Family Council

The Family Council meets regularly to discuss mutual concerns. Its main purpose is to improve the quality of life of residents and to give families a voice in the decisions that affect them and their loved ones at St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

The benefits of the Family Council are:
• allows families to give each other the support, encouragement and information they need
• council involvement helps provide family members with an opportunity to express their ideas and concerns to Senior Management and find a way for positive change
• Family Council involvement can benefit residents who are physically or mentally unable to voice their concerns and needs as well as those without family
• residents benefit from Council’s efforts to improve the quality of life in the facility
• St. Joseph’s Health Centre also benefits through dealing directly with families and establishing meaningful lines of communication
Each Neighbourhood has a representative on The Family Council. The representative’s name and picture are posted on each Neighbourhood. If you have any questions or would like to be involved with the Family Council please inform the Director.

Contact Staff Directly
If you are comfortable doing so, please approach staff members directly at any time with suggestions, questions or concerns about your care.

If you would like to contact someone by telephone, the directory enclosed in this handbook will provide you with the names and positions of the management team and numerous staff members along with their position within the organization and the extension number to call.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of these individuals.

If the individual does not answer, you may leave a message on his or her voice mail system at any time (even after regular business hours).

If you are not sure who you should speak with, please call “0” and the switchboard operator will be happy to help direct your call to the appropriate person.

Formal Complaints Process
If you are unsatisfied with a response you may have received from staff regarding a specific suggestion or concern you have, you may wish to discuss your situation with your nurse director for your neighbourhood or the manager of a specific program (eg. Recreation, Food Services, etc.). The three nurse directors and their respective areas of responsibility are listed below:

1. Nurse Director, Long Term Care, Level Two: 824-6000, Ext. 4249
Neighbourhoods
Elmwood Place; Ashley Lane; Cherrywood Lane; Linden Court; Oakridge Falls; Cedarbrook; Magnolia Court; Mapleview

2. Nurse Director, Complex Continuing Care, Level Two:
824-6000 Ext. 4235
Neighbourhoods
Apple Blossom Lane; Whispering Oaks

3. Nurse Director, Rehabilitation, Level One: 824-6000 Ext. 4375
Rosewood

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the respective manager, you may wish to discuss the matter further with:
VP, Clinical Services, Level Three: 824-6000, Ext. 4205
President and CEO, Level Three: 824-6000, Ext. 4403

Residents may also pursue complaints with the provincial government:

Long Term Care
Compliance Advisor
The Central West Regional Office
Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
Suite 301, 201 City Centre Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L5B 2T4
(905) 897-4613

Complex Continuing Care & Rehabilitation
Ministry of Health - Institutional Branch
South/West Region
5700 Yonge Street, 4th Floor
North York, Ontario M2M 4K5
(416) 327-7304