Ensemble

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Ensemble Ensemble is a family-directed resource for families caring for a family member with a disability that provides support from birth through adulthood.

Ensemble provides emotional support to families, promotes family leadership, and serves as a resource to families, professionals, and government agencies. Ensemble offers a variety of resources to empower and educate families about topics relevant to people with disabilities such as life transitions, education, employment, supports and services, future care planning, and community involvement.

Persistence Shapes Our Quality of lifeCommunity Living Essex County's 65th Annual Meeting of Members (AMM)—families, sel...
06/25/2026

Persistence Shapes Our Quality of life

Community Living Essex County's 65th Annual Meeting of Members (AMM)—families, self-advocates, employees and community leaders—celebrated the year's achievements on June 16, 2026. The overview of the past year was a shining example of CLEC's ongoing commitment to never giving up. Their persistence has the ability to improve the quality of life of your loved ones with intellectual disabilities.

Perhaps this is best illustrated by a quote from the man who created the lightbulb.
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work!"
~Thomas Edison

The world we live in is inundated on a daily—sometimes hourly—basis by the latest and greatest new technology applications. We live a life that is connected. How often have you looked at your phone in the past hour? Pause for a moment. Is this a positive or a negative?

In CLEC's ongoing focus on families and their daily realities, a one-day 2026 Developmental Services Tech Show was planned and executed by CLEC's tech experts. This day was a huge success—over 250 registrants plus vendors from across Ontario eagerly took in sessions which highlighted the vast untapped resources which are available to all individuals whose lives include intellectual disabilities—from families, support staff to app developers.

In the past, "Technology was designed FOR people." Realizing that this approach was missing the mark, the new creative developers are now "Designing WITH the people!"

This approach removes barriers when those with "lived experience" dictate what works and what doesn't!"

As CLEC moves into the coming months, you will be the first to know about new and meaningful resources that will bring individuals with intellectual disabilities greater opportunities to connect to create inclusive lives of possibility.

In the very near future, Ensemble will be announcing our first FREE recreational event for unpaid family caregivers. Get ready to register. Spaces will be limited.

Have you discovered innovative ways to access technology that benefits your family member with intellectual disabilities? How has this opportunity improved your life as a caregiver? Do you have ideas that would benefit others?

Connect with Ensemble on our page. Share your ideas. Families are our BEST resource!

~ Ensemble understands ~

Marilyn,
Ensemble Family Consultant and the Advisory Committee

06/16/2026

This is what caregiving alongside work or school looks like.

For many, supporting a loved one is a major, ongoing responsiblity – often equivalent to working a second, full-time job. Working caregivers provide an average of 5.1 hours of care every day, adding up to over 35 hours a week.

That is not sustainable. And when care is not recognized or supported, caregivers are forced to make impossible choices about work, education, income, and their own future. Caregivers need policy solutions that meet them where they are, including tax credits and benefits that recognize caregiving doesn’t happen all at once, or for just a moment in time.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Rn3AHJ

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Voici ce à quoi ressemble la prestation de soins lorsqu’elle s’ajoute au travail ou aux études.

Pour de nombreuses personnes, soutenir un proche représente une responsabilité importante et continue, souvent comparable à un deuxième emploi à temps plein. Les aidants qui occupent un emploi consacrent en moyenne 5,1 heures par jour à la prestation de soins, soit plus de 35 heures par semaine.

Cette situation n’est pas viable. Lorsque la prestation de soins n’est ni reconnue ni soutenue, les aidants sont forcés de faire des choix impossibles entre leur travail, leurs études, leurs revenus et leur propre avenir. Les aidants ont besoin de solutions politiques adaptées à leur réalité, notamment des crédits d’impôt et des prestations qui reconnaissent que la prestation de soins ne se limite ni à un moment précis ni à une courte période.

En savoir plus : https://bit.ly/3QlQPwZ

Sunday Night Reflection ❤️The weekend is over, and tomorrow a new week begins.For many family caregivers, weekends aren’...
06/15/2026

Sunday Night Reflection ❤️

The weekend is over, and tomorrow a new week begins.

For many family caregivers, weekends aren’t a break. They aren’t a chance to recharge or catch up on rest. Caregiving doesn’t stop when the workweek ends.

Sometimes we start Monday already exhausted.

And when illness finds its way into our homes, there is rarely an opportunity to step back and recover. There’s a sinus bug making the rounds right now, and for many caregivers, being sick isn’t a reason to stop. The medications still need to be given, meals still need to be prepared, appointments still need to be managed, and our loved ones still depend on us.

If that’s where you find yourself tonight, know that you’re not alone.

The physical exhaustion, the emotional load, the constant vigilance, the advocacy, the sleepless nights, and the never-ending to-do lists can feel overwhelming. Yet somehow, every day, caregivers continue to show up with love, patience, and determination.

As a new week begins, be gentle with yourself.

Celebrate the small victories.
Accept help when it’s offered.
Rest when you can.
And remember that what you’re doing matters.

Wishing all family caregivers strength, peace, healing, and a few moments of grace this week. ❤️

— Diane Neves
Ensemble Advisory Committee Member

❤️

WHAT A BRILLIANT OPTION!Providing our loved ones with intellectual disabilities the most appropriate health care is the ...
06/11/2026

WHAT A BRILLIANT OPTION!

Providing our loved ones with intellectual disabilities the most appropriate health care is the desired goal of family caregivers. As has been highlighted in the past, Windsor-Essex County has an extensive list of available resources, including Community Living Essex County.

At Ensemble, we know that one of our most valuable resources is the lived experience of families who share similar day-to-day realities supporting their family members with intellectual disabilities.

Expanding on the "Family Resource" option, I am going to share an existing community resource I recently accessed.

Driving from Harrow to Windsor yesterday, I thought I would share a medication alternative that may provide you with an option.

Our adult daughter has great difficulty ingesting her daily seizure meds in traditional pill form. Resistance was a daily occurrence. After years of attempting to disguise pills in every imaginable form, another mother presented me with a potential option.

In discussion, she shared her solution—compounded meds: liquid meds with optional flavour additions. What a brilliant solution!

So, as I drive to Windsor to pick up our daughter's compounded seizure meds, I am forever grateful for this logical, life-altering solution. There are a number of pharmacies in the area that provide this option. This community resource was provided by a mother who happens to sit on Ensemble's Advisory Committee.

You may wonder why I'm highlighting the source of my resource. I want you to know how valuable family connections are. Professional resources can be your starting point, but the 'lived experience' of families lets you know what really works!

Each week, Ensemble provides you with insights that stress the invaluable supports found in 'family connections'. Take a moment to connect with us on our page. Your next million-dollar question may find the answer you've always been looking for. Families are your needed connection!

What useful coping strategies have you discovered that other families would find lifesaving?

Happy week!

Marilyn
Ensemble Family Consultant and the Advisory Committee

🌞💛 ENSEMBLE SUMMER SERIES — WEEK 4 💛🌞Celebrating the Small WinsAs caregivers, we spend so much time focusing on what sti...
06/09/2026

🌞💛 ENSEMBLE SUMMER SERIES — WEEK 4 💛🌞

Celebrating the Small Wins

As caregivers, we spend so much time focusing on what still needs to be done that we sometimes forget to celebrate how far we’ve come.

This week, we invite you to pause and notice the victories.

Not the big milestones that everyone sees.

The small ones.

💛 A successful appointment.
💛 A new skill learned.
💛 A peaceful day.
💛 A smile from your loved one.
💛 A challenge that felt a little easier than it did last year.
💛 Getting through a difficult week and showing up again tomorrow.

Progress doesn’t always look dramatic.

Sometimes it’s found in resilience.
Sometimes it’s found in patience.
Sometimes it’s simply found in not giving up.

Caregiving is a journey built on thousands of small moments that often go unseen by others .. but they matter.

This week, take a moment to acknowledge something you’re proud of.

You deserve to celebrate the strength, love, and dedication you bring to your family every single day.

✨ Every small win is still a win. ✨

A Summer of Connection, Growth & Grace

Diane Neves,
Ensemble Committee Member 🌻

Families who have contacted Ensemble over the past month have been searching for family resources. Finding the right res...
06/04/2026

Families who have contacted Ensemble over the past month have been searching for family resources. Finding the right resources to assist a loved one with intellectual disabilities can be overwhelming. Where do you begin?

As our kids age out of the school system, families must put together supports and resources that will benefit the entire family. Young adults long to be part of their communities. Interacting with others while participating in new experiences is a valuable stepping stone that brings happiness and leads to growth.

There are countless destinations and activities available within Essex County. Accessing resources for growth requires planning. Once a plan is created, steps can be taken to assist in achieving the end goal. Think of this as “continuing education.” We are all lifelong learners.

A good place to start learning about available resources is Community Living Essex County. Here you will find trained professionals who specialize in assisting families and their loved ones with intellectual disabilities.

Why not give them a call?
519-776-6483

Your questions will be carefully considered, and you will be given information on available resources and next steps.

Together we can create a path forward that leads to possibilities for continuing education in the community, resulting in feelings of achievement and overall happiness.

Wishing you much success that contributes to the wellness of your loved one, your family, and your community.

“It takes a village to raise a child!”

Marilyn
Ensemble Family Consultant and the Advisory Committee

A GLASS HALF FULLAs families that include loved ones with intellectual disabilities, we know for sure that “one size fit...
06/02/2026

A GLASS HALF FULL

As families that include loved ones with intellectual disabilities, we know for sure that “one size fits all” isn’t our reality. As family caregivers, we could be dealing with any number of challenges that make our child a “designer original.”

There are many different developmental milestones and potential complications. For many, the term “autism” is part of their uniqueness. There are huge variables in autism, as we know.
This morning, while researching, I came upon a very creative project taking place in New York City. Chef Franklin Becker is the owner of a fine dining restaurant who has created the initiative “Chefs on the Spectrum,” giving those with autism culinary jobs.

Franklin became interested in this opportunity because he had a personal perspective. His son lives with autism. As a board member of Autism Speaks, he is invested in adding those with autism to his fine dining kitchen team. A recent The New York Times article, “For People With Autism, Can Restaurant Kitchens Be a Haven?” highlighted his success.

His proactive, inclusive approach spurred others on their board to become actively involved in the board initiative “TEAM 20.” This has become a funding source that promotes inclusiveness.
I highly recommend that you access Autism Speaks. Here you will get further details on “Chefs on the Spectrum” and “TEAM 20.” I have highlighted these resources in case you want to explore potential opportunities for your family member. Windsor/Essex County has many restaurants.

Let Ensemble know if this resource has given you ideas you’d like to share. Dream what’s
So often it seems our lives are presented with roadblocks. Do we accept the roadblock as a “NO!” that leads to an “I CAN’T”? Or do we take the roadblock as a challenge that says, “Just watch me! I CAN!”

American TV host Craig Melvin has just launched a YouTube program called “GLASS HALF FULL.” Check out his page here. Each week he will explore how “setbacks become breakthroughs.” No doom and gloom!

When life is difficult, it presents us with opportunities. What opportunities have you been given as a result of parenting a child with an intellectual disability? I hope you’re not searching for the answer with a “glass half empty” attitude. Keep thinking and remember: “Your glass is half full!”

We’re waiting for you to share your stories with your Ensemble family of voices at Ensemble Understands.

Until next week,

Marilyn
Ensemble Family Consultant and the Advisory Committee

A GLASS HALF FULLAs families that include loved ones with intellectual disabilities, we know for sure that “one size fit...
06/02/2026

A GLASS HALF FULL

As families that include loved ones with intellectual disabilities, we know for sure that “one size fits all” isn’t our reality. As family caregivers, we could be dealing with any number of challenges that make our child a “designer original.”

There are many different developmental milestones and potential complications. For many, the term “autism” is part of their uniqueness. There are huge variables in autism, as we know.
This morning, while researching, I came upon a very creative project taking place in New York City. Chef Franklin Becker is the owner of a fine dining restaurant who has created the initiative “Chefs on the Spectrum,” giving those with autism culinary jobs.

Franklin became interested in this opportunity because he had a personal perspective. His son lives with autism. As a board member of Autism Speaks, he is invested in adding those with autism to his fine dining kitchen team. A recent The New York Times article, “For People With Autism, Can Restaurant Kitchens Be a Haven?” highlighted his success. Check it out here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/dining/autism-chefs-restaurants.html

His proactive, inclusive approach spurred others on their board to become actively involved in the board initiative “TEAM 20.” This has become a funding source that promotes inclusiveness.
I highly recommend that you access Autism Speaks. Here you will get further details on “Chefs on the Spectrum” and “TEAM 20.” I have highlighted these resources in case you want to explore potential opportunities for your family member. Windsor/Essex County has many restaurants. Let Ensemble know if this resource has given you ideas you’d like to share. Dream what’s possible!

https://www.autismspeaks.org/

So often it seems our lives are presented with roadblocks. Do we accept the roadblock as a “NO!” that leads to an “I CAN’T”? Or do we take the roadblock as a challenge that says, “Just watch me! I CAN!”

American TV host Craig Melvin has just launched a YouTube program called “GLASS HALF FULL.” Check out his page here. Each week he will explore how “setbacks become breakthroughs.” No doom and gloom!

When life is difficult, it presents us with opportunities. What opportunities have you been given as a result of parenting a child with an intellectual disability? I hope you’re not searching for the answer with a “glass half empty” attitude. Keep thinking and remember: “Your glass is half full!”

We’re waiting for you to share your stories with your Ensemble family of voices at Ensemble Understands.

Until next week,

Marilyn
Ensemble Family Consultant and the Advisory Committee

🌞💛 ENSEMBLE SUMMER SERIES — WEEK 3 💛🌞The Power of ConnectionCaregiving can sometimes feel isolating.Our days are often f...
06/02/2026

🌞💛 ENSEMBLE SUMMER SERIES — WEEK 3 💛🌞

The Power of Connection

Caregiving can sometimes feel isolating.

Our days are often filled with appointments, therapies, medications, paperwork, and meeting the needs of those we love. It’s easy to become so focused on caring for others that we forget we need connection too.

This summer, we encourage caregivers to reach out.

☀️ Meet a friend for coffee.
☀️ Join a community event.
☀️ Call someone who understands your journey.
☀️ Attend a support group.
☀️ Say “yes” when someone offers help.

Connection doesn’t have to be grand or complicated. Sometimes a simple conversation with someone who “gets it” can lighten the weight we’re carrying.

At Ensemble, we believe that no family should have to navigate this journey alone. Together, we learn. Together, we grow. Together, we find strength.

This week, challenge yourself to make one meaningful connection.

You might be surprised how much it fills your cup. 💛

A Summer of Connection, Growth & Grace

Diane Neves,
Advisory Committee Member 🌻

05/31/2026

Caregiver Check-In

Let's say the things we don't always say out loud.

✨ Finish the sentence:
"Right now, I need more _____ and less _____."

Maybe you need more rest and less pressure.
Maybe you need more support and less judgment.
Maybe you need more laughter and less worry.

Whatever your answer is, it matters.

Share yours in the comments. You never know who might read your words and realize they're not alone.

Address

372 Talbot Street N
Essex, ON
N8M2W4

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 3pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 3pm
Thursday 9:30am - 3pm
Friday 9:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+15197766483

Website

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