Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services
About Us
News & Events
- Media Releases
- Respecting Identity Through LGBT-Positive Care
- Recognition for Inter-Generational Programming
- A Closer Look at Caregiver Stress
- Celebrate your ability & support seniors in your community
- Youth Summit
- Long-Term Care Acknowledged for Leading Practices
- 20th Anniversary at Seven Oaks
- Senior of the Year
- Happy...Happy Days at Wesburn Manor
Respecting Identity Through LGBT-Positive Care
Many Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) seniors have lived most of their lives in an atmosphere of discrimination and hostility. Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division acknowledged this evidence, and that LGBT seniors were not well-served by mainstream healthcare organizations. Many worried about disclosing their sexual identity upon admission to a long-term care home.
Under principles of diversity and inclusiveness, the division set out to make a positive difference, working with the LGBT community to more fully understand community need and to develop a care model for long-term care homes that recognized and valued each person's identity, values and traditions.
A resource guide (LGBT Toolkit), developed to guide staff training and program design, contains resources, training plans, programs and activities that help enhance sensitivity and responsiveness to LGBT issues with the ultimate goal of making each long-term care home an LGBT-positive, inclusive and welcoming environment for all residents. Although initially launched in three of the City's homes, it is now being introduced division-wide and is available as a resource for other long-term care homes in their journey to become LGBT-positive and inclusive.
Recognition for Inter-Generational Programming
Inter-generational programs provide opportunities for different generations to come together to share experiences, knowledge and skills, respect each other's contributions and enable positive relationships. A special synergy seems to exist between the young and the old that can be cultivated through creative programming, which fosters growth, understanding and friendship.
Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services supports and embraces inter-generational programming whenever possible, through a variety of opportunities for engagement between seniors, children and youth.
True Davidson Acres is known for its commitment and creativity in inter-generational programming and was recognized for excellence by Toronto Intergenerational Partnerships for the second year in a row, receiving the 2010 Award of Recognition for "Bringing Generations Together." The home's programs involve pre-school children, school-aged children and youth, providing opportunities for shared activities and conversations. They talk, exchange views and collaborate on entertainment (often in the home's "Great Hall" area). Congratulations to the True Davidson Acres team for demonstrating leading practices in inter-generational programming!
A Closer Look at Caregiver Stress
Join us as we find out why it's so important to take care of ourselves first, when we are taking care of a loved one with dementia or other aging issues. We will discuss how to spot caregiver stress and how to cope with it. Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services is hosting this free session on Tuesday, May 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Bendale Acres, 2920 Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough.
For more info click here (PDF) OR please call Michael Saunders at
416-392-2957.
Celebrate your ability & support SENIORS in YOUR community
Register now for the 2010 Toronto Challenge presented by MonsterMortgage.ca and run or walk in support of seniors on Sunday, June 13. Funds raised will go directly to non-profit organizations that support seniors, including the City's long-term care homes and community-based programs.
More details and registration: http://www.toronto.ca/challenge or 416-392-8911
Youth Summit
In February each year, a Youth Summit is held at Metro Hall. Input received from those in attendance assists and directs divisional work underway and complements the Mayor's initiatives to expand opportunities for Toronto's youth.
Student volunteers from across Toronto gathered at City Hall on February 12 for the 3rd annual Volunteer Youth Summit. Youth volunteers are an important part of the individual homes across the City of Toronto that make up the Long-Term Care Homes & Services. The Volunteer Youth Summit gives youth that volunteer within the homes the opportunity to come together to share ideas and network. Community involvement is a high school requirement and in an effort to enhance participation by student volunteers, each site has set up a Youth Council who are actively involved in resident activities and fund-raising.
Long-Term Care Acknowledged for Leading Practices
Long-Term Care Homes and Services received outstanding results in the 2009 survey by Accreditation Canada, which confirmed compliance with 100% of the national standards related to quality and safety. The division’s results in all areas met or exceeded standards for healthcare organizations across Canada. The survey also identified three leading practices that will be showcased in Accreditation Canada’s database so that other healthcare organizations can learn from them.
The division’s performance was evaluated against national standards of excellence in all areas of its operation, with emphasis on quality, safety, ethics, satisfaction, worklife, human resource management, community engagement and health outcomes for resident and clients. Surveyors were very impressed with the division’s approach to quality management and complimented the quality of care and service, breadth of community partnerships and dedication of the staff teams.
Accreditation Canada is a not-for-profit, independent organization providing Canadian and international healthcare organizations with voluntary, external peer reviews.
The Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division has participated in the accreditation program since 1985. In 2009, all 10 long-term care homes, four adult day programs, supportive housing and homemakers and nurses services were surveyed as an integrated healthcare organization.
20th Anniversary at Seven Oaks
Residents, family members, current and retired staff and volunteers celebrated Seven Oaks 20th anniversary on October 16 and unveiled an almost two-metre-tall Inukshuk in the lobby of the Scarborough Long-Term Care Home.
The idea for the celebration around the Inukshuk - a rock statue - was planted by the home, and organizers branched out into the community to raise funds. The Inukshuk, which was created by local artists for the residents of the home, marks a place of respect and is traditionally used for communication.
Seven Oaks is home to 249 residents. First opened in 1989, the home provides individualized care that respects, supports and enables people to maximize independence and quality of life. Seven Oaks offers a full range of services including nursing, medicine, food and nutrition, administration, building services, staff education and programs and services (rehabilitation, recreation, social work, spiritual and religious care, complementary care and music and art therapy).
Senior of the Year
Rose Murphy, a volunteer at Bendale Acres Long-Term Care Home in Scarborough since 1995 was the recipient of the 2009 Senior of the Year Award for Toronto. Over the years, Rose has provided leadership and organization to weekly ecumenical service. Her work is a conduit to residents maintaining connection to their community and faith tradition. Rose was also the Recipient of Excellence in Volunteering for City of Toronto Long Term Care and Services 2009, nominee for Senior Achievement Award 2003 and Flair Award in 2004.
Rose Murphy receives the Senior of the Year certificate from Toronto Mayor David Miller in his office.
Happy...Happy Days at Wesburn Manor
Wesburn Manor is very pleased to be hosting this special event in support of the Resident Dining Enhancement Project. All are welcome to attend.
For tickets please contact us at the number listed in the brochure.
Rose Murphy receives the Senior of the Year certificate from Toronto Mayor David Miller in his office.