Kipling Acres

An important part of its northern Etobicoke community, Kipling Acres has 337 beds, is situated on 10 acres of beautiful property and features:

• all resident bedrooms have air conditioning
• a long tradition of providing quality care in a home-like environment
• culturally diverse residents and staff
• semi-private, private and basic accommodations
• each home area has a dining room, communication centre (nurses’ station), recreation room, conference room, living room, TV lounge, shower room and spa
• guest suite for palliative care
• dialysis room
• Gathering Place and Worship Centre
• Green roof, Gift Shop, Library, Salon, Rehabilitation Room and private dining room
• Outdoor courtyard, balconies and inter-generational garden
• community hub is home to the Adult Day Program, Kipling Early Learning & Child Care Centre and West Acres Senior Centre, which offers wellness and recreation programs for local community seniors.

Kipling Acres offers the following specialized services:

• Beaumond Heights Behavioural Support Unit is a short-term, 17-person unit designed for individuals diagnosed with dementia that have complex behavioural care needs
• Behavioural Support Programs
• Short-stay respite
• Adult Day Program

Behavioural Support Programs

As recognized leaders in behavioural support programs, we have a long history of demonstrated knowledge of dementia, delirium and mental health in the delivery of care.

Staff and medical professionals are knowledgeable in the most prevalent types and related causes of behavioural issues, understand disease processes, stages and progression, diagnostic and assessment process, cognitive or neurological symptoms, treatment interventions, appropriate communication to address resident needs, strategies to promote optimal quality of life and experience of the behaviour(s) from the perspective of 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.

Our inter-professional care team includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation assistants, dietitians, social workers and members of the spiritual and religious care community. They will work with you to make sure you get the services you need, when you need them. Quality health and person-centred care will be provided in your room to allow for privacy, rest and comfort. Your care needs will determine your length of stay. The annual, maximum stay time is 90 days.

Beaumond Heights BSU

• 17-person short-term unit located at Kipling Acres
• designed for individuals who have complex care needs like dementia that cannot be safely and effectively managed in other long-term resident home areas.

Goals of the Program

• to manage and stabilize the resident’s responsive behaviours within four to six months so they can transition into a regular long-term care setting
• to provide high-quality, resident-centred, treatment and care to individuals with complex behaviours resulting from cognitive conditions.

Model of Care

• BSU care team uses a person-centered approach, emphasizing relationships and emotional support for residents and their families
• team collaborates to provide integrated care across all disciplines.
• residents and their decision makers are actively involved in planning, implementing and evaluating their care
• discharge planning begins early to ensure a smooth transition to a long-term care setting.

Beaumond Heights BSU Care Team

• dedicated interprofessional care team includes various health professionals such as registered nurses, personal support workers, social workers, recreation  staff and a physician
• access to specialists including geriatric psychiatrists, a geriatrician and a neurologist.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• living in long-term care or have an active long-term care admission application with Ontario Health atHome
• be medically stable for a long-term care environment
• have age-related cognitive impairment and responsive behaviours with a primary diagnosis of dementia
• have stable and controlled mental health conditions
• require close observation and high needs interventions
• exhibit behaviours that cannot be managed in the current environment and require short-term specialized resources and treatment outside of those offered in a regular long-term care setting
• have a discharge plan to permanent destination identified.

Referrals and Admissions

1. All assessments, referrals and applications are completed through Ontario Health atHome in the region where the applicant resides.
2. Applications are reviewed and approved by Kipling Acres Admission Committee.
3. Kipling Acres works collaboratively with the Admission Committee and Ontario Health atHome Placement Coordinator to process applications in a timely manner.
4. Following the application approval, a pre-admission meeting is encouraged to discuss program criteria, resident centered goals and discharge plans prior to admission.

More Information

• email ltc-ka@toronto.ca
• speak to a long-term care placement coordinator.

Summary of Resident Responses:

• 98% of residents are satisfied with the quality of the care and service
• 98% of residents feel that personal belongings are treated with respect
• 98% of residents feel the home provides a welcoming environment where they feel safe and accepted
• 98% of residents feel that staff treat them with respect
• 91% of residents would recommend the home to others.

Summary of Family Responses:

• 95% of families/caregivers feel the staff treat their family member with respect
• 94% of families/caregivers are satisfied with the quality of the care and service
• 94% of families/caregivers feel the home provides a homelike environment, which is clean
• 94% of families/caregivers feel the home provides a welcoming atmosphere where their family member feels safe and accepted
• 93% of family members would recommend the home to others.

Areas identified for additional improvements:

• Quality of laundry service
• Variety and quality of resident activities
• Enjoyable mealtime experiences
• Respectful communications.

For more detailed information, please email ltc-ka@toronto.ca

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.

Kipling Acres 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 (IMS) and have a robust Crisis/Disaster Communication Protocol.

For further information, please contact Ranjit Calay,  Administrator.

Ranjit Calay,  Administrator, Designated Quality Improvement Lead and Chair of Site Continuous Quality Improvement Committee

Elizabeth Juraschka, Divisional Quality Improvement Advisor

Seniors Services and Long-Term Care are responsible for service planning and strategic integration of City services for seniors, including:

• Community support programs such as adult day programs, supportive housing services, tenancy support and homemakers and nurses services for vulnerable individuals who reside in the community.
• Directly operating 10 long-term care homes that provide 24-hour resident-focused care for permanent, and short-stay admissions; care, services and programs enhance the quality of life by responding to individual resident needs.

Initiatives to advance these supports are organized within three strategic priorities:

Excellence in Care & Service

• Pursue continuous quality improvement to enhance resident and client-centered outcomes, adapt to regulatory changes, evolve and respond to clinical complexity and adherence to best practices
• Enhance resident and staff experiences through CareTO culture change

Integrated Care & Service Continuum

• Lead development of the Third Toronto Seniors Strategy
• Build on City, Ministry, community, and sector partnerships to plan for and respond to the needs of Toronto’s aging and diverse population

Thriving Workforce

• Expand talent acquisition channels to recruit, train, develop, and retain interprofessional team members
• Offer staff training, education, and development opportunities and support people leaders with resources and tools for success.

Priority Areas for 2025-26

This QIP aligns with the division’s strategic plan and was developed in consultation with the Residents’ Council, Family Council, and SSLTC leadership and aligns with Ontario Health priorities:

Kipling Acres will focus on:

• Rates of potentially avoidable Emergency Department visits
• Rates of residents prescribed anti-psychotic medications, without a diagnosis of psychosis
• Percentage of LTC residents who fell in the 30 days leading up to their assessment
• Percentage of staff (executive-level, management, or all) who have completed relevant equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism education
• Palliative Care implementation

Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)

Long-Term Care Priority Areas 2025/26

Your Opinion Counts Experience Survey

Overall, resident and family satisfaction, as measured in annual Your Opinion Counts survey, is high:

• 94 per cent of long-term care residents’ families are satisfied with care and services
• 98 per cent of long-term care residents are satisfied with care and services

However, we have identified these areas for improvement and will utilize a variety of quality improvement methods to ensure there are a variety of avenues for:

• Residents feel that their issues, concerns or request for information are addressed in a timely manner
• Variety and Quality of Food meets residents’ needs
• Accuracy in medication incident reporting

The LTC home will be introducing CareTO person-centred approaches to improve and enhance resident and family experience.

The LTC home will continue to monitor both clinical and non-clinical outcomes to assist with implementing new change ideas through quality improvement processes, structures, and partnerships to sustain high quality of care and services.

The quality improvement plan (QIP) for 2025/26 and Narrative 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.

• 2025-26 Kipling Acres Narrative
• 2025-26 Kipling Acres QIP

Quality Improvement Priority Selection Process

The quality improvement priority selection process reflects the collaboration and analysis of statistical data trends, program evaluations, Ministry of Long-Term Care reports, results from the Resident and Family experience survey “Your Opinion Counts”, Ontario Health system level priority areas, and collaborations with healthcare partners. 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.

Policies, Procedures and Protocols that Guide Continuous Quality Improvement

Seniors Services and Long-Term Care (SSLTC) is committed to the provision of care and service through the application of a quality improvement theory that seeks to meet the needs and improve quality of care and services.  Quality improvement policies have been established to guide quality improvement work and are aligned with the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, Accreditation standards and required organizational practices, Ontario Health requirements, and the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010.

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.

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, and safety culture.

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 2024.

The results were presented to Residents’ Council and Family Council in January 2025, 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.

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.

Communication strategies used to share Your Opinion Counts survey results:

• Residents’ Council meeting on December 12, 2024
• Family Council meeting on December 11, 2024
• Posting on the Quality Board for all who live, work and visit, November 27, 2024
• Staff team meetings, including a Town Hall on Nov 27, 2024, a Management Huddle on November 27, 2024, and Dec 11, 2024, and Family Communication on Dec 12, 2024 and throughout 2025.

Progress Report is prepared annually, identifying improvements achieved, changes implemented and opportunities for improvement.

• 2024-25 Kipling Acres Progress Report

Adult Day Program

The on-site Adult Day Program provides an opportunity to take part in a variety of health promotion programs, and to develop new friendships and interests. Seniors enjoy a variety of recreational and therapeutic activities, along with lunch and snacks. This program provides much-needed respite for many family members and other caregivers who are coping with the stress of caring for people with Alzheimer disease and other cognitive or physical disabilities.

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

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

• To complement the staff team, a large volunteer team is a treasured part of the Kipling Acres family. Volunteers provide a special brand of caring that keeps residents connected with the community
• An on-site child care centre offers residents a chance to share experiences with young children who live in the surrounding neighbourhood
• Alliances with the local community and cultural groups help us provide culturally appropriate care and services.