Residents and team members mark Residents’ Council Week at the Willows

‘I think we focused more on Residents’ Council Week this year, just because we’re trying to get back into the swing of things’

Willows Estate residents and team members celebrated Residents’ Council Week with a variety of fun and informative events, including a tea, a photo booth and the unveiling of a display wall.

Residents’ Council Week was Sept. 12-18. The week, organized each year by the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils (OARC), aims to raise awareness about the important role residents’ councils play in long-term care homes.

Residents’ councils are mandated by the Ministry of Long-Term Care and serve to empower residents and help them make the most of their experience living in long-term care homes.

Teddy Mazzuca, the life enrichment co-ordinator at the Aurora, Ont. long-term care home, says the tea party hosted in honour of the week had a large turnout. To make the event even more special, team members brought out the home’s best china, she adds.

OARC, which included social events in its recommendations of events for residents’ councils to host, provided special placemats.

There was also trivia about the residents’ council for team members, who demonstrated a strong degree of knowledge about the council, Teddy says.

Questions centred on areas including naming resident leaders and knowing how often the council meets and where. The idea behind the trivia was to ensure everyone was well informed about the residents’ council, Teddy says.

“Most of my group knew (a lot) and I was so proud of them,” she says.

On Sept. 15, a photo booth was set up for residents and team members to take their pictures, and lots of fun was had throughout the day, Teddy says.

Additionally, a display wall was set up to share information about Residents’ Council Week. The display included the 29 rights listed in the Residents’ Bill of Rights.

Teddy says that although Willows Estate celebrates Residents’ Council Week every year, this year’s event had a great presence, a fact she attributes to pandemic restrictions easing this year.

“I think we focused more on Residents’ Council Week this year, just because we’re trying to get back into the swing of things,” she says.

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