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Seasons - Celebrating the Seasons of Life
Fall 2009 - View Download as a PDF document
OARC Appoints New Executive director - 02 August 2009
I am pleased to announce that Donna Fairley has been appointed Executive Director of the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils effective September 1, 2009.
Donna has a number of years experience as a volunteer in a Long-Term Care setting working with both Residents’ Councils and Family Councils in addition to providing support to the management team of a Long-Term Care facility. Donna also has a number of years of experience working with the private sector in providing security systems within the long-term care system. Donna will bring an enthusiastic and energetic approach to her role as Executive Director and I know you will enjoy working with her.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Pat Prentice for her many years of service to the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils. Pat will officially retire as Executive Director on August 31, 2009. Through Pat’s vision and leadership, the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils has grown into a vibrant organization that plays a vital role in supporting Residents’ Councils and residents in all long-term care facilities in Ontario. It is through Pat’s dedication that we have been able to ensure that we met our primary objectives including; supporting Residents’ Councils, being able to speak with one voice for residents, promoting a standard of care and influencing legislation.
Donna will officially join our team on September 1, 2009 and Pat will be providing support and orientation during part of September to ensure a smooth transition for Donna into her new role.
Maureen Hutchinson,
President Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils
351 Christie Street
Toronto , Ontario
M6G 3C3
WHAT IS A RESIDENTS’ COUNCIL?
A Residents’ Council is made up of and represents all residents in a particular setting. Long term care Homes of all types across the province, including nursing homes, homes for the aged, retirement homes, chronic care units of hospitals, and seniors’ apartments, have active, useful Residents’ Councils.
Under law in Ontario, specific rights are given to Councils in facilities regulated by the province, and the Administrator is required to advise all residents, on a regular basis, of their right to form a Council. In other types of Homes, for example, retirement homes, a Residents’ Council is not required by law, but hundreds of them do have Councils, since residents, staff and administration see the great benefit they bring to the Home and its residents.
The Residents’ Council of a Home provides a vehicle through which residents maintain a degree of control over their lives, share in the management of the Home, and thereby contribute to the welfare of all involved, including staff and administration.
A Residents’ Council can do anything the residents want it to do. Not all Residents’ Councils are the same; residents choose the kind that best suits them, and their Home. In general, Councils have these goals in common:
- to safeguard the rights of residents, and promote a quality of life within the Home
- to help residents communicate with one another and with staff and administration, in a strong, positive and continuing way
- to establish a sense of community, comradeship and friendship among residents
- to gather news and information of interest to all, ensuring that all residents are informed about things that may affect them
- to recognize, encourage and use the skills and talents of residents in working towards common goals
- to encourage all residents to have a voice in their daily lives, and to express their concerns as residents of the Home, and as citizens of the larger community
- to provide a forum where everyone can be heard, and the common will expressed.
In short, Residents’ Councils provide a way for individuals to use their talents in working as a group, and to speak with one common voice. Many voices speaking together are more powerful than one voice, speaking alone.
It is that “speaking
with one voice” that in 1981 prompted a small
group of residents, active in their own individual Residents’ Councils,
to form the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils (OARC), to speak
with one voice to governments and other bodies on their behalf, to assist new
Councils to get started, and existing ones to be more effective.
For Residents, By Residents
- a non-profit association
- founded in 1981 by residents of long term care Homes in Ontario
- members come from both profit and non-profit long term care Homes in Ontario
- governed by a Board of Directors, all of whom are residents of member long term care Homes in Ontario
- providing a network to strengthen the voice of residents through their Councils