Young Caregivers › Forums › News › Do you live in Southwestern Ontario? We are looking for young caregivers to join an in-person forum opportunity in Stratford, ON!
The Rural/Remote Caregiver Initiative
Target Audience
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) is looking for caregivers who reside in Southwestern Ontario to participate in an all-day in-person forum on October 30, 2025, in Stratford, ON; focused on health care access for caregivers living in rural and remote areas. The OCO is looking to deepen its understanding and elevate the diverse voices of caregivers who live outside of urban and suburban areas.
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) defines caregivers as ordinary people who provide physical and emotional support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour of any age, without pay. Care may be needed due to frailty, palliative care, long-term illness, long-term recovery from accident or surgery, degenerative disease, physical, cognitive, or mental conditions or disabilities.
What to expect?
We are looking to invite up to thirty caregivers from the region to participate at the event. A planning committee, comprised of community partners and caregivers, is in place to plan the forum. Caregiver contributions will involve the following:
1. Participate in person from 9:00am – 3:00pm on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
2. Share insights into their caregiving role, address gaps in service within rural and remote settings, and start to collectively identify solutions to bridge those gaps.
What will OCO provide caregivers who are participating in the event?
1. For those who are travelling more than 200 kms, the day ahead of the event, one (1) night accommodation will be provided, and travel costs (mileage or train tickets) will be reimbursed.
2. For those driving to the event on the day of, mileage will be reimbursed as per OCO rates
3. Breakfast and lunch provided on October 30th, as well as an honorarium for participation.
Project Goals
Gain in-depth understanding of:
• Underlying challenges and barriers faced by an estimated 800,000 rural/remote caregivers and how their lives and the lives of the people they support are impacted by systemic challenges such as: access to appropriate or specialized healthcare, costs associated with homecare or travel, inclement weather, the aging population, or unreliable technological infrastructure required to access support remotely.
• How caregivers find support in remote and rural areas and how the support strategies needed may differ from areas where more formal support is available.
• Solutions and support that would make the greatest difference in the lives of rural and remote caregivers
• Tactics to amplify caregiver voices, and identify key trends in caregiving experiences through stories, data, and insights from caregivers.
Note: While we appreciate and value all interest, we are looking for caregivers from a wide spectrum of caregiving experiences to participate in the forum, focusing on the rural experience. Spaces are limited; registration does not guarantee participation. Caregivers will be contacted with confirmation.
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VMSN7HF
The Rural/Remote Caregiver Initiative
Target Audience
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) is looking for caregivers who reside in Southwestern Ontario to participate in an all-day in-person forum on October 30, 2025, in Stratford, ON; focused on health care access for caregivers living in rural and remote areas. The OCO is looking to deepen its understanding and elevate the diverse voices of caregivers who live outside of urban and suburban areas.
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) defines caregivers as ordinary people who provide physical and emotional support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour of any age, without pay. Care may be needed due to frailty, palliative care, long-term illness, long-term recovery from accident or surgery, degenerative disease, physical, cognitive, or mental conditions or disabilities.
What to expect?
We are looking to invite up to thirty caregivers from the region to participate at the event. A planning committee, comprised of community partners and caregivers, is in place to plan the forum. Caregiver contributions will involve the following:
1. Participate in person from 9:00am – 3:00pm on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
2. Share insights into their caregiving role, address gaps in service within rural and remote settings, and start to collectively identify solutions to bridge those gaps.
What will OCO provide caregivers who are participating in the event?
1. For those who are travelling more than 200 kms, the day ahead of the event, one (1) night accommodation will be provided, and travel costs (mileage or train tickets) will be reimbursed.
2. For those driving to the event on the day of, mileage will be reimbursed as per OCO rates
3. Breakfast and lunch provided on October 30th, as well as an honorarium for participation.
Project Goals
Gain in-depth understanding of:
• Underlying challenges and barriers faced by an estimated 800,000 rural/remote caregivers and how their lives and the lives of the people they support are impacted by systemic challenges such as: access to appropriate or specialized healthcare, costs associated with homecare or travel, inclement weather, the aging population, or unreliable technological infrastructure required to access support remotely.
• How caregivers find support in remote and rural areas and how the support strategies needed may differ from areas where more formal support is available.
• Solutions and support that would make the greatest difference in the lives of rural and remote caregivers
• Tactics to amplify caregiver voices, and identify key trends in caregiving experiences through stories, data, and insights from caregivers.
Note: While we appreciate and value all interest, we are looking for caregivers from a wide spectrum of caregiving experiences to participate in the forum, focusing on the rural experience. Spaces are limited; registration does not guarantee participation. Caregivers will be contacted with confirmation.
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VMSN7HF
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