FCO Innovation Summit

Join Family Councils Ontario for two days of learning and leadership as we welcome leaders and emerging organizations to present to the long-term care community. Our first day will include presentations focusing on quality improvement and palliative care approaches to long-term care. Our second day is an Innovation Expo featuring a variety of organizations focused on promoting connection, meaningful engagement and active participation of caregivers as partners in care.

Day One - Quality Improvement & Palliative Care in Long-Term Care

2:00 - 3:30pm Quality Improvement in Long-Term Care with Hannah Bontogon

This session will outline what Quality Improvement is and how families and family councils can be involved in their homes’ QI processes.

Hannah Bontogon is a public health professional with expertise in health promotion and community based health care. Bontogon has worked across the life spectrum and completed a Masters in Public Health.

3:30 - 5:00pm A Palliative Care Approach in LTC with Nadine Valk & Tara Cohen

This session will outline what is meant by a Palliative Approach to Care and highlight resources available to support proactive conversations about Palliative Care for families of residents in long-term care.


Nadine works part-time with Hospice Palliative Care Ontario as Director of Education and Strategic Partnerships. She is a passionate advocate for palliative care and community health, which has been reflected in her various professional and volunteer roles, including as the Executive Director of Champlain Hospice Palliative Care Program, the National Director of Programs and Public Policy for the Kidney Foundation of Canada, and Vice-Chair of the Carlington Community Health Centre Board. Nadine is an instructor with the Mindfulness Informed End-of-Life Care program at the University of Toronto and is also a certified team coach and Integral Professional Coach™

Tara Cohen is a Registered Social Worker and mindfulness instructor and is deeply committed to supporting people in achieving their optimal quality of life, throughout their life journey. Tara works in health systems planning at the Champlain Hospice Palliative Care Program where she supports hospice, hospital, long term care and community organizations to develop palliative and end-of-life care programs. Tara’s hope is to respond to the needs and suffering of individuals, families, and health care teams as they walk their unique and collective paths through life, including illness, dying, death and grief.

Day Two - Business Expo

1:00pm - 5:00pm

1:15pm - 1:45pm Ambient Activity

1:45pm - 2:15pm Evoke Health

2:15pm - 2:45pm Arlene / AcTO Dementia / Let's Connect

3:30pm - 4:00pm Gerry

4:00pm - 4:30pm Motitech