16 LONG TERM CARE TODAY Spring/Summer 2019 QUALITY & INNOVATION AWARDS 2018 E ach year, long-term care residents across Ontario can nominate their home to receive a Resident- Centred Home of the Year Award. Being nominated is an honour unto itself; being selected to receive the award brings additional validation, as the decision is made by long-term care home residents from the board of the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils. In 2018, the OLTCA Resident-Centred Home of the Year Award was given to Revera’s Longfields Manor in Nepean for their focus on including the residents’ voice and enhancing a sense of community and connection. It starts on admission, when staff work with families to decorate and re-configure the resident’s room. Families are also given a welcome package, which includes a “Getting to Know You” form that is used as a launching pad to discuss the resident’s specific needs, wants and history. This information is continually reviewed, updated and communicated to ensure care is reflective of their ongoing needs and preferences. Resident-Centred Home of the Year Revera’s Longfields Manor enhances a sense of community and connection “It’s a simple step, but this form helps staff to start conversations related to the resident’s personal interests and history, and that in turn helps to build trusting relationships,” says Tracy Hall-Konink, Executive Director at Longfields Manor. The home also took on some environmental changes. With input from residents, their families and staff, the management team recently rejuvenated its central gathering room and created a new games room in the process. Staff also took the lead in creating an Activities of Daily Living sheet to be posted in each resident’s room, ensuring that specific details regarding their care and their preferences can be easily accessed during regular care routines. The home conducts an annual third-party satisfaction survey, which is done by volunteers either individually or in groups so that residents feel comfortable providing feedback. An action plan for each area that needs improvement as well as the results are discussed openly at