Community Support Month
Community support services support over one million Ontarians each year, including seniors and people with disabilities. These services include personal care, homemaking, Meals on Wheels, Alzheimer and adult day programs, transportation to medical appointments, caregiver support, and hospice and palliative care services. They help clients to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible, and reduce the burden on family caregivers and other parts of the health care system. As Ontario’s population ages, demand for community support services will continue to increase.
October is Community Support Month, an opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness about the value of these services and the service providers who deliver them.
Quick Facts
Home and community care provides health promotion, preventative services, and re-enablement services. These compassionate and cost-effective services help to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and alleviate pressure on long-term care.
Over 25 different community support services are provided by hundreds of charities and not-for-profit agencies across the province. Agencies only receive partial government funding, and are supported by community foundations, individual donations and thousands of dedicated volunteers.
Community Support Month 2024 recognizes the 20,000 employees and 100,000 volunteers delivering essential home and community care services across Ontario through charities and not-for-profit agencies.
Many home and community care service providers will be hosting local events across the province throughout the month of October. Keep an eye out for opportunities to participate in events in your area.
Service Celebration Dates
We are proud to celebrate the following programs during Community Support Month 2024
| Dates | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7-11 | Meals on Wheels Week |
| October 9 | Congregate Dining Day |
| October 11 | Supportive Housing/Assisted Living Day |
| October 14-18 | Community Care Worker Week |
| October 15 | Friendly Visiting/Telephone Reassurance Day |
| October 16 | Respite Services Day |
| October 17 | Falls Prevention and Exercise Day |
| October 18 | Client Intervention and Assistance (CIA) Day |
| October 21-25 | Adult Day Program Week |
| October 23-24 | CommunityConnect 2024 |
| October 25 | Home Help/Maintenance Services Day |
| October 28 | Transportation Services Day |
| October 29 | Attendant Services Day |
| October 31 | Hospice and Palliative Care Services Day |
OCSA Member Toolkit
Coming Soon!
Available to OCSA Members only, find the Community Support Month Toolkit by logging into the OCSA Members only website below.
CommunityConnect 2024
OCSA is thrilled to be celebrating the return of our in-person annual conference. CommunityConnect 2024 is a two-day conference and brainstorming experience bringing together executives, senior leaders and program managers in the home and community care sector, as well as innovators and those working in other healthcare sectors.
CONTACT US
180 Dundas St. W., Suite 1400-B,Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8
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INFORMATION
OCSA is being hosted on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13, signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.
