Lakeshore Lodge

CareTO is about:

• Person-Centred Care
• Innovative and Flexible Practices
• Participatory Engagement in Decision Making
• Building Nurturing Relationships
• Empowering Voices and Collaborative Teamwork

Lakeshore Lodge is investing in CareTO, as the pilot site for the City’s brand for long-term care culture change. Our goal is to improve the experiences of all those who live, work, and visit.

Opened in 1990, Lakeshore Lodge has 150 beds and features:

• All resident rooms are serviced with central air conditioning.
• A stunning view of Lake Ontario with open spaces, patios, benches and quiet places like the gazebo for strolling, sitting, and enjoying the outdoors.
• We provide a caring and welcoming environment for all residents and their family members and friends, who are encouraged to actively participate in care and service planning.
• Secured unit caring for residents with exit seeking behaviours. This home area has access to 2nd floor garden terrace for residents and loved ones to enjoy the raised garden beds and view of Lake Ontario.
• Residents’ meals are provided on each unit and include a comprehensive food and nutrition services.  Menus are prepared to include in-season and locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables when possible.  A registered dietician is on staff to provide additional nutritional support to our residents.
• The inter-denominational Worship Centre is located on the main floor and is accessible to residents and families 7 days a week.
• The Auditorium is also located on the main floor for large programs and special events.
• A Nutrition Manager, in consultation with the care team, assures that nutritional needs and where possible, food preferences along with medical issues are understood and met. There are three main meals each day and snacks are throughout the day.

The City are recognized leaders in behavioural support programs with 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.
• Staff are well-trained to provide excellent care for individuals requiring increasingly complex care that may include intravenous treatments, gastric feeding tubes, oxygen therapy and extensive wound care management.
• In December 2019, City Council approved the development of a made-in-Toronto emotion-centred approach to care that will focus on care relationships and emotional connections within a more collaborative living and learning environment for residents, staff and families.  Lakeshore Lodge is the pilot site for implementation of the approach that includes enhanced and ongoing staff education, with the goal of continuous quality improvement.

Services for residents include:

• Art and Music Programs
• Behaviour Support Team
• Complementary Care
• Dementia Care
• End of Life Care
• Hairdressing and Barber Services
• Housekeeping and Building Services
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Recreation
• Registered Dietician
• Rehabilitation
• Social Work
• Spiritual and Religious Care
• Volunteer Services

Toronto Emergency Management (OEM) 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.

Lakeshore Lodge 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 Radu Pana Manager, Facilities Management.

Jahmelia Allen, 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

Priority Areas for 2024-2025

The quality improvement plan (QIP) for 2024/25 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.

• 2024-25 Lakeshore Lodge QIP Narrative
• 2024-25 Lakehore Lodge 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 align 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 2023.

The results were presented to Residents’ Council in January 2024, 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.

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 are in place to share Your Opinion Count results and included the following:

• Sharing the “Your Opinion Counts” survey results at the Residents’ Council meeting on January 29, 2024.
• Presenting the survey results to the Family Council on February 8, 2024.
• Posting the results on the Quality Board for staff and families in January 2024.
• Sharing the results with staff and family via memo on July 11, 2024.

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

• 2023-24 Lakeshore Lodge Progress Report

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.

• Support from the Regional Psychogeriatric Consultant
• Residents are able to access on-site dental, hearing, eye and foot care from our contracted service providers
• The St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program holds its west Toronto training evaluations at Lakeshore Lodge to the benefit of residents who enjoy visits from four-legged furry friend
• Lakeshore Lodge is fortunate to be surrounded by Humber College – Lakeshore Campus as well as elementary schools and high schools.  We continue to build on our partnerships with these educational institutions to offer placement and volunteer opportunities within the home.