Family Council Year End Reports

Maxville Manor Family Council - 2024 Annual Report
Mission and Mandate: The Manor’s Family Council (FC) is a volunteer group open to all family and persons of importance to the residents of the Maxville Manor long-term care home. Members are welcome to remain on Council even if their loved-one passes. The Maxville Manor Family Council (FC) has been provided a mandate under the Fixing Long Term Care ACT 2021 as amended. Its mission is to improve the experience of families and residents of the Maxville Manor.
This is achieved by: 

•    Advancement of resident engagement and resident-centered care in all aspects of Manor life

•    Providing a forum for families, residents, and the community to participate in quality improvement and information sharing

•    Knowledge transfer, assistance, information and advice to residents, family members of residents and persons of importance to residents

•    Advising the Manor of any concerns, commendations, or recommendations that Family Council has about the Operation of the Home

•    Review of key documents including inspection reports and satisfaction surveys

•    Encourage and support staff and volunteers who participate in delivery of programs 

•    Enhancing communication amongst staff, families, residents, and the community 
•    Exercise of any other powers provided for in the most current Long Term Care Homes Act and associated Regulations.
The role and responsibility of family councils were first included in the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 to recognize the important contributions Family Councils make to long-term care homes and the sector. The 2021 Fixing Long-Term Care Act (FLTCA) as amended in July 2024 and regulation O:Reg 246/22 provides homes with additional guidance to ensure the voice of the Family Council is present and is heard as part of the Quality Improvement processes. 
As Chair I write this annual report with mixed emotions for reasons that will become clear as you read.

Membership and Meetings:
We lost several members in 2024 as their loved ones passed away, but added considerably to the core distribution list, largely due to development of a permission form for inclusion in the new resident intakes. That form provides an email address and consent when completed. Attendance at meetings can be fluid as can responses to email distributions. Although family and resident councils are enshrined in legislation, participation is voluntary. Some institutions do not have a Family Council. Some may consist of as little as one member. We are pleased to report that we continue to be one of the larger councils in Ontario. On the other hand, that just highlights how difficult it can be to attract volunteers that are resolute in their desire to advocate for the best interests of families and residents. 
It’s commonly felt that a passing delineates the end of membership however the Ministry has made it clear that the passing of a resident does not mean that family council membership must cease. Their knowledge and experience continue to be welcome for the benefit of all residents for as long as they  wish to continue to participate in the family council.
During 2024 the role of FC Administrator was passed from Cynthia Morgan, Executive Assistant to CEO Amy Porteous and back to Cynthia again after the Ministry LTC ordered that the CEO cannot act as the FC Assistant.  We thank her for helping to coordinate meetings and special events, providing space and equipment, assisting with advertising of meetings and some limited posting to the Manor website.
2024 was a busy year for the Family Council notwithstanding our own personal lives, the on-going impacts of Covid-19, respiratory breakouts and restrictions. In some ways it was much better for loved-ones despite outbreaks as the Ministry clarified that while caregivers must take precautions, they cannot be legally excluded from visiting loved-ones during outbreaks. Too many residents died alone previously. 2024 was also the worst year on record for critical incidents and complaints at the Manor resulting in inspections by the Ministry of Long Term Care (MLTC) throughout the year. Note that Ministry inspection reports can be found on the Internet at https://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/en-ca/homeprofile.aspx?Home=c540&tab=1 . There is no public transparency of concerns and complaints raised internally.
Family Council endeavours to meet bimonthly with allowance for vacations, holiday seasons etc. Interaction, especially between the FC chair and senior Manor leadership, could only be described as difficult this year. There was significant staff turnover resulting in loss of relationships and lost continuity of effort yet the relationship with front-line staff providing direct care remains strong.  
The FC thanks the Manor for its ongoing support of its own email address specific to the FC, familycouncil@maxvillemanor.ca  and the ability to conduct our own Zoom meetings supported by the Manor’s paid account. Dual format meetings were conducted in 2024 enabling FC participants to attend in in person in the Manor Library or join via Zoom.
Rainer Pethke was acclaimed by vote of confidence to continue as Chair of the Family Council in 2024 Several members noted their appreciation for an increased focus on support for residents and for sharing information that they are not readily finding elsewhere. In 2024 the FC Terms of Reference were amended so that a Chair may continue by qualified vote even after 2 consecutive terms as originally specified, otherwise the council would be forced to shut down without an alternate volunteer. The Chair participated in a province-wide forum wherein other family council chairs indicate that they too have served for extended periods of time and multiple terms. The search for a new chair is now a regular  agenda item.

Rainer chaired FC team meetings on:
•    Jan 15, 2024
•    Apr 8, 2024
•    Jun 17, 2024
•    Sep 9, 2024
•    Nov 18, 2024
•    with the next FC meeting scheduled for January 27, 2025, to allow time for the holidays.

All meetings were hosted in the Manor Library making use of the Manor’s conferencing ‘OWL’ technology. OWL is a central speaker and camera which quickly focuses in on the person speaking thereby enhancing dual format meetings including Zoom, if setup properly. We thank Cynthia Morgan as EA to the CEO and FC Assistant for providing connectivity for our Zoom sessions. Unfortunately, we experienced multiple issues particularly in the latter half of the year that impacted timely start times and/or smooth operations of our meetings.

 
2024 Activities: 

The operating climate deteriorated from that found in our 2023 year-end report.  2023 concluded that the FC Chair and Manor CEO communicated and met as needed including discussions on the evolution towards a model of People-Centered Care. Unfortunately, any momentum towards People centered care is not to be found in the Manor’s 2024 accomplishments, as listed in a special newsletter from the CEO’s Executive Assistant on Jan 3rd 2025.
In 2023 we spoke of a good relationship with the CEO, Director of Care (DoC), and front office staff. Caring from the Heart was demonstrated may times as core to the conduct of previous DoC’s such as Kelly Keeler who we still believe deserves special mention for promoting a good working relationship. Our first FC meeting in January 2024 welcomed participation from the new DoC Anya Gwynn and new Assistant DoC Courtney Jeske. 
In the opinion of several members including the Chair, 2024 saw a marked change in tone. We saw the sudden departure of Anya and promotion of the Assistant to be the new Director of Care early in the year as well as extended absences by the CEO in the latter half of 2024.
Special Note: The long form draft of this report (not released to the general public) documented over 25 examples to validate this sense that things deteriorated in 2024. 
Examples range from the most reactive Ministry inspections ever recorded going all the way back to 2010, to exclusion of FC from quality meetings and the family and resident survey process even though mandated under long term care legislation, exclusion from manor redevelopment, to seemingly nonsensical demands such as removing the name of the Director of Care from all prior approved minutes in contravention of widely recognized Roberts Rules of Conduct. All prior FC minutes were deleted from the Manor website without notice.  It’s further assumed that the frequent attendance by inspectors due to complaints and critical incidents negated any need for proactive inspections such as that seen in 2023.
Unfortunately, the significant upward trend in documented complaints and Ministry inspections casts the Manor in a less favourable light when families are researching placement for their loved ones. The unfortunate reality is that there are tens of thousands waitlisted for placement in Ontario so beds will always be full even if Maxville is not a first choice. We believe that a management focus on public transparency and measurements tied to a quality program to address complaints and concerns can yield positive results going forward and reverse this upward trend in complaints. This recommendation has been made for inclusion in the new 2025-2029 strategic plan. 
Regardless, there are many good things the Family Council can be proud of:
All considered, the Family Council and Chair are pleased to report a continued growth of the Family Council, growing by over 400% since the current chair’s involvement.  

•    We are pleased to see new faces and welcome the familiar ones. One thing that stood out for us in the CEO’s own list of 2024 accomplishments was credit for working with the FC on the intake forms to add permission for the FC to contact new families. That was fundamental to our growth. The Chair previously rewrote the intake procedures based on his families own experience and offered recommendations for improvement, including this new process. 

Some families are saying they still get most of their information from FC so this may be an area to review in 2025 with Manor leadership. Our focus is always to make things better where we can add value. The FC strove to include key presenters at each regular meeting, promote information sharing and support members in advocacy for our most vulnerable.

 Highlights Included:
•    Review of Inspection Action Plans - Former DoC Anya Gwynn and subsequently new DoC Courtney Jeske sometimes accompanied CEO Amy Porteous to present the Manor’s action plans resulting from Inspection Reports, particularly in the early part of the year. The FC made comments and recommendations to support the plan(s)

•    Emergency Preparedness - Michelle Wilson - Staff Development and Lise Bray (Director of Environmental Services were invited and presented professional training modules covering different emergency codes/scenarios with possible causes and responses for the disruption of normal services for the benefit of FC members. This collaboration was very well received.

•    Palliative Care - We presented to Manor leadership on Palliative care in the emerging Ministry models and general best practices that promote earlier recognition of end of life especially with a life limiting disease to make a person’s last days as pleasant as possible vis-à-vis the current Manor model which focuses on the last days. More information on the Ministry’s approach to Palliative Care can be found in section 61 of the regulation

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/220246#BK78 
•    Accreditation via Accreditation Canada – The FC continues to be a strong advocate for achieving accreditation. Some of the most highly respected LTC facilities such as the local Osgoode Care Centre proudly display the banner at their front entrance so why not Maxville too? It is believed to be a pathway to people centered care and possibly even improved funding from the Ministry. 

•    Interaction with Other Family Councils. - Eleanor Ryan and Shelly Sheedy from the Champlain Regional Family Council Network (CRFCN) joined us via Zoom in March. The Maxville Manor FC is an active participant with other homes in the Champlain Regional Family Council Network (CRFCN) and Family Councils Ontario (FCO).
The CRFCN is itself a volunteer organization supporting 5 districts which include Hawkesbury, Cornwall, Maxville, Ottawa and Renfrew. It has 60 long-term care homes within this district. The Champlain Region extends from Deep River in the west to Hawkesbury in the east and includes the City of Ottawa. More information can be found at their website https://www.champlainfamilycouncils.ca/. CFRCN works closely with Family Councils Ontario (FCO) which is a government funded organization out of Toronto. FCO has a website https://fco.ngo/ with good resources.

•    Participation in Research Projects - The Chair participates in research projects in a patient and family (PFAC) advisory council for the RESPECT program with Ottawa University and Bruyere. Notable projects include Big Life https://www.projectbiglife.ca/ which advises on how your future self is affected by the present. Interesting subprojects predict “how long will I live” or “am I living in my last years” . This can help homes such as the Manor identify needs for palliative care in advance and improve planning.  Another is MyCare. MyCare is an interactive survey and education tool that aims to empower older adults to have meaningful conversations with their loved ones and healthcare providers about what is important to them and what they want. MyCare helps older adults who are facing serious illness and have a higher risk of death in the next year to receive medical care that aligns with their values and wishes. 

•    Advocacy and Active Learning -  The Chair continues to be involved with advocacy for Long Term Care as well as the Ontario Health Coalition. He has participated in learning events with - 
o    Community Legal Education Ontario        https://www.cleo.on.ca/en 
o    Steps to Justice - Step-by-step information about legal problems     https://stepstojustice.ca/
o    Ottawa Chapter of Dying with Dignity      https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/about-us/local-chapters/ottawa-local-chapter/ 
o    Elder Abuse prevention Ontario        https://eapon.ca/
o    Ontario Caregivers Association   https://ontariocaregiver.ca/       
o    Ontario Health Coalition https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/
o    Champlain Region Family Council Network  https://www.champlainfamilycouncils.ca/
o    Family Councils Ontario https://fco.ngo/
o    MS Canada          https://mscanada.ca/
o    Advocates for Long Term Care in Ontario https://www.facebook.com/groups/322186134878345

•    The FC researched and advocated for the rights of all residents when the decision was made to remove all recreational substances from their homes (their rooms are legally their home) without consultation of family, resident’s or resident council regardless of capacity or medical condition. 

•    Care Conferences. -  The FC and Chair are strong advocates for annual Care Conferences led by their own unit manager and including representation by all those disciplines who provide direct care and know them best.  That has not always been the case.

•     The Terms of Reference for the FC were updated to avoid inadvertent shutdown of the FC pending a new volunteer candidate to replace a Chair who has served to term. 

•    Interaction with Residents Council – Members of the Residents Council leadership participated in Family Council led review of the Residents’ Bill of Rights as enshrined in the Fixing Long Term Care Act. The FC promoted the inclusion of the CLEO handbook with every new admission.

•    Dental Care – Trish from Outreach Dental (Registered Dental Hygienist) was welcomed to present on the Canada Dental Care Plan. She offered techniques for proper dental cleaning as concerns were raised by family members. Trish provided a video which was shared with the Manor. She also offered to provide free training to all Manor staff as this has been an area of concern expressed by several members.  This offer was passed on to the DoC.  We eagerly wait acknowledgement of uptake as dental hygiene of some residents remains a worry.

•    French Language Services -  The FC recommended that the intake documents be translated into both official languages as the Manor is in a designated bilingual area and Ontario offers translation services to LTC. The CEO has indicated that this is under consideration for early 2025.  Another suggestion is to simply use Google Translate to interpret daily menu board items in a bilingual format on the hallway screens to make Francophone only residents feel more at home. That seems an easy win but did not receive any commitment 

•    End of Life Planning. – The FC sponsored a speaker from Dying with Dignity to give a presentation on the current state of advance requests for medical assistance in dying with time for questions and answers from participants. The DoC was present during this event as was the EA.

•    Family Visibility to Activities -  The FC passed on a recommendation from other councils on the use of Wellbi a platform that would allow family caregivers a window to review their their loved-one’s participation in activities. This was acknowledged by the Director Activities who confirmed that they were satisfied with their current program. It’s since been identified that there is a cost to the public portal.

•    Public Contact Info for the Manor Board. The Board was advised by the Chair that the information on the Manor website for the Board members was not accurate and that the only contact information posted for the Board - info@MaxvilleManor.ca - is also the general info email for the Manor itself. This email is monitored by the CEO’S front office making it literally impossible to raise any confidential matters as there is no way for families or the general public to contact the Board Chair or any individual on the Board without being screened. There is new contact info on the website now but no indication of who monitors.

•    The Chair and a disabled resident provided input to the new facility design and planning led by the architects, as and when requested. One particular input was on room design for disabled persons with power chairs.

•    Input to the Quality Steering Committee as and when invited. The FC is a strong believer in quality processes that include measurement, regular review, management accountability and public transparency as a direct path to better results for family and resident outcomes even in matters such as concerns and complaints. This recommendation was made to the QSC lead early in 2024.

•    Family and Resident Survey – The FC quickly gathered and provided input in Nov 2024 regarding the annual survey after the Ministry identified to the Manor that it is indeed a requirement to consult. We eagerly await the opportunity to review the results and comment on the action plan in spring 2025 to help put forward the best interests of families and residents. It is our goal to add value beyond a checkbox in the exercise.

In Summary. The Family Council is a relatively small group of volunteers donating their time and expertise without compensation because they care, so my sincere thanks to each and every one who advocated for their loved ones, participated in the Family Council and our special events. Despite our mandate it’s an awkward reality that advocacy can be unwelcome, despite a council’s best intentions. Conversations with other organizations and other family councils confirm that it matters not whether for-profit, non-profit, charitable or municipally run - the culture/tone of the organization and satisfaction of residents and families depends primarily on leadership. 
We hope the reader will recognize that our team made valuable contributions and had a productive year in a challenging environment. We are proud of our achievements in 2024 and are excited to build on those successes in 2025. We remain committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to support the rebuilding effort and best interests of families and residents.

Maxville Manor Family Council - 2023 Annual Report
Mission and Mandate: The Manor’s Family Council (FC) is open to all family and friends of the 
residents of the Maxville Manor long term care residence. Its mandate is the enhancement of resident 
care and well-being. This is accomplished by working cooperatively with families, the Resident’s Council 
leadership and the Manor’s senior management.
The role and responsibility of family councils were first included in the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 
to recognize the important contributions Family Councils make to long-term care homes and the sector. 
The Phase 2 Fixing Long-Term Care Act as amended in July 2023 and regulation O:Reg 246/22 provides 
homes with additional guidance to ensure the voice of the Family Council is present and is heard as part 
of the Quality Improvement Committee.
The updated Act outlines several powers of a Family Council, such as;
• providing assistance, information and advice to residents, family members of residents and 
persons of importance to residents, 
o including when new residents are admitted to the home,
• advising residents, family members of residents and persons of importance to residents about 
their rights and obligations under the Act,
• attempting to resolve disputes between the licensee and residents; 
• sponsoring and planning activities for residents,
• collaborating with community groups and volunteers concerning activities for residents,
• reviewing the following: 
o Ministry inspection reports and summaries received under section 152, 
o a written plan for achieving compliance prepared by the licensee, that the Director may 
have ordered, 
o the detailed allocation by the licensee of funding under the Act and the Connecting 
Care Act, 2019 including amounts paid by residents,
• advising the licensee of any concerns or recommendations the Council has about the operation 
of the home.
• to exercise any other powers provided for in the regulations. 
The FC Terms of Reference (ToR) went thru several iterations to confirm alignment with the LTC Act and 
a focus on residents. It clarifies membership, term, and roles. The Family Council brochure was updated 
in 2023 after the ToR received final approval late in 2022. It is posted on the Manor website.
Membership and Meetings: The FC regrets the loss of some key members during 2023 upon the 
passing of their family members. This is considered normal however it should be made clear that the 
passing of a resident does not mean that family council membership must cease. Their knowledge and 
experience continues to be welcome for the benefit of all residents.
We lost 2 members in 2023 but added 5 to the core distribution list. Attendance at meetings can be 
fluid as can responses to email distributions. Although family and resident councils are enshrined in 
legislation, participation is voluntary. Some institutions do not have a Family Council. Some may consist 
of as little as one member. We are pleased to report that we are one of the larger councils in Ontario.
Other members participated in specialized events that will be described later.
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During 2023 the role of FC Staff Liaison was passed from Dina Murray-MacDonald - the Activities 
Director, to Cynthia Morgan, Administrator to the CEO. We thank her for helping to coordinate
meetings and special events, providing space and equipment, assisting with communications, plus 
posting to the Manor website, when possible.
2023 was a busy year for the Family Council notwithstanding the impacts of Covid-19, respiratory 
breakouts and restrictions, although it was much better than that experienced in 2022.
Rainer Pethke continued as Chair of the Family Council in 2023.
Family Council endeavours to meet formally as a group every 2 months with allowance for vacations, 
holiday seasons etc. Interaction, especially between the chair and senior leadership, could be described 
as continuous when and as felt necessary. CEO Amy Porteous continued to be approachable but 
interaction at the Director of Care, Assistant Director of Care, Unit Manager and admin levels all suffered 
due to staff turnover/shortages during 2023 resulting in loss of relationships and lost continuity of 
effort. Note: that things are looking better at this writing – going into early 2024 - as key positions have 
been filled.
The FC continues to enjoy its own email address specific to the FC, familycouncil@maxvillemanor.ca –
and the ability to set-up our own Zoom meetings supported by the Manor’s paid account. Dual format 
meetings were conducted in 2023 enabling FC participants to attend in the Library or join via Zoom.
Rainer chaired FC team meetings on:
• Jan 16, 2023
• Mar 20, 2023
• Jun 5, 2023
• Oct 16, 2023
• with the next FC meeting scheduled for January 15, 2024, to allow time for the holidays.
All were hosted in the Manor Library. As the year progressed, we were offered use of the Manor’s new 
‘OWL’ technology. OWL is a central speaker and camera which quickly focuses in on the person speaking 
thereby enhancing dual format meetings including Zoom.
Minutes of the first three meetings are posted on the Manor Website at 
https://maxvillemanor.ca/family-council/ . (** It’s important to note that subsequent pages must be 
accessed via the arrows in the lower left corner of each set of minutes. **) however, it has not been 
possible to post updates or new information due to unresolved technical issues at the website since 
mid-summer 2023. These issues with the overall Manor website will not be addressed, being deferred to 
the expected implementation of a new site in 2024.
Regular Activities:
The FC received 2 reactive Ministry of Long Term Care (MLTC) Inspection reports (dated April 27th and 
Nov 17th
. for review. This is consistent with the previous 2 years. They can be found here ; 
http://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/en-ca/homeprofile.aspx?Home=C540&tab=1 . Note that 
inspections are typically reactionary as the result of a complaint. The November report was distributed 
in 2023 but pending further discussion in 2024. 
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The big news was a Proactive Inspection Report dated Aug 16th. Inspectors were onsite: June 19, 20, 21, 
22, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30, 2023 and July 4, 5, 2023 The inspection continued offsite on June 27, 2023 and 
July 6, 7, 2023. The report itself is at https://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/enca/File.aspx?RecID=31607&FacilityID=20333. Note that the Manor was one of the first, if not the first, 
institution to receive a ‘proactive’ inspection under this new protocol announced as an enhancement to 
the Long-Term Care Act and Regulations. The FC received an Action Plan document from CEO Amy 
Porteous which was used as template for discussion in our October meeting.
All considered, the Family Council and Chair are pleased to report a continued good working relationship 
with the Senior Administrator and are generally comfortable that in 2023 matters brought forward to 
senior management’s attention were considered appropriately without feeling a need to resort to the 
formal complaint process within the Ministry LTC Investigations Branch. The relatively low number of 
incident reports casts the Manor in a favourable light when families are researching placement for their 
loved ones.
The FC Chair and Manor CEO communicated and met as needed including discussions on the evolution 
towards a model of Person Centered Care.
The Chair participated in working groups for the Manor facility upgrade and reconstruction as well as a 
redesign the Manor website, however activity declined in the latter part of 2023.
The FC hosted key presenters at each regular meeting. Included were:
• CEO Amy Porteous presented early in 2023 to discuss her 2023 Operational 
Priorities; followed up with a 2024 update later in the year. The Priority project 
deliverables derive from the 2021-24 Strategic Plan which is due to be refreshed. 
She also updated the FC on the facilities redesign and timeline. 
She responded to questions on the fire and reconstruction of Piper’s Lounge in 
FG, and solicited input on the design of the 2023 Resident Survey. Her active 
participation and information sharing was much appreciated.
• DoC Kelly Keeler and CEO Amy Porteous attended in regards to Inspection Reports.
• Dina Murray-MacDonald presented the results of the 2022 Resident Satisfaction Survey
for discussion. The 2023 survey is currently being assessed with results expected to be 
shared with the FC in early 2024.
• Eleanor Ryan and Shelly Sheedy from the Champlain Regional Family Council 
Network (CRFCN). They joined us via Zoom in March. The CRFCN is a volunteer 
organization supporting 5 districts which include Hawkesbury, Cornwall, Maxville, 
Ottawa and Renfrew. It has 60 long term care homes within this district. The 
Champlain Region extends from Deep River in the west to Hawkesbury in the east 
and includes the City of Ottawa. More information can be found at their website 
https://www.champlainfamilycouncils.ca/. CFRCN works closely with Family 
Councils Ontario (FCO) which is a government funded organization out of Toronto. 
Family Councils of Ontario (FCO) has a website https://fco.ngo/ and contacts with 
good resources.
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Several activities identified in the CEO’s Caregiver Support Strategy have not moved forward as hoped in 
2023 and should be revisited in 2024. More Specifically: 
• Caregiver ID. - https://ontariocaregiver.ca/caregiver-id-formal-recognition-of-thecaregiving-role/. Judith Stanway has prior experience with Caregiver badges at the Manor 
and volunteered to work with a designate from Amy’s team to define ‘essential caregivers’ 
and put the program in place. This would include awareness between residents, staff and 
caregivers of the significance of someone wearing a Caregiver ID in future. This program did 
not proceed as planned.
• Family Liaisons – Some Family Council members have been seen sporting new yellow name 
tags that identify them as a Family Liaison for new admissions. A list of the individuals 
names are listed within the nurse’s stations but for various reasons this activity has not 
come to fruition as anticipated. It will be an area to review in 2024, if this is in fact of value, 
if we have sufficient volunteers, or if it might be better communicated during intake.
• Admission Process for New Residents and Families. The outgoing DoC was provided with a 
document describing the experience of a new family member along with 22 
recommendations for improvement. Considering that the writer was already quite familiar 
with the Manor and many staff, it highlights how difficult it can be for new families,
especially if they are elderly, remote, new to LTC or without support.
• Promotion of the Family Council membership. While gains continue to be made in areas 
such as newsletters this process could still benefit from a review of the intake process 
supported by quality processes to measure, review and report on family communications 
regarding the FC.
• Quality Care Teams – The FC continued to support quality team meetings to the best of our 
abilities. Carol – Falls and Restraints committee, Judith – Responsive Behaviours Committee. 
Rainer as Chair, attends the over-arching Quality Steering Committee. This central role in 
quality processes for the FC Chair is as prescribed in legislation. As such, the FC Chair 
successfully advocated for the inclusion of Ministry Inspections in the quality processes.
The departure of the DoC impacted further Steering Committee Meetings after May 24, 
2023 but they are scheduled again beginning in Jan 2024 under the new DoC Anya Gwyn 
and Assistant Doc Courtney Jeske. Both started in the last couple of months of 2023 after 
the departure of Kelly Keeler in the August timeframe.
Special Activities undertaken by the FC in 2023 include:
• Input to the new facility design and planning led by the architects.
• Alzheimer’s Information Sessions for caregivers and families were organized and hosted at 
the Manor through the Alzheimer’s Society in 2022 and continued thru June of 2023. They 
were conducted by Josee Desrochers-Leduc josee.desrochersleduc@alzheimer-cornwall.ca.
11 participants registered including two from FC. Thanks to Dina for coordinating meeting 
space and for communications on the schedule.
• FC member Carol Hambleton, with the support of Dina, coordinated a Parkinson’s 
Information Session to commence once the Alzheimer’s sessions completed. It was 
conducted by Zoom from Saskatchewan on July 10, 2023 at 6:30pm by Donna Greenings. 
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(Program Service Co-Ordinator Parkinson's Canada). There were 11 participants registered 
on the Zoom. The FC hosted most participants in the Manor’s Library meeting room. 
• The FC with the support of the Manor’s Training Coordinator and the MS Society, promoted 
MS Training for Staff which was held on March 1st. It was well received, so much so that 
another session is anticipated in 2024.
• On Nov 28th two representatives from Lahie and Sullivan presented a well-received 
information session on End-of-Life Planning under FC sponsorship. It was delivered in 
person at the Manor. Some participants attended via Zoom. Participants were able to ask 
questions and if desired, receive a personal follow-up (and an attendee discount) from Alex 
Laderoute Family Services Counselor 613-932-8482 
Alexandra.turcotte@dignitymemorial.com
• The FC chair continues to be an active participant in the Ontario Health Coalition, the 
Canadian Health Coalition, Family Councils Ontario (FCO), The Champlain Regional Family 
Council Network (CRFCN), Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) and added the Ottawa 
Chapter of Dying with Dignity in 2023. https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/about-us/.
• The Chair completed several research surveys as well as webinars related to LTC and 
continues to participate in a multi-year research program focused on identifying and 
improving Palliative Care supports in retirement facilities and LTC. This is sponsored by the 
University of Ottawa and Bruyere Research Institute.
• The Chair has had the privilege of regular Teams meeting with the Eastern Ontario
leadership of the Ministry Inspections Branch and became aware of the renewed thrust to 
Proactive Inspections but was not involved in that planned for the Manor. Also touched 
upon was the development of a new Response Group that will be better able to deal with 
systemic issues in LTC, - as opposed to the current inspection processes that focus on 
predefined checklists and protocols on point issues. This contact was initiated purely from a 
prior personal family concern and had nothing to do with the Manor’s FC per se although it’s
hoped that input on province wide gaps and issues in the inspection processes contributed 
to a welcome announcement made at the time of this writing. 
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004060/ontario-launching-new-long-term-care-homeinvestigations-unit .
The new unit is now active and will investigate allegations such as:
• failing to protect a resident from abuse or neglect,
• repeated and ongoing non-compliance,
• failing to comply with ministry inspector’s orders,
• suppressing and/or falsifying mandatory reports, and
• negligence of corporate directors.
• The FC was offered a table and we participated in the Manor’s 55th anniversary celebrations
held on Sunday Nov 5th. Several conversations were held with interested attendees and a 
significant number of brochures were distributed with thanks to the Manor for printing of 
the same. Brochures have been made available by the Manor’s sign in sheets as well as on 
the Manor’s bulletin board in the entrance breezeway.
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The Family Council is a group of volunteers donating their own time and expertise without any 
compensation for their time and personal expenses so my sincere thanks to each and every one who 
advocated for their loved ones, participated in the Family Council and the special events. Despite being 
enshrined in legislation it’s an awkward reality that advocacy can be seen as interference in the 
operations of a home, especially when things get busy, or staff relationships change, despite a council’s 
best intentions to improve the lives of residents as a whole. Since several unit managers, our FC Liaison, 
Director of Care and Assistant DoC all changed this year, kudos to CEO Amy Porteous for her leadership 
and for bridging the changes herself when she was already more than busy because of staffing 
challenges and legislative requirements.
We hope the reader will agree that our little group added value and had a productive year in a 
challenging environment. We are proud of what we accomplished in 2023 and look forward to building 
upon those successes in 2024. Special thanks to CEO Amy Porteous for her sponsorship, leadership and 
understanding.

Maxville Manor Family Council - 2022 Annual Report

The Manor’s Family Council (FC) is open to all family and friends of the residents of the Maxville Manor long term care residence. Its primary purpose is the enhancement of resident care and well-being. This is accomplished by working cooperatively with families, the Resident’s Council leadership and the Manor’s management.

The role and responsibility of family councils were first included in the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 to recognize the important contributions Family Councils make to long-term care homes and the sector. The Fixing Long-Term Care Homes Act brought into force in April 2022 provides homes with additional guidance to ensure the voice of the Family Council is present and heard as part of the Quality Improvement Committee.

The 2022 updated Act outlines several powers of a Family Council, such as;

· providing assistance, information and advice to residents, family members of residents and persons of importance to residents,

o including when new residents are admitted to the home,

· advising residents, family members of residents and persons of importance to residents about their rights and obligations under the Act,

· attempting to resolve disputes between the licensee and residents;

· sponsoring and planning activities for residents,

· collaborating with community groups and volunteers concerning activities for residents,

· reviewing the following:

o Ministry inspection reports and summaries received under section 152,

o a written plan for achieving compliance prepared by the licensee, that the Director may have ordered,

o the detailed allocation by the licensee of funding under the Act and the Connecting Care Act, 2019 including amounts paid by residents,

· advising the licensee of any concerns or recommendations the Council has about the operation of the home.

As such, the FC Terms of Reference (ToR) went thru several iterations including consultation with the CEO to ensure that we are of the same mindset and in alignment with the Act. It confirms a focus on residents. It clarifies membership, term, and roles. It received final approval by 2022 year-end and is posted on the Manor website.

The FC currently consists of eleven members including the Chair. We would love to improve participation and happily welcomed Gail Seguin as a new member during the year.

The FC is directly supported by Dina Murray-MacDonald, the Activities Director who acts as the FC liaison between this group and senior management. We thank her for coordinating meetings, providing space and equipment, plus posting to the Manor website. In 2022 any interaction with the Residents Council and their leadership was controlled by and flowed through her. A related objective for 2023 is to improve communications with, align our plans and priorities, and create opportunities to collaborate directly with the Residents Council and leadership in support of our mission to improve the lives of residents.

2022 was a busy year for the Family Council notwithstanding the impacts of Covid-19 and restrictions. The FC saw a change in leadership in February 2022. Judith Stanway chaired the inaugural meeting of the FC on Feb 10, 2022 and opened the floor to a change of leadership at that time. Rainer Pethke was voted-in as Chair for the next term. Thank you, Judith, for 6 years of dedicated service.

Rainer chaired FC team meetings on:

· April 27, 2022,

· June 14, 2022,

· Aug 23, 2022 and,

· Oct 25, 2022, with the next FC meeting scheduled for January 16, 2023

A general email address specific to the FC, was established - familycouncil@maxvillemanor.ca - as was the ability to set-up our own Zoom meetings supported by the Manor’s paid account which allows for longer sessions without interruption.

As covid restrictions placed limits on normal visitor access, the FC bulletin board was moved to the entry/exit breezeway to facility better access by family visitors. Meeting notices are now posted at the nurses’ stations well in advance. Meeting minutes can be found on the Manor website at https://maxvillemanor.ca/family-council/ . ** It’s important to note that subsequent pages must be accessed via the arrows in the lower left corner of each set of minutes. **

As of June 14th, the FC has been experimenting with dual format meetings either in person or via Zoom, the goal being to improve attendance by provide a choice for those who have travel and/or time constraints. Some technical issues, mostly having to do with audio, are being sorted out.

The FC reviewed 2 Ministry of Long Term Care (MLTC) Inspection reports (dated Jul 8th and Oct 6th presented by a representative of the Manor administration. They can be found here: http://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/en-ca/homeprofile.aspx?Home=C540&tab=1 . Note that all 2022 inspections were Ministry initiated as opposed to being triggered by a complaint. The Family Council and Chair are pleased to report a good working relationship with the Senior Administrator and are generally comfortable that matters brought forward to management’s attention are considered appropriately without the need to resort to the formal complaint process with the Ministry LTC Investigations Branch. The relatively low number of incident reports casts the Manor in a favourable light when families are researching placement for their loved ones.

The FC was consulted and supported visitor policies designed to manage Covid outbreaks and distinguish outside visitors from caregivers.

The FC and Chair provided a positive submission to the Ministry consultation process for the issuance of a new LTC licence for Maxville Manor to accommodate its upgrade and expansion.

The Chair participated in initial working groups for the Manor upgrade and reconstruction as well as a group to review and redesign the Manor website. Both are expected to be more active in 2023.

The FC Chair and Manor CEO communicated and met as needed. This included in-person reviews at the beginning and end of the 2022 term. It included feedback/opinions on books or video including “Now What” intended for family members of loved ones admitted to LTC as well as Moira Welch’s “Happily Ever Older” which looks at models for improved person-centered care.

The FC hosted key presenters at each regular meeting. Included were:

· CEO Amy Porteous to discuss the proposed Manor reconstruction and her Draft Caregiver Support Strategy.

· The Director of Care (DOC), Kelly Keeler, attended with a focus on medication dispensing and physio after several matters were brought to her attention.

· Carolyn Cameron was introduced as the new Assistant Director of Care (ADOC) and,

· Melanie Levesque spoke to her role as Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) lead coordinator.

Several activities identified in the CEO’s Caregiver Support Strategy were taken forward by Family Council. Specifically:

· Caregiver ID. - https://ontariocaregiver.ca/caregiver-id-formal-recognition-of-the-caregiving-role/. Judith Stanway has prior experience with Caregiver badges at the Manor and volunteered to work with a designate from Amy’s team to define ‘essential caregivers’ and put the program in place. This would include awareness between residents, staff and caregivers of the significance of someone wearing a Caregiver ID in future. This program did not proceed as planned in 2022 due to Covid restrictions limiting visits to essential caregivers.

· Family Liaisons - It was announced in the Manor’s Staff newsletter that there may be Family Council members sporting new yellow name tags that identify them as a Family Liaison for new admissions. Thanks to Judith Stanway, Liane Green, Lynn Stevenson, Carol Hambleton, and Beverly Herscovici for stepping up as either a primary or alternate on certain hallways. Rainer is a floating alternate for any unit, as and when needed.

Family Council suggested that this service be added to the resident handbook as well as have a list of the individuals names listed within the nurse’s station. It was added to the new resident intake process but there has been little uptake. It will be an area to review in 2023, if this in fact of value or if it might be better communicated.

· FC members reviewed and provided feedback on the Annual Satisfaction Survey templates and expect to be apprised of the results analysis in early 2023.

· The FC supported a review of the Residents Handbook.

· Quality Care Teams – The DoC was provided with a list of candidates from FC to attend her quality team meetings. Carol – Falls and Restraints committee, Judith – Responsive Behaviours Committee. Rainer as Chair will attend the Over-Arching Quality Committee. This central role in quality processes for the FC Chair is also prescribed in legislation.

Other activities undertaken by the FC include:

· Alzheimer’s Information Sessions have been organized by FC member Liane Greene for caregivers and families through the Alzheimer’s Society. Three in-person sessions were presented by Josee Desrochers-Leduc <josee.desrochersleduc@alzheimer-cornwall.ca> in 2022. Six more are scheduled for 2023. 11 participants registered including two from FC. Thanks to Dina for coordinating meeting space and for communications on the schedule.

· The groundwork has been laid and a lead established for Parkinson’s Information Sessions which will commence once the Alzheimer’s sessions have completed.

· The FC has been in contact with the MS Society and the Manor’s training coordinator. Preparations are underway for MS Awareness Sessions geared towards staff, in the new year.

· The Manor FC continues to be an active member of Family Councils Ontario (FCO), The Champlain Regional Family Council Network (CRFCN) as well as the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO).

· The Chair attended the Manor’s annual general meeting (AGM) with the Board.

· The FC reviewed results of the Family Communications Survey included in the 2022/05/20 newsletter. This survey was sent to all email addresses on file. 24 Responses were received with the majority preferring to get information via email/newsletters. With little more than a 20% response rate, informing families and gaining FC participation continues to be an area of focus going forward.

· Family Council benefitted from a private presentation and lessons learned from a member’s account of their very personal experience with MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). This was understood to be a first experience for the Manor, as well.

· The Chair is participating in a multi-year research program focused on identifying and improving Palliative Care supports in retirement facilities and LTC. This is sponsored by the University of Ottawa and Bruyere Research Institute.

· The Manor experienced disruption from a chimney fire at the FG hallway as well as multiple covid outbreaks. Priorities for 2023 include building on the learned experience(s) and to take a closer look at the related quality processes involved in resident safety.

· The Chair participated in a University of Toronto focus group on virtual vs physical attendance at medical appointments.

· The Chair is an active advocate in the Ontario Health Coalition, and a member in the Cornwall and Ottawa chapters. The Chair participated in virtual townhalls as well as a public demonstration outside of CHEO/TOH supporting adequate funding, staffing and fair wages for Nurses, PSW’s and health care workers in the public system.

· Three members of the Residents Council leadership were invited to attend our October meeting. We are looking forward to improved interaction between the two Manor councils as well as other family councils within the Champlain Region Family Council Network (CFRCN) in 2023. All residents are invited to our January FC meeting when the CEO will be our guest speaker to present her plans and priorities for 2023.