from 10:00am to 12:00pm.
Walks will take part on the trails around Evergreen Hospice and be approximately 1-2 hours in length. We have done our best to ensure washroom access and easy trail options, with spots to rest, but please ensure that you are well enough to walk. We urge you to seek the advice of a physician before beginning any physical exercise activity. Your participation in this club requires registration, meeting Evergreen’s Covid-19 policies and procedures, an awareness of your fitness to participate, and an understanding that any physical activity carries a risk of injury. It is your responsibility to ensure you don’t exceed your limits and inform volunteer, staff, or other participants if you begin to feel unwell during the activity. You will be required to give Evergreen an emergency contact.
Participants must be registered before joining the Walking Club. Registration is through tstanton@evgcares.org or 416-499-2185 ext. 107.
Connection Café – Book Discussion Club
The Evergreen Connection Café Book Discussion Club will meet the third Friday of every month from 2:00pm to 3:30pm via Zoom.
We will discuss books that focus on self-care, grief, and other healthcare related topics. There will not be a specific book for everyone to read, instead it will be more of a reference library for those interested in finding their next book and/or recommending and discussing one they have found to be helpful on their journey.
Connection Café – Creative Club
The Evergreen Connection Café Creative Club will meet the last Friday of every month on Zoom at 2:00pm.
We will provide a space to work on whatever you are creating, whether that be knitting, scrapbooking, sketching, writing or other creative activity. Members will provide guidance and support to each other.
Register with Zoom in advance below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Advance Care Planning and Substitute Decision Making
During this event, we will determine:
1) Who your substitute decision maker is (everyone in Ontario has one)
2) How to ensure they understand your goals, values, and wishes so you feel they are able to speak for you in the event you are unable
3) We will also discuss what you need to know and understand if you are to speak on the behalf of loved ones as a substitute decision maker
We currently do not have a date booked in for the next Advance Care Planning and Substitute Decision Making session. For more information please contact info@evgcares.org.
Compassion Fatigue and Complicated Grief during Covid 19
Compassion fatigue comes not necessarily from hard work, but from heartache.
Death and grief are hard enough, but COVID-19 has made it more difficult. Being unable to come together for our normal mourning and bereavement rituals can lead to complicated grief responses.
We are hurting. This session will look at self care tools and techniques to help caregivers and frontline workers cope and take care of themselves so they are able to continue to care for others.
We currently do not have a date booked in for the next Compassion Fatigue and Complicated Grief during Covid 19 session. For more information please contact info@evgcares.org.
Additional reading:
Challenges on The Grief Journey
Grief in the Workplace
If your company would like to discuss this topic, sessions can be booked with Evergreen where we discuss:
- Complicated grief that comes with the death of a co-worker
- How to support an employee who is grieving
Contact info@evgcares.org to book or attend a session.
Additional reading:
A Slow Adjustment Back to Work
Coping with the Holidays
Holidays and family celebrations can be a difficult time after a loved one has died. In these sessions Evergreen will provide you with strategies to help cope with holidays during a period of grieving. There will also be a memorial component.
This is open to Everyone = Volunteers, Staff, Clients, and Community.
We are offering two Coping with the Holidays sessions this year, with the option of joining us in person or virtually for your convenience.
- Thursday, September 29 at 7:00pm
- Thursday, December 15 at 7:00pm
Register online below for the virtual sessions or contact us on 416 499-2185 or info@evgcares.org.
Additional reading:
“Coping with Holidays and Special Events”