Carleton Lodge Family Council take the PCL Pledge!
Par Leah Cabral, Communications Manaher
I had the privilege to connect with Matthew Dineen and Courtney Stasiuk a few days ago. Matthew has been the Family Council Chair at Carleton Lodge in Ottawa, Ontario since January 2023. In addition to his role as a caregiver to his wife and council chair within the home, Matthew is also a father, educator, advocate, and teammate in his life outside the home.
Courtney works as a Project Specialist with Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO), an initiative that was created to enhance health care services for older adults in Ontario with complex and responsive behaviours associated with dementia, mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions. Courtney and her colleagues work to educate long-term care home staff, caregivers, and councils about person-centered language in several ways, one of which being presentations.
In April of this year FCO’s Education Manager, Cathleen Edwards collaborated with Esther Russell from BSO to give an informative presentation on Person-Centered Language to Carleton Lodge Family Council. Matthew and several other Carleton Lodge Family Council members were engaged in the presentation, and by the end of the day the group had taken the Person-Centered Language Pledge, renewing their commitment to the cause.
I say a renewed commitment since the presentation by Cathleen and Esther was not the first time Carleton Lodge had heard about Person-Centered Language. Thanks to many incredible resources and tools for implementation that are already available, the Person-Centered Language initiative is becoming more common knowledge throughout long-term care communities especially amongst Family Councils. Matthew and his Council colleagues had decided they would take the Person-Centered Language Pledge and work toward implementing PCL throughout their home back in the Fall of 2022.
Carleton Lodge Family Council has been an active and dedicated group for many years, with some members continuing their work in the home after the passing of their loved ones. There is a strong sense of community and a desire to always strive toward an increased quality of life and care amongst those who live, work, and care at Carleton Lodge. Because of this, the Family Council not only saw the importance of using Person-Centered Language but wanted to play an active role in implementing the initiative throughout their home. Matthew shared with me that his colleagues at Carleton Lodge felt strongly that implementation needed to not only be informational, but also be thoughtful, dedicated, and ongoing. Their plan included potential methods of implementation, a timeline, and status updates. They created a wonderful and powerful tool!
Carleton Lodge Family Council had to shift their implementation timeline following the retirement announcement of their home’s administrator. They are awaiting a meeting with the incoming administrator this Fall, and are hopeful that they will be able to continue on with their plan within this calendar year. Until then, the council continues to work toward Person-Centered Language by reviewing resources and discussing different PCL related themes at their monthly meetings. They have ordered specialty frames to display informative posters, and decided which key locations in the home they will hang them in. They are also hoping to engage the home’s Resident Council in their work.
It was great to hear from Matthew and to find out more about the ongoing work of Carleton Lodge Family Council. It is a significant piece of work and one of many ways that Family Council members create community and foster warmth and safety in their homes. Courtney and her team will continue to provide support and resources to councils, including Carleton Lodge, as they do this work.
I look forward to reconnecting with Matthew and Courtney in a few months to find out how implementation is going at Carleton Lodge and what new resources are available to support this work.
If you would like to learn more about the Person-Centered Language Initiative, you can find resources and contact information below:
Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO)
https://www.behaviouralsupportsontario.ca/
If you would like to meet with a member of our team to learn more about Person-Centered Language, or to schedule a presentation for your Family Council, please contact us at info@fco.ngo
I say a renewed commitment since the presentation by Cathleen and Esther was not the first time Carleton Lodge had heard about Person-Centered Language. Thanks to many incredible resources and tools for implementation that are already available, the Person-Centered Language initiative is becoming more common knowledge throughout long-term care communities especially amongst Family Councils. Matthew and his Council colleagues had decided they would take the Person-Centered Language Pledge and work toward implementing PCL throughout their home back in the Fall of 2022.
Carleton Lodge Family Council has been an active and dedicated group for many years, with some members continuing their work in the home after the passing of their loved ones. There is a strong sense of community and a desire to always strive toward an increased quality of life and care amongst those who live, work, and care at Carleton Lodge. Because of this, the Family Council not only saw the importance of using Person-Centered Language but wanted to play an active role in implementing the initiative throughout their home. Matthew shared with me that his colleagues at Carleton Lodge felt strongly that implementation needed to not only be informational, but also be thoughtful, dedicated, and ongoing. Their plan included potential methods of implementation, a timeline, and status updates. They created a wonderful and powerful tool!
Carleton Lodge Family Council had to shift their implementation timeline following the retirement announcement of their home’s administrator. They are awaiting a meeting with the incoming administrator this Fall, and are hopeful that they will be able to continue on with their plan within this calendar year. Until then, the council continues to work toward Person-Centered Language by reviewing resources and discussing different PCL related themes at their monthly meetings. They have ordered specialty frames to display informative posters, and decided which key locations in the home they will hang them in. They are also hoping to engage the home’s Resident Council in their work.
It was great to hear from Matthew and to find out more about the ongoing work of Carleton Lodge Family Council. It is a significant piece of work and one of many ways that Family Council members create community and foster warmth and safety in their homes. Courtney and her team will continue to provide support and resources to councils, including Carleton Lodge, as they do this work.
I look forward to reconnecting with Matthew and Courtney in a few months to find out how implementation is going at Carleton Lodge and what new resources are available to support this work.
If you would like to learn more about the Person-Centered Language Initiative, you can find resources and contact information below:
Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO)
https://www.behaviouralsupportsontario.ca/
If you would like to meet with a member of our team to learn more about Person-Centered Language, or to schedule a presentation for your Family Council, please contact us at info@fco.ngo