Together We Care 2019 Convention: Highlights
by Family Councils Ontario
Last week’s Together We Care convention brought together over 1200 delegates to learn and network, all with the shared goal of improving long-term care and retirement communities Ontario. Organized by OLTCA (Ontario Long-Term Care Association) and ORCA (Ontario Retirement Communities Association), the convention featured engaging and inspiring plenary sessions, informative and educational concurrent sessions, and networking opportunities to connect with peers in the fields of long-term care and retirement living. Tiffany and Sam attended the convention; here are their highlights.
Opening remarks from the Honourable Raymond Cho – Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
Minister Cho opened day two of the conference with an inspiring and funny speech. He spoke about his journey to becoming the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility and how as an 82-year-old stroke survivor his work to support seniors and people with accessibility needs is both deeply personal and essential to Ontario’s growth and success. He had the audience laughing with his thoughts on the keys to aging well- laughing out loud every day and supportive relationships with loved ones- and reflecting on how their work creates personal meaning and province-wide impacts. Minister Cho really got the day off to a great start!
Opening Plenary - Darkness and Hope: Depression, Sports and Me by Michael Landsberg, Mental Health Speaker and Host Of TSN’s Off The Record
Michael Landsberg is a well-known sports journalist and mental health advocate. In his inspiring plenary talk, he shared his living with depression and anxiety. He challenged the audience to reflect on how mental health has impacted their lives- nearly everyone in the audience identified as living with a mental health challenge or having someone close to them who does- and how they can reduce stigma in the workplace. As Landsberg said, “mental illness is not a weakness” and we can all take steps to support good mental health in the workplace and beyond. Mental health is an essential aspect of our well-being and Landsberg challenged us to work to support our own well-being and that of others.
Concurrent session- Transitions from One Health Care Setting to Another by Katharine Byrick, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
This session focused on transitions within the healthcare system, relevant legislation, and how healthcare providers can facilitate those transitions. The overview provided of the various pieces of Ontario legislation- Long-Term Care Homes Act, Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, and others- provided valuable insight into the complexities of the healthcare system. Ms. Byrick’s ideas on how to facilitate transitions and make them patient-centred resonated with the session attendees and provided all of us with suggestions to share and implement.
Concurrent session- Person-Centred Language Matters by Kate Ducak, Gerontologist & Project Officer, Research Institute for Aging; and Tina Kalviainen, Provincial Coordinating Office (PCO), Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO)
This session provided us with info about Behavioural Supports Ontario’s Person-Centred Language Commitment Statements and engaged attendees in an exercise to explore and further discuss how the statements and related toolkit might be adapted into long-term care homes and retirement communities. The language we use has a huge impact on the resident and family experience and the delivery of care. This session not only educated and enlightened attendees, but also gave them concrete wys to make language person-centred.
Concurrent session- Panel - Diversity and Inclusion: Courageous Conversations
Moderator: Deanna Matzanke, Chief Client Officer, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.
Panelists: Brian Le Blanc, International Alzheimer’s Advocate; Vanda Koukounakis, General Manager, The Village of Wentworth Heights; Lezlie Lee Kam, Queer Dyke Community Activist
This panel discussion provided highly valuable insights into the experiences of people with diverse and intersecting identities and experiences. The panel members shared what it means to them to be psychologically safe, their wants and needs to continue to live productive and meaningful lives in their senior years, and how we can be true allies and support inclusion in our care communities and workplaces. Their honesty in sharing their stories inspired all of us.
We thank OLTCA for the generous convention passes! If you have questions about the convention, contact Sam or Tiffany.