Residents’ Councils and Family Councils: Working Towards a Better Understanding
Par Family Councils Ontario
Co-authored by Samantha Peck, FCO, and Melissa McVie, OARC. Originally published in Seasons (2019), Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils.
According to the Long-Term Care Home’s Act (LTCHA, 2007), every licensee of a long-term care home must ensure that a Residents’ Council is established in the home. While it is not mandatory for every home to have a Family Council, the vast majority of homes do have one. The home’s management has a legal obligation to advise families and persons of importance to residents, on an ongoing basis, and through semi-annual meetings, of their right to form a Family Council and must assist with its establishment if/when requested.
Residents’ Councils and Family Councils are independent, self-determining groups, that are supported by, but not run by, the long-term care home. As their respective names suggest, the membership and participation on Residents’ and Family Councils are exclusive to residents and families/persons of importance to residents, respectively. Meetings are intended to be private, safe spaces for these distinct groups to come together to share openly and support one another as peers. A family member is unable to accompany a resident to a Residents’ Council meeting or attend on a resident’s behalf. The same is true of residents attending closed family meetings. On occasion, the Councils may extend an invitation to have a guest present or attend part of the private meeting, however, the LTCHA (2007) is very clear that residents and families are to maintain their separate Councils in order to be most effective and true to their intended purpose. This does not prevent of preclude Councils from working together.
This diagram (below) helps to visually illustrate the distinctions and shared powers and responsibilities of the Councils, according to the LTCHA (2007).
Both the Residents’ Council and Family Council play an integral role in promoting a resident-centred culture within a home and enhancing the resident and family experience. Residents are the experts on what it is like to live in long-term care. It is their home and residents provide insights based on their lived experiences. Family members contribute valuable outside experience and perspectives based on their own skills and expertise. Successful collaboration between the groups involves clear and respectful communication, the establishment of boundaries and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality. Effective partnerships between the Councils can be formed when time and efforts are directed towards a shared goal, whether it be planning an event or joining forces for a quality improvement initiative.