Home Report

Terms and Definitions

Additional Information
Information in addition is added here such as the operation of a French language unit within an English services LTC home.

Approved Short-Stay Beds
Short-stay beds are a response to the community’s need for 'respite' and 'supportive care' programs. An individual is admitted into a long-term care (LTC) home for a specific short time period. The respite program provides relief to the individual's caregiver. The supportive care program allows an individual to recover strength, endurance or functioning. LTC home operators have the opportunity to apply to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) to operate short-stay beds within their existing licensed or approved beds, and the MOHLTC approves the beds based on need and suitability of rooms offered. Persons in the respite program usually stay for up to 60 days and those in the supportive care program usually stay for up to 90 days. A person can stay a maximum of 90 days in a short-stay program within a year. Eligibility for admission and placement in short-stay beds are determined by the Home, Community and Residential Care.

Accreditation
Accreditation is a voluntary process that LTC homes may use to assess their services and help them improve the quality, safety and efficiency of their performance for the benefit of their residents and the health system.

The process of Accreditation encourages an organization to:

• Assess services and determine where to focus improvement efforts
• Develop standardized processes to improve efficiency
• Mitigate risk and support the uptake of best practices
• Build a culture of quality, safety and excellence
• Publicly promote their commitment to offering safe, high-quality services.

Long-term care (LTC) homes apply for accreditation to Accreditation Canada or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Details for each organization, as well as the method for achieving accreditation may be found at the following websites:

• Accreditation Canada: http://www.accreditation.ca/
• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities: http://www.carf.org/home/

Home, Community and Residential Care
Home, Community and Residential Care providers are the local organizations established by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care that provide access to government-funded home and community services, including admission into LTC homes. Home, Community and Residential Care have Case Managers/Placement Coordinators who authorize admissions into LTC homes (for both permanent and short-stay admissions) and arrange for home care services. There is an application process that must be completed for placement into a LTC home. For more information about Home, Community and Residential Care in your area, see the Home, Community and Residential Care section.

Family Council
An autonomous (self-led and self-determining) group made up of families and friends of the residents of a LTC home that meets on a regular basis with an emphasis on mutual support and advocacy. This group provides a voice in decisions that affect their loved ones and strives to develop a better understanding between families and the management and staff of a home.

Home Administrator
The Administrator has overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of a home.

Homes Designated Under French Language Services Act
Some LTC homes are designated under the French Language Services Act. This means that French-speaking residents are guaranteed services and care by members of the staff who speak French.

Licensee
Is the holder of a licence issued by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and includes an individual or corporation, the municipality or municipalities or board of management that maintains a municipal home, joint home or First Nations home approved the ministry.

Licensed Beds
The number of beds that are licensed by the ministry in the LTC home.

Local Health Integration Network (LHIN)
LHINs are not-for-profit corporations that are responsible for planning, integrating and funding local health services in 14 different geographic areas of the province. LHINs are based on a principle that community-based care is best planned, coordinated and funded in an integrated manner within the local community because local people are best able to determine their health service needs and priorities. LHINs are intended to be the managers for health services that are delivered in hospitals, long-term care homes, community health centres, community support services and mental health agencies. For more information about LHINs, see the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) section.

Management Firm
Some LTC home operators may use a management firm to manage the day-to-day operations of the home. The name of a management firm will only appear in the Home Profile section on this website where the home operator has made such an arrangement. The management firm is different than other companies that may provide services in the home such as maintenance and food services.

Home Type
There are various types of operators of LTC homes: charitable organizations, municipalities, corporations, partnerships and sole proprietors. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care funds LTC homes to provide care and services to their residents. Nursing homes may be either for-profit or non- profit. Charitable and municipal homes are non- profit. Some hospitals in northern communities may also operate LTC beds under the Elderly Capital Assistance program.

Residents' Council
A Residents' Council is an independent, self-determining group made up of residents in a home. All residents are entitled to be members. The group, perhaps with an elected Executive, meets regularly to receive and discuss residents' concerns, to plan activities, and to have a voice in the decisions and routines that affect residents' daily lives. When a Residents' Council does not exist in a home, the Administrator of the home must inform all residents annually of their right to form such a council. If any three (3) residents wish to have one, the Administrator must assist with the establishment of the group and support it.