Dear GNAO members,
The GNAO Greater Hamilton and Area Chapter has several exciting announcements to make for all GNAO members. Please see below for information on upcoming Education Series, Education/Bursary Fund, Staying Social Project, and Staying Connected with us!
Education Series
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed older peoples’ daily routines, the care and support they receive, their ability to stay connected and how they have been perceived. Health care workers caring for and working with older adults have also been challenged to go above and beyond to support this population and their caregivers. While these challenges have been prevalent across social media and on the news, there are many positive stories about health care providers, communities, caregivers and older adults coming together to overcome and adapt to the pandemic that are not being highlighted.
The GNAO Greater Hamilton and Area Chapter is pleased to announce their new interactive virtual education series that will take place throughout 2021 titled, “Success Stories During a Pandemic.” This will be a three part series of interactive virtual education sessions with a focus on social engagement of participants. We want to hear your success stories about what has worked for you and your patients!
Success Stories During a Pandemic: Part 1, Transitioning to Long-Term Care will take place via Zoom on Wendesday February 17th, 2021 from 1900 – 2015. The event will feature a panel of guest speakers from the HNHB LHIN and Director of Care from a local long-term care facility. The panel will discuss their successful interventions and collaborations in working with older adults in acute care in transition to long-term care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Registration is free and the event is open to all GNAO members, as well as non-GNAO members. To register, you must email greaterhamiltongnao@gmail.com to receive a link to registration and the Zoom meeting.
Education Funding/Bursary
The GNAO Greater Hamilton and Area Chapter is pleased to announce our 2021 Education Fund/Bursary that is available to GNAO Greater Hamilton Chapter only. The upcoming deadline to apply for funding to attend the virtual CGNA/GNAO Conference (Harnessing the Wonder of Gerontological Nursing) taking place on April 22-24, 2021 is March 26th, 2021. Successful applicants will receive financial reimbursement to cover 50% of their registration costs.
More information about the upcoming CGNA 2021 conference can be found at the website: https://cgna2021.ca/
To access the Education Fund/Bursary application, please click here (alternate link: https://gnaontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GNAO-Hamilton-Chapter-bursary-2020.docx).
If you have any questions about the Education Fund/Bursary, please email Maureen Montemuro (mmontemuro@gmail.com) or Esther Cocker (ecoker@cogeco.ca).
Staying Social During the 2021 Pandemic
At our last Annual General Meeting in November 2020, we heard from members the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on older adults and their caregivers from a social perspective. Members emphasized the importance of having a repository of social activities and services to access and share with patients, families and other community providers. In collaboration with the Hamilton Council on Aging (HCoA), we have compiled a list of activities in the Hamilton Area for you to access. This document is a work in progress, and will continue to be updated on an ongoing basis.
Please see the attachment with this email for the list of social activities and share widely with your colleagues!
Many thanks to Anne Pizzacalla, long-time member of the GNAO Greater Hamilton and Area Chapter for her leadership in jump-starting this project!
Stay Connected With Us!
We are on social media! To stay up to date with upcoming events and to learn about other projects we are working on, please follow us on our platforms!
Twitter: @GNAOGHamiltonA (alternate link: https://twitter.com/GNAOGHamiltonA)
Instagram: @gnaohamilton (alternate link: https://www.instagram.com/gnaohamilton/)
We hope that you are all staying safe and look forward to connecting with you this year!
Sincerely,
GNAO Greater Hamilton and Area Chapter