Advancing dementia support: Sinai Health’s CARERS Groups expand to Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital

Caring for someone living with dementia is a complex and demanding role, often marked by emotional strain, evolving relationships and ongoing practical challenges. While care partners play a critical role in supporting the well-being of people living with dementia, many care providers across Ontario continue to face barriers to accessing the support they need.  

“Caring for an individual living with dementia can become a very lonely and isolating task,” says Dr. Gina Eom, a geriatric psychiatrist at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital. “Care partners may be family members, neighbours or friends, and they often experience an unexpected role change — such as moving from being an adult child to feeling forced into a parent-like role. That kind of role reversal can be heartbreaking and lead to guilt, resentment, exhaustion, anxiety and depression.” 

Dr. Eom, who will support the upcoming expansion of CARERS Groups to Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, notes that many care partners are left navigating dementia with limited guidance or support of their own. Gaps in psychoeducation — understanding the nature of the illness — and lack of access to meaningful community supports can leave care providers feeling overwhelmed and alone. 

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Dr. Rhonda Feldman, psychologist and mental health clinician, leads a CARERS Group at the Cyril & Dororthy, Joel & Jill Reitman Centre for Alzheimer's Support and Training

To respond to these challenges, Mount Sinai Hospital’s Cyril & Dororthy, Joel & Jill Reitman Centre for Alzheimer's Support and Training developed the Enhancing Care for Ontario Care Partners program – a comprehensive care partner support initiative designed to strengthen capacity and resilience. Since its launch in 2017, it has offered programs like CARERS and TEACH, which combine clinical expertise with practical skill-building and peer connection to support communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building for family members and other unpaid care providers of people living with dementia. 

What began as a local clinical initiative has since grown into a province-wide program. Funded by Ontario Health and delivered through 14 partner organizations, the Enhancing Care program is now available in more than 50 communities across Ontario. Sinai Health serves as the provincial hub, supporting training, implementation and evaluation to ensure support is delivered with care and consistency.  

Strengthening care partner capacity in Ontario 

By expanding to Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, CARERS Groups will help strengthen care partner support within Sinai Health and across Toronto. The groups focus on practical skills and emotional supports needed to care for someone living with dementia, helping participants build practical communication strategies, develop problem-solving skills, and connect with others navigating similar challenges.

Dr. Eom will lead this work, overseeing implementation and supporting clinician training, knowledge-sharing, and practice coaching – work that is grounded in what she sees daily in her clinical practice. 

“Hennick Bridgepoint is the largest complex and continuing care hospital in Canada, serving patients with multiple medical comorbidities and, in many cases, cognitive impairment,” says Dr. Eom. “Day after day, I see dedicated care partners arriving to support their loved ones. Many are experiencing burnout and struggling to navigate the health-care system, and some ask me directly for support. I’m hopeful this expansion will help care partners feel that their needs matter too.”

Learn more 

Care partners in Toronto can access the Enhancing Care program through the Reitman Centre for Alzheimer’s Support and Training. In addition to CARERS Groups, the Reitman Centre also offers TEACH - a complementary care partner education program focused on providing foundational knowledge about dementia, caregiving strategies and available supports.

Care partners outside the Toronto area can access clinical services and groups by using the referral information for their local area through Enhancing Care for Ontario Care Partners.

To learn more about CARERS and TEACH, or to find a group near you, visit carersontario.ca.