b'RESIDENT ENGAGEMENTIf you build it, they will comeFoundations for engaging residents inResidents Councils and beyondBy Stephanie VenturaR esidents Councils are theCouncils, the long-term care homessession to the Ontario Long Term lifeblood of the home. Thisduty and obligation to meet with,Care Associations This is Long-Term is how one resident leaderrespond to and support Councils, andCare virtual conference. Our session, described the importance and purposethe specific information that homesentitled If You Build It, They Will of the Residents Council in his long- must share with Councils, it says veryCome: Foundations for Engaging term care home, and we at the Ontariolittle about how Residents CouncilsResidents in Residents Councils and Association of Residents Councilsshould operate and how long-termBeyond, reminded participants of the (OARC) wholeheartedly agree. care home operators can best supportimportance of Residents Councils, their Residents Council. Residents inacknowledged the current state of Residents Councils provide a formal,every long-term care home, with theResidents Councils after two and a legislated way for people living in long- support of their home team members,half years of the Covid-19 pandemic, term care homes to help shape theare tasked with building and sustainingand encouraged residents and their place they call home. In Ontario, theeffective Residents Councils that meetsupportive team members to let go legislation governing long-term careall the requirements identified in theof any preconceived ideas of what an homes, the Fixing Long-Term Careact, but with very little guidance oneffective Council should look like, and Act, 2021 mirrors its predecessor, theexactly how to do so. This is whereinstead focus on building a Council Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 byOARC comes in. that celebrates the strengths and continuing to mandate that every long- abilities of residents who live interm care home in the province have aOARC is a non-profit associationthe home.Residents Council.providing a network to strengthen the voice of residents living in long-termThe session was informed and inspired The new act also magnifies thecare through their respective Residentsby what we have heard from residents importance of including residents inCouncils by empowering residentsacross the province, Residents decision-making and consultation,to understand their rights, share theirCouncil staff assistants, and long-term by requiring resident participation inlived experience, and inspire a bettercare home administrators through various home committees and bytomorrow. We do this by workingdirect interactions with OARC and requiring that information sharingtogether with our partners to educatethrough results from a June 2022 occurs between long-term care homestakeholders, build a collective voice,environmental scan survey conducted operators and residents. and create positive culture change. by our association. While the act does outline the scope,Recently, we had the opportunity toThe message was clearResidents powers and functions of Residentsdo just that by contributing a breakoutCouncils (and overall resident 34 LONG TERM CARE TODAY Fall/Winter 2022'