Kudos to Toronto for spreading innovation in long-term care homes

Toronto council has voted unanimously to bring change to city-run nursing homes with new programming that promises to improve the lives of seniors with dementia.  This change is similar to the work recently done in a Peel Region-operated dementia unit where residents, who once spent days staring at the floor, came back to life through friendship with staff trained in empathy-focused care.  Read more here.

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At the St. John’s Green House home in Penfield N.Y., residents eat together at a communal table. The Green House project focuses on residents’ emotional and social well-being.

If you want to see innovative models of long-term care homes introduced in your community:  One of the followers of our blog sent us some ideas on how we can influence our own local politicians, especially in light of the upcoming October 22nd Ontario municipal elections.  See below for her suggestions:

We are not talking about high tech solutions
We are talking about low tech, low cost solutions
Solutions to what?
Solutions to our broken institutional long-term care homes.

If you want our vote
You must not be afraid to change the culture in these homes
You must allow residents to engage in meaningful activities
If you want our vote.

Thousands more beds are being allocated to long-term care
Now is the time to lead others in an innovative social model
A model in which you and your family would be happy to live
If you want our vote.

Residents with dementia living in our long-term care homes deserve a better quality of life.  Please take just a few minutes to help these residents by sending an email or making a phone call to your local councillors or mayors.

And please click on the “follow” our blog button to provide more support to our cause and share with your own contacts.

 

 

 

4 Replies to “Kudos to Toronto for spreading innovation in long-term care homes”

  1. If only my father could have enjoyed his final year in that way. It makes me feel sad for him and hopeful that seniours suffering from dementia will be able to enjoy themselves in their golden years. Way to go Toronto!

  2. Fantastic news about Toronto voting to transform long-term care homes. Hope this helps ignite Ottawa into lighting up their long-term care homes. I know I should be thinking of our whole province but I live in Ottawa and the current culture in our long-term care homes scares me. I want respect for seniors and those with dementia now. Politicians listen up, if you want my vote.

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