2016 OANHSS Awards Summary

OANHSS Awards 2016
Submissions Summary
Winners
OANHSS Leadership Award: Stephen Piekarski
For more than 32 years,
Steve led the Eastholme
Home for the Aged in his
hometown of Powassan. He
guided the home through
many changes over the
years, most notably with
redevelopment and the
securing of additional
beds. His persistence
transformed Eastholme
from 74 beds into the
current 128-bed home
and the only A-level home
in the district.
Yet in a sector full of rules and regulations, he never
lost sight of the people. Personable and approachable,
Steve deeply cared about, believed in, and supported
the people that he met. And both staff and residents
enjoyed life at Eastholme a little more while under his
care. He took great pride in putting others first, and, as
a result, he made Eastholme into a warm, caring place.
His dedication to others and to shaping seniors’ care
extended well beyond the walls of Eastholme. Among
his many activities, he was part of several LHIN-related
groups, was Chair of a Long-Term Care HUB, and led
the East Parry Sound Community Supports Program.
Within the Association, Steve was deeply committed to
the membership. Over the years, he provided staff
with sound input from a district home’s perspective,
particularly with the Long-Term Care Homes Act. And
he was a long-standing source of leadership in Region 8
for over 30 years.
Steve recently retired from Eastholme. When he first
came to the home, it had 10 empty beds and four bed
wards. Under his leadership, Eastholme is now almost
doubled in size, is redeveloped to the Ministry’s A level,
and enjoys a reputation of quality care.
Norma Rudy Award: Shelagh Nowlan
Shelagh has been a powerful advocate not only for the
Association and its members but also for the long term
care sector. She served on the Board of Directors as
Member at Large for six years, and she has been the
OANHSS Liaison for the South East LHIN
for seven years now and counting.
Through the years, she has gained a
well-earned reputation as a strong
voice for quality improvement. When
indicators for quality improvement
plans (QIP) were being developed,
she worked to ensure that any chosen
indicators were reflective of the sector.
Then when QIPs were being rolled out,
she was an early adopter, and she
supported OANHSS members in
crafting their own plans by providing her home’s plan,
documents, and resources.
Shelagh has brought a strong voice to other initiatives.
She was the OANHSS representative
and, at one point, the Chair of the
Residents First Steering Committee. She
also worked hard to strengthen Region
6, where she served as Chair and now
leads the Education Committee. Beyond
her region, she has worked closely with
OANHSS staff to offer valued support.
Shelagh always helps the Association in
any way that she can. Because of this,
she has strengthened significantly the
quality of services and programs that
OANHSS provides.
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Winners
Innovation and Excellence – Supporting Seniors Award:
The Corporation of the County of Simcoe (Midhurst)
Georgian Village Campus of Care
On September 30, 2013, the County of Simcoe took the concept of “aging in place” and made it a reality. On that
day, the Georgian Village campus of care opened its doors.
The 311,500-square-foot community offers a complete
continuum under “one roof” with five different housing
models: long term care, affordable housing, retirement
living, life-lease apartment suites, and stand-alone life
lease homes. In addition, a wide range of programs and
services are offered on site with the support of over 40
community partners.
This $80-million dollar project is recognized for its scope
of services and for the partnerships needed to get it built
in the first place. The campus was the direct result of longterm, strategic relationships between Georgian Village
and municipal, provincial and federal governments.
This approach to supporting seniors led the previous Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews, the
Minister of Seniors Affairs Mario Sergio, and Premier Kathleen Wynne to tout Georgian Village as the model that
will shape the future of seniors’ care delivery.
Info: Connie Sheridan, Acting Administrator, (705) 549-3166, connie.sheridan@simcoe.ca
Innovation and Excellence – Workplace Quality Award:
Sunnyside Seniors’ Services (Kitchener)
Share the Care
Sunnyside Seniors’ Services is similar to many other long
term care homes. Increasing resident acuity with the same
staffing levels mean staff has to work harder with the
same limited resources. The home knew that increasing
hours, asking staff to work harder, and hiring new staff
were not realistic options. So it got creative.
Enter the “Share the Care” project: an initiative – based
on lean methodology – that would explore how the home’s
staff could work together more effectively. The project began with the creation of an inter-disciplinary management
team and Lean training. Then, through interviews, surveys
and job shadowing, care staff identified dozens of opportunities for creating efficiencies.
One area that the home explored was the distribution of washclothes. By applying Lean methodology to this area
and streamlining tasks, the team freed up an astonishing 15 hours each day of PSW time.
By implementing Lean, Sunnyside Seniors’ Services has made better use of its resources. And staff now has more time
to provide direct, hands-on care.
Info: Connie Lacy, Director of Seniors Services, (519) 575-4400, clacy@regionofwaterloo.ca
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Winners
Community Connections Award
Knollcrest Lodge (Milverton)
Wellness Campus
New for
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Awar 16
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Nestled within a small town of 1,700 people, Knollcrest
Lodge has changed considerably since it was first built in
1972. Its expansion to become “more than just a long term
care home” began in 1990 when a Community Outreach
Service was added.
Led by Administrator Susan Rae, Knollcrest Lodge is living
out its vision: to be an “excellent service provider that
covers a full range of housing, care, and lifestyle options.”
To achieve this goal, the home has developed strong
partnerships over the years, resulting in a wide range
of programs and services being offered on its campus.
Services are health-care related, such as physiotherapy, a
chiropractor, an optometrist, Life Labs, and a dental clinic for children. And services are community-related, such as a
law firm and a drop-off centre for water testing. Soon, the campus will be home to a new hub serviced by Community
Outreach Services, which offers transportation, Meals on Wheels, blood pressure clinics, friendly visiting, and home
maintenance and repair, among others.
Knollcrest Lodge maintains great relationships with many community partners, including Perth East Municipal Council
and Perth County Council, and these relationships are growing. Most recently, Public Health and the local Community
Care Access Centre approached the home about offering additional services on the ever-expanding campus.
In 2015, Knollcrest Lodge filled an important gap in its services by expanding its campus with the opening of
Milverton Place, a 12-unit apartment building.
More than 25 years in the making, the Wellness Campus has steadily grown to become much more than long term
care. It helps people of all ages and offers services never-before-available in this rural area. It has grown to become
a centre of wellness, and it is now a vital, necessary hub for the community.
Info: Susan Rae, Chief Executive Officer, (519) 595-8121, srae@knollcrestlodge.com
Congratulations to All of Our Accredited Members
As long-time supporters of CARF and Accreditation
Canada, OANHSS publicly recognizes members that
have achieved accreditation through the Quality of
Care plaque. Currently, 116 members have maintained
or earned this status.
At this year’s annual Awards Luncheon held at the
OANHSS Convention, the Association recognized two
new members in achieving their accreditation: The
Rekai Centres (Toronto) and Geraldton District Hospital
(Geraldton).
In recognition of their accreditation, new members The Rekai
Centres received a Quality of Care plaque from Board Chair
Debra Cooper Burger (centre).
OANHSS congratulates all of our accredited member
homes for their commitment to leading seniors’ care.
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Honourable Mentions
Innovation and Excellence Awards
Memorial Tree
The Elliott Community LTC Residence (Guelph)
The Memorial Tree was created to honour each resident
of the Elliott’s continuum of care who had passed away.
A mural of a tree is displayed in The Elliott’s Community
Centre, and on it are personalized ornaments, each
inscribed with a resident’s name. The program runs
annually from November 1 to October 31, after which
each ornament is removed and mailed, with a note of
thanks, to the resident’s loved ones. The ornament can
then be displayed each year on the family’s Christmas
tree in memory of their loved one.
Culinary Resident Empowerment
Fairhaven (Peterborough)
In recent years, Fairhaven residents participated in a
Gourmet Cooking Club organized by the Resident
Programs department. This idea was expanded to
involve more residents and has since grown to become
the Test Kitchen Program. For the program, three groups
– with one staff and three residents in each – prepare
a recipe. The groups then come together to evaluate the
food. As a result of this program, four new menu items
were added to the home’s menus.
Info: Joy Husak, CEO, (705) 743-0881,
jhusak@fairhavenltc.com
Palliative Care
Kristus Darzs Latvian Home (Woodbridge)
Staff at Kristus Darzs sought to provide more focused
care to residents at their end of life. As a result, one of
the home’s RPNs, a best practice champion, developed
a palliative care program to be run by the direct care
staff. Now, PSWs, activation and administrative staff
spend quality time with the resident and family
members. RPNs ensure pain is managed effectively
and keep the resident’s family informed of status. RNs
communicate with the attending physician, family and
staff. Housekeeping staff ensure condolence cards are
signed by all staff. The special attention given by all
levels of staff ensure each resident’s last days at the
home are filled with love, dignity and comfort.
Info: Lauma Stikuts, Executive Director, (905) 832-3300,
lstikuts@kdlatvianhome.com
Info: Sherri Enns, Administrator, (519) 822-0491,
senns@elliottcommunity.org
Staff for Residents Fund
The Elliott Community LTC Residence (Guelph)
Based on an idea from The Elliott’s staff suggestion
program, this fund allows staff to donate to the home
directly from their paycheques. The fund is promoted
by the human resources department, and participating
staff can see their voluntary donations coming from their
payroll remittances. In January each year, the fund is
tabulated and the balance is reported to all contributors. Ideas for spending are then solicited, with each
participant voting to choose the best idea. Any unspent
funds are added to the next annual campaign.
Info: Sherri Enns, Administrator, (519) 822-0491,
senns@elliottcommunity.org
Intergenerational Program
City of Toronto - Kipling Acres (Toronto)
In collaboration with the on-site child care centre, Kipling
Acres’ intergenerational program brings daycare
children and the home’s seniors together for mutually
beneficial activities. Both children and seniors share their
talents and knowledge through engaging, lively and fun
activities. Examples include reading, friendly visits, cooking, bingo and more. The program’s success is dependent
on goal setting, training, collaboration and assessment.
Staff who support this program comment that both
children and residents enjoy the chance to interact.
Info: Nelson Ribeiro, Administrator, (416) 392-2301,
nribeir@toronto.ca
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Honourable Mentions
Innovation and Excellence Awards
Seniors’ Prom
Greenwood Court (Stratford)
With its Prom Night event, Greenwood Court sought to
recreate the memories that residents had of attending
their own proms many years ago. Staff, volunteers, and
community partners all pitched in to make the event
unforgettable. A five-piece brass band and ballroom
dancers from the community provided entertainment,
and donations from local flower shops as well as a
volunteer photographer and local high school students
helped to make the evening special. The event garnered
plenty of positive media coverage for the home, and
residents thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Info: Joyce Penney, Executive Director, (519) 273-4662,
jpenney@tcmhomes.com
Poet’s Corner
John Noble Home (Brantford)
Residents may not be professional writers, but they love
to be creative and write poetry! For the Poet’s Corner
program, residents work in teams to brainstorm and
compose a poem using their combined words. A topic
is presented, and participants share their thoughts and
memories on it. After brainstorming, the group discusses
and writes out the lines of a poem. After each session is
complete, the recreationist types out the poem and gives
a copy to each participant. Residents are always proud
to see their creativity in print.
Info: Erin Denton, Acting Administrator, (519) 756-2920,
edenton@jnh.ca
Bell Ringers
John Noble Home (Brantford)
Bell Ringers is a therapeutic music program adapted for
long term care. Desktop bells are used, and each one
has its own note. Each resident gets a bell and sits across
from the recreationist, who acts as a conductor, pointing to each resident when it’s their turn to ring their bell.
Residents play familiar songs, such as “Tipperary” and
“You Are My Sunshine.” Staff members from the home
often stop to listen to the group’s performances and will
clap in appreciation. Residents enjoy the program and
leave with a sense of self-accomplishment.
Info: Erin Denton, Acting Administrator, (519) 756-2920,
edenton@jnh.ca
Creation of Legacy Art
Fairview Lodge (Whitby)
Recently, Fairview Lodge was approached by Art With
A Heart to provide its residents with an opportunity
to create a legacy art project. Funding was obtained
from a New Horizon’s grant from the federal government. Then, residents, families, volunteers, and community
groups attended facilitated workshops in which each
participant spoke about what is meaningful to them.
Based on this feedback, five images were developed,
which were then transformed into five large canvas
drawings. Participants then worked together to place
pieces of tile on each canvas to create mosaic wall art.
Once complete, the mosaics will be hung in the home.
Info: Marcey Wilson, Administrator, (905) 668-5851,
marcey.wilson@durham.ca
Cyber Lounge
John Noble Home (Brantford)
The Cyber Lounge at John Noble Home enables the
home’s recreationists to teach residents about technology
and what it has to offer. Equipped with ipads, desktop
computers, colour printers, docking stations, a largescreen TV, a Wii and more, the Lounge helps seniors get
connected. Last year, 33% of residents participated in
the program, and now over 64% of residents regularly
use some form of technology. The program has helped
residents to keep in touch with loved ones, stay up-todate on world events, and connect with people from the
community.
Info: Erin Denton, Acting Administrator, (519) 756-2920,
edenton@jnh.ca
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Honourable Mentions
Innovation and Excellence Awards
Nurse-led Outreach Team
Providence Manor (Kingston)
Caught You Caring
The Elliott Community LTC Residence (Guelph)
The Nurse-Led Outreach Team consists of two full-time
nurse practitioners who provide care for 498 residents in
three area long term care homes. In recent years, Providence Manor implemented new strategies to expand
the team’s role, as set by the Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care. Based on these new roles, the home’s
outreach team ensures that LTC residents receive timely,
high quality care. One area the team has seen success is
in emergency department transfers. Over the past two
years, the three homes have seen 61 fewer transfers.
Caught You Caring is a recognition program that acknowledges The Elliott’s care staff. Cards are used to
highlight a specific act by an employee. Every employee,
regardless of position, is eligible, and anyone – other
staff, family, volunteers, visitors – may complete a card.
Cards are then sent to the employee’s manager who congratulates the person in a meaningful way. Each month,
all of the nominations are reviewed by a committee who
selects one as being the most meaningful. That employee
receives a $25 gift card and a fun custom caricature.
Info: Shelagh Nowlan, Vice President of Long Term Care,
(613) 548-7222, nowlans@providencecare.ca
Info: Sherri Enns, Administrator, (519) 822-0491,
senns@elliottcommunity.org
Youth Art Ambassador Volunteer Program
City of Toronto – Lakeshore Lodge (Toronto)
Promoting Therapeutic Recreation Week
John Noble Home (Brantford)
In collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO),
Lakeshore Lodge developed a Youth Art Ambassador
Program. Volunteers and residents from the home visited
the Gallery for a tour and art-making opportunity. Then,
10 youth volunteers returned to the AGO for a full-day
training session to learn how to discuss art with residents
and how to organize an in-house program. This collaboration led to the creation of four projects and an art
show. The project has been so successful that it is being
expanded to other City of Toronto LTC homes.
At John Noble Home, Therapeutic Recreation Week
is promoted through a series of display boards in the
home’s café. The boards include information on the
profession as well as pictures of the home’s residents.
Each day, a new themed worksheet is available, such as
a word search, and a daily draw of all entries is held,
with the winner receiving a $5 coupon for the café. The
following week, another draw takes place for one of
three grand prizes. This program allows recreation staff
to celebrate their profession while educating others.
Info: Robert Petrushewsky, Administrator, (416) 3929409, rpetrus@toronto.ca
Info: Erin Denton, Acting Administrator, (519) 756-2920,
edenton@jnh.ca
Corporate Education
Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre (Ottawa)
CW Behavioural Support Collaboration
The Davis Centre (Bolton)
Perley and Rideau has developed an education and
training plan that ties more closely to its strategic
directions and strengthens current corporate initiatives.
The strategy provides a blueprint that articulates the
Centre’s commitment to its residents and families as well
as its workforce. The plan consists of three phases: (a)
a learning needs assessment (b) education delivery and
(c) evaluation of the education program’s effectiveness.
The goal of the plan is to promote quality care for the
home’s residents through the development of education
programs that address the needs of staff.
In partnership with the Central West CCAC, Alzheimer
Society, and Tall Pines LTC home, The Davis Centre
sought to better help residents and their informal
caregivers as they transitioned into long term care.
The primary goals of this collaboration were to engage
family caregivers early on in the care process, to
enhance their understanding of the disease process, and
to connect them with dementia-based resources. Results
are still being measured, but interviews with informal
caregivers reveal that they feel more supported and
more empowered in their loved one’s care.
Info: Akos Hoffer, CEO, (613) 526-7170, ahoffer@
prvhc.com
Info: Liezle Trinidad, Director of Care, (905) 791-2449,
liezle.trinidad@peelregion.ca
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Honourable Mentions
Community Connections Award
Community Outreach Services
St. Joseph’s Villa (Dundas)
Client-Centred Programs
Arnprior Regional Health (Arnprior)
Arnprior Regional Health offers a variety of community
based programs, which link to create positive health outcomes for the community. One example comes from the
adult day program and the Meals on Wheels (MOW)
program. Each day, day program clients create inspirational messages that are passed on to the MOW clients.
The MOW clients look forward to receiving these notes,
and they, in turn, learn more about the home’s offerings.
Meanwhile, day program clients enjoy having an impact
on people in the community. These simple messages have
led to more clients and volunteers for both programs.
Info: Eric Hanna, President and CEO, (613) 623-3166,
eric.hanna@arnpriorhealth.ca
Toronto Challenge
City of Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services
The Toronto Challenge is an event that raises funds and
awareness for non-profit organizations that are improving the quality of life for seniors throughout the region.
Celebrating physical activity and community spirit, the
Toronto Challenge offers a 5K run, 5K walk and 1K fun
walk, suitable for all ages and abilities. Funds raised go
directly to community programs that contribute to independent living and home support for seniors as well as
to the city’s Long-Term Care Homes & Services department. Initiatives to date have ranged from renovations
of a seniors’ facility, to transportation services, to food
subsidies, to recreation programs.
In its quest to develop a campus of care, St. Joseph’s
Villa has embraced collaborative approaches that share
its expertise with the community. Under this approach,
the home offers multiple programs and services through
a number of initiatives. Examples include offering
exercise programs through the home’s SIM gym and
therapeutic community pool, expanding the adult day
program to individuals with intellectual disabilities,
offering community out-patient clinics, and offering free
space to community groups. These efforts have helped
to add a significant amount of localized services in one
accessible location. As a result, the profile of St. Joseph’s
Villa has been greatly enhanced within the community.
Info: David Bakker, Administrator, (905) 627-9011,
d_bakker@sjv.on.ca
The Perley Rideau Newsletter
Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre (Ottawa)
Serving a community of more than 2,000 people and
the general public, the Perley Rideau Newsletter has
become a relied-upon communication vehicle. The
monthly newsletter provides useful information,
including resident biographies, information on social
events, staff news and
tributes, and more. Each
26-page issue is compiled
with submissions from
staff, residents, families,
and other groups. Before
its relaunch in December
2014, these groups had
to get information through
different mediums at different times; now, 300
hard copies of the newsletter are distributed throughout
the home, and thousands more people access it via the
home’s website and social media.
Info: Jay Innes, Director of Communications, (613) 5267171, jinnes@prvhc.com
Info: Reg Paul, General Manager, (416) 392-8896,
rpaul@toronto.ca
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Honourable Mentions
Community Connections
Seniors’ Services
Region of Waterloo (Kitchener)
When Sunnyside home was rebuilt in 2004, the Region
of Waterloo set a new course for its Seniors’ Services
division. It would build a campus at Sunnyside that would
offer a continuum of integrated services, thus creating a
“hub” for older adults. Over the last 10-plus years, the
hub has grown to offer a wide variety of programs and
services for older adults. These services include a geriatric outreach clinic, memory screening clinic, caregiver
support services, optometry services, and on-site CCAC
coordinator care. On any given day, the campus supports more than 600 older adults through its services.
Info: Connie Lacy, Director of Seniors Services, (519)
575-4400, clacy@regionofwaterloo.ca
Love In Intergenerational Program
Greenwood Court (Stratford)
Launched in collaboration with the Avon Co-operative
Nursery School, the Stratford Library, and various community partners, this one-day event brought together
children and seniors to grow, share, and learn from one
another. Residents participated alongside the children
and their families in a number of activities, such as story
time, arts and crafts, dance, and yoga. The event showed
the community how it could greatly enrich the lives of
Greenwood Court’s residents. As well, it raised the
home’s profile thanks to positive media coverage, and
it allowed community partners to learn more about life
and seniors’ care at Greenwood Court.
Info: Joyce Penney, Executive Director, (519) 273-4662,
jpenney@tcmhomes.com
The HUB of Services
Blue Water Rest Home (Zurich)
Founded in 1965, Blue Water Rest Home was redeveloped in 2010. The redevelopment project opened up
a wealth of space that was then re-purposed into a
campus of care. Since then, the home has developed
numerous partnerships and collaborations to meet the
growing health needs of the surrounding community.
Unique partnerships include education opportunities for
Georgian College students, a resource centre through
New Horizons for Seniors, a full onsite daycare with
the local Early Childhood Education Centre, and a
summer jobs program with Service Canada. Blue Water
now serves many more seniors and people from the
community than ever before.
Info: Angie Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, (519) 2364373, a.dunn@bluewaterresthome.com
2017 OANHSS Awards Program
We look forward to receiving your submissions
and nominations early next year.
For more information, contact Chris Noone at 905-851-8821 ext. 253
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