12/23/2024
Wow what a banner year! The board of directors of Concerned Friends has been extraordinarily busy in 2024.
This year:
- We participated in the 2024 Ontario Budget Public Consultation - advising the government on priorities for further investment and ways to improve quality, safety and access in LTC. We shared our key messages with the public and our members, facilitating their participation in the process.
- We held meetings with the Ministry of LTC including with the Directors of the Inspections Branch, Operations Branch and Policy Branch. We shared our perspective on key policies and operational issues.
- We spoke with various media outlets and submitted Letters to the Editor about emerging issues including the lack of proactive inspections of LTC homes. We used social media to share individual stories that highlight how urgent action is needed to fix long-term care.
- We championed best practices by urging Ontario to expand access to not-for-profit and municipal LTCHs. We advocated for smaller, community-based homes that adopt best practices.
- We hosted our 44th Annual General Meeting and invited Alex Spanko from the Center for Innovation to present on “Small Homes, Big Ideas: Building a Full Continuum of Care for the Future”.
- We coordinated and hosted two well-attended public education webinars on the topics of "Models of Care in LTC” with Aria Willis and “Transforming Senior Care to Become Inclusive, Resilient & Connected” with Kim Samuel of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness.
- We bolstered our capacity as a working board and volunteer-run organization by participating in informative board development and education sessions to support our leadership and volunteers.
- We reached out to and engaged over 70 members and received 100 donations raising over $5,500. (Thank you all!)
The Board is excited to embark on a strategic planning process in 2025 and continue our important work to improve the quality of Long Term Care in Ontario.
