Castleview Wychwood Towers

Centrally located in Toronto and convenient to public transit and shopping, the 456 bed long-term care home features:

• semi-private accommodation (two residents per room) for 80 residents on each of five resident home areas
• a secure unit for 37 residents who are at risk of exit seeking
• homes for 20 cognitively alert younger adults aged 19-64 who need long-term care
• all resident bedrooms have air conditioning
• centrally located washrooms and dining room, servery and lounge areas
• private family rooms that can be reserved free of charge for private family gatherings
• Auditorium, Worship Centre, Rehabilitation Room, Library, Computer Room, Hair Salon, and a volunteer-run Tuck Shop on the main floor.

Castleview Wychwood Towers offers the following specialized services:

• Behavioural Support Programs
• Short-stay Respite
• Young Adult Care and Programs Unit

We welcome applications from individuals living with dementia. Our staff are skilled, knowledgeable and caring when it comes to meeting their needs.

Behavioural Support Programs

We are recognized leaders in behavioural support programs with a long history of caring for individuals with dementia, delirium and mental health needs.

Staff and medical professionals are knowledgeable in the most prevalent types and related causes of behavioural issues. We understand the disease processes, stages and progression. We have experience in diagnostics and assessment, recognizing cognitive or neurological symptoms, treatment interventions that enables us to communicate appropriately with residents and develop individualized care strategies for each resident. The promotes optimal quality of life and experience of care for the resident, family members and other partners in care.

Short-Stay Respite

The short-stay admission program supports families seeking respite from the caregiver role for a period of up to 60 continuous days to a maximum of 90 days per year.

Toronto Emergency Management leads and facilitates activities related to the City’s ability to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from major emergencies.

We have incorporated the City’s Business Continuity Management and Toronto’s Emergency Plan into an Emergency Management Plan for the City’s directly operated long-term care homes.

Castleview Wychwood Towers has a structured emergency management process of risk identification, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

The scope of emergency management planning includes a variety of hazardous situations that may occur inside or outside of the long-term care home, such as:

• fire
• natural disaster
• biochemical and bomb threats
• chemical spills
• radiation exposure
• threats of personal violence
• power failure
• utilities and telecommunications failure

All staff members are trained to respond to these universal codes for emergencies:

• Code Red: Fire
• Code Black: Bomb Threat
• Code Yellow: Missing Resident
• Code Green: Evacuation
• Code Orange: External Disaster
• Code White: Violent Behaviour
• Code Blue: Cardiac Arrest
• Code Brown: Hazardous Spill
• Code Grey: Infrastructure Failure

In addition, we follow the Incident Management System (ISM) and have a robust Crisis/Disaster Communication Protocol.

For further information, please contact Cornel Baptista, Manager Environmental Services

Donna Lee, Administrator, Designated Quality Improvement Lead and Chair of Site Continuous Quality Improvement, Committee

Elizabeth Juraschka, Divisional Quality Improvement Advisor and Chair of Divisional Quality Council

Overview

The quality improvement plan (QIP) for 2024/25 reflects our commitment to enhancing equity, improving resident and family experience, fostering innovation, integrating palliative care, and aligning with external partners to improve care outcomes.

Quality Improvement Priority Selection Process

The quality improvement priority selection process reflects the collaboration and analysis of statistical data trends, program evaluation outcomes, inspection guidelines, audit results, Ministry of Long-Term Care reports, results from the Resident and Family experience survey “Your Opinion Counts”, Ontario Health system level priority areas, collaborations with healthcare partners and opportunities for improvement submitted to Site Continuous Quality Improvement Committee.  The selection process is a balance between the many opportunities, resources available to support quality improvement work and the significant impact on the quality of care and service that can be achieved. The Quality Improvement Plan is developed through consultation and approved by the Site Continuous Quality Improvement Committee.

Priority Areas for 2024-25

The full Quality Improvement Plan 2024/25 and Narrative are posted in the home, on the Quality Improvement board, provided to Residents’ Council, Family Council, and staff.

Policies, Procedures and Protocols that Guide Continuous Quality Improvement

Quality Improvement policy:

• Establishes our commitment to continuous quality improvement in the provisions of care and service through the application of a quality improvement methodology to achieve positive resident outcomes.

Quality Improvement Project Idea Submission Form:

• An informal and formal mechanism that provides employee(s), residents, families, caregivers, Residents’ Council, Family Council and clients with an avenue for submitting quality improvement ideas for consideration by Quality Councils.

Quality Improvement Project Selection Matrix:

• The Quality Improvement Project Selection Matrix form assists in the prioritizing and approval of quality improvement submission ideas.

Quality Improvement Reporting:

• Quality Improvement reports are prepared and submitted at minimum quarterly to identify quality improvement priorities, current activities, success to date and future quality improvement work.

Quality Improvement Charters:

• The Quality Improvement Charter is a documentation tool that supports teams through the plan do study act (PDSA) problem-solving model. The PDSA problem-solving model provides a common framework for different teams to speak the same language and work together to improve a process or care outcome. The charter serves as a communication tool for the team and Quality Committee to track the progress of QI projects/initiatives.

Problem-Solving Cycle Model – Plan-Do-Study- Act (QI Model for Improvement)®:

• Quality improvement work within the home is grounded in QI science which outlines the tools and processes to support, assess achievements and spread QI results. Teams apply QI tools aligned within the Model for Improvement – plan do study act (PDSA), Six Sigma and Lean, enabling them to achieve incremental changes.

Divisional Quality Council, Site Continuous Quality Improvement Committee and Divisional Committee Structures

Structures and accountability are in place to support the commitment to quality improvement which includes, authorization to the General Manager from City Council to certify and approve on behalf of the City, the home’s annual Quality Improvement Plan(s) (QIPs) for submission to Ontario Health, as required under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 and Excellent Care for All Act, 2010. The General Manager has responsibility and authority for the quality of care and service and the management of risks.

Seniors Services and Long-Term Care’s integrated quality management framework overseen by the divisional Quality Improvement Advisor considers and acts on opportunities to improve in areas related to strategic direction, quality improvement, risk management, safety culture, positive customer experience, resource allocation, just culture (including positive work life culture) and an ethical culture.

Accountability:

At a divisional level, the General Manager, with the leadership of Quality Improvement Advisor and support of the Divisional Quality Council directs, co-ordinates and provides for the ongoing development of the division’s Integrated Quality Management framework.

At a site level, the General Manager has delegated day-to-day operational accountability for quality improvement and risk management outcomes and innovation to the Administrator of each home.

The terms of reference of each committee reflects legislative requirements of membership and accountability.

Resident and Family Survey

The advice of Residents’ Council and Family Council was sought in developing and carrying out the annual Your Opinion Counts Survey which was administered in September 2023.  The survey consists of 13 standard questions with additional 1-2 questions from Residents’ Council and Family Council. The results of the survey are integrated into the QIP, as priority areas.

The results were presented to Residents’ Council and Family Council in February 2024, and advice was sought in the development of the Quality Improvement Plan. Updates on the plan and projects will be provided throughout the year as requested by the chairs of these committees and documented in the minutes.  Residents and families have been invited to participate in quality improvement work, including providing feedback through surveys. Resident and family members are part of the home’s Site Continuous Quality Improvement Committee terms of reference and committee.

Communication and Record of Quality Improvement Work

A comprehensive communication strategy supports quality improvement work within the long-term care home and at the division level.  The actions enable the home to broadly communicate annual Quality Improvement Plans, the results of quality improvement activities to senior management, residents/clients, caregivers, families, staff and volunteers.  A central part of the communication strategy is to seek advice if any from Residents’ Council and Family Council and make improvements as appropriate to care and services. Quality Improvement teams encourage and facilitate opportunities for input if any from Residents’ Council and Family Council into the annual Quality Improvement Plan and utilize feedback from residents/clients and families to improve the quality improvement system and communication methods.

• A smoke-free environment
• Serves a multi-cultural resident population including:
  • Japanese-and Korean-Canadian communities within the home
  • A wide range of residents with Asian, African, European and other heritages.

Families are an integral part in helping make the best decisions for their family member. We are always look for opportunities for families to be involved:

• Resident care conferences
• Quality Improvement, Innovation and Risk Management Committee
• Family Council
• Satisfaction surveys
• Volunteer services.

• We partner with a number of organizations to enhance the care and services provided to the residents including local hospitals, religious and cultural groups including a large group of diverse volunteers.