Members of the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services will receive under separate confidential cover, a copy of the criteria and nominations received from Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services.  Members will use that information to select the Mary Ellen Glover Award recipient.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services received the item for information.

Each Long-Term Care Home in Ontario is required by law to enter into a formal service accountability agreement with their Local Health Integration Network.  A common template of a service accountability agreement for use with the long-term care sector is currently under development.  It is expected that the new legal agreements will take effect on the date that the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, comes into force.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services received the item for information.

The recommended 2010 gross expenditure budget of $220.6 million is an increase of 2.2 percent over the 2009 approved operating budget.  The increase is primarily due to cost of living adjustments, along with fringe benefit changes, step and progression pay increases amounting to $3.761 million; collective agreement changes include family day and shift premium increases amounting to $0.665 million; as well WSIB increased charges of $0.653 million.  The offset savings include user fees and provincial subsidies increases amounting to $2.047 million.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services received the item for information.

Residents’ computers were first introduced in the homes in 2002.  Each home was provided with a computer dedicated for residents’ use.  This computer allowed residents to communicate with family and friends via email, write stories or memoirs, and browse the World Wide Web.  Since 2002, the resident population in the homes has changed with more residents being computer-savvy and familiar with the use of technology and computers.  As a result, in some homes, the one computer for residents’ use is in very high demand.

The division is exploring a sponsorship option through the Toronto Office of Partnerships (TOP) that would provide additional computers for use in the homes by the residents.  In the event that the sponsorship option is not successful, then the division will make a recommendation to the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services for approval to use donations account monies for acquiring additional resident computers.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services received the item for information.

For the third consecutive year, Canada Blooms donated plants and flowers to seniors after their annual gardening festival.

On Monday, March 22, 2010, over 500 flowers and potted plants were transported to Fudger House for distribution to residents.  Half of the donation was made available to seniors served by other long-term care homes, seniors’ housing and community programs in the neighbourhood including the supportive housing site, Winchester Square.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services received the item for information.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services endorsed the requested expenditure of $50.00 from the divisional Education Donations account as an honorarium for the guest speaker at the 2010 spring Family Education session at Bendale Acres on May 18, 2010.

The Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division has an established history and commitment in promoting and supporting family education opportunities.  This is evidenced through the many learning venues offered to family members, whether it be through family education nights/events facilitated by the individual homes, the “Just for Families” educational brochures or inter-home/community family education sessions.

The division initiated an inter-home family education series in 2005, broadening invitations in 2009 to community clients’ families and caregivers.  Generally, the inter-home family/community education series has convened twice a year and based on the advice and suggestions provided through the Inter-Home Advisory Committee, the venues and times have varied so as to be as convenient/inclusive to as many family members as possible.  Topics that have been covered in these series have included “visiting a family member who has dementia”, “getting involved in the home”, “a closer look at dementia care” and “aging in a diverse society” to name only a few.  Attendees’ evaluations indicate that they highly value these learning opportunities.  The feedback in the evaluations provides suggestions and ideas for future topics of interest.

The division is hosting the 2010 spring Family Education session at Bendale Acres on May 18, 2010 (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM) on the topic “A closer look at Caregiver Stress”. The session’s facilitator is Mr. Teferi Adem, from the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto.  This report requests approval of an expenditure of $50.00 from the Education Donations account, as an honorarium to recognize Mr. Adem’s contribution.

The Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services endorsed the requested expenditure for $15,000.00 for the design, development and construction of a front garden at Cummer Lodge, from the Toronto Challenge Donations Account.

Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services has a variety of donations accounts and an overarching policy that requires any expenditure request from a donations account to have the support and endorsement of both the Home Advisory Committee and the General Manager.  Further, expenditure requests over the amount of $7,500.00 also require the endorsement of the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services.

The policy related to designated uses of the donations accounts states that expenditures from a donations account “shall not be made for the ordinary operation and maintenance of the home”.  In general, the purpose of the donations account is to enrich/enhance the quality of life for residents.  If a minor capital project may be described as either a home structural upgrade or improving the residents’ living environment, consultation with the General Manager or Director, Administration and Support Services is encouraged prior to a formal recommendation.

On February 1, 2010 the Cummer Lodge Home Advisory Committee reviewed and approved an expenditure request for $15,000.00 for the design, development and construction of a front garden.

The request is referred to the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services for the committee’s further consideration.