Community of Care Expansion

Exceptional Care + Continuous Improvement = Growing Impacts

This year's Community Report follows a slightly different approach: rather than focus solely on accomplishments, it describes how our work increasingly and positively impacts residents, tenants, staff, volunteers, donors and the broader community. A steadfast commitment to exceptional care makes these impacts possible.

This commitment has long set Perley Health apart; delivering exceptional care to residents is central to both our identity and our success. It enables us to attract and retain top-quality staff, for instance, along with volunteers, partners and donors who share our determination to improve the well-being of Seniors and Veterans. It also supports our ability to regularly undertake projects that aim to further improve quality of care, and to share what we learn with other homes.

At Perley Health, exceptional care and continuous improvement are inextricably linked. Through projects such as the Seniors Quality Leap Initiative and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario's Best Practices Spotlight Organization, we follow a structured, collaborative approach to quality and performance improvement. To support and disseminate the applied research needed to drive further progress, we established the Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™. These initiatives and partnerships all improve care not only at Perley Health, but also at other long-term care homes.

To further improve quality of care and to increase impact, Perley Health plans to expand. We aim to provide larger numbers of Seniors and Veterans with exceptional long-term care and independent-living options. As with all improvement projects, consultation and engagement with those most likely to be impacted are central to our planning efforts. This process helps identify challenges and potential solutions, clarify expectations and project goals, and chart a path to success.

While much has changed at Perley Health during the 29 years that people have lived at our current location, the commitment to delivering exceptional care has remained constant. As the Perley continues to evolve and to positively impact the lives of more and more people, we will—and must—honour this commitment. Together, we improve the well-being of the people we serve.

Akos Hoffer,
Chief Executive Officer

Doubling the Number of Seniors Served

Perley Health has a long, proud history of serving Seniors and Veterans, along with a well-deserved reputation for unwavering dedication to the well-being, dignity and independence of its many clients. The Board and Perley Health's management team are fully committed to ensuring that a focus on excellence remains our touchstone and guides everything we do, from expanding capacity to developing and implementing ever-better models of care and housing.

By 2035, Perley Health aims to double the number of Seniors and Veterans it serves. There are two main aspects to this ambitious goal: accommodating more Seniors and Veterans in independent apartments and in long-term care (LTC); and providing services to greater numbers who live in the community. To achieve these ambitious goals, the Board will focus on updating the Strategic Plan, and on completing the detailed planning and permitting required to support the construction of additional apartments and LTC units.

At the same time, the Board must continue to ensure the financial sustainability of Perley Health and further the development of the Centre of Excellence in Frailty-Informed Care™, a critical element in establishing Perley Health as a trusted leader in the delivery of exceptional care. In both endeavours, I know we can count on the longstanding and invaluable support provided by the Perley Health Foundation, a key contributor to our overall success.

Two realities underscore the need for modernization and expansion: today's LTC residents live with more complex health conditions—and thus require more support— than ever before; and the number of Canadians aged 85 and older is expected to double by 2040. These trends, if not addressed, threaten to overwhelm current models of housing and caring for Seniors and Veterans. We believe strongly that Perley Health can and must contribute to solutions.

The good news is that we're not alone in this effort. In addition to the talents brought to bear by our Directors, dedicated managers, staff and volunteers, historically the Perley has maintained effective partnerships with a long list of organizations: Veterans Affairs Canada, the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Algonquin College and many, many others. While these organizations will remain key collaborators, if Perley Health is to continue to develop as a respected leader in the long-term care sector, we will also need to foster partnerships with other forward-looking private and public organizations.

In summary, though the challenges are daunting, I believe the values and capabilities consistently demonstrated by Perley Health and the Perley Health community over the years will stand us in good stead. Together, I am convinced that we have what it takes to overcome current and emerging challenges, and face the future with confidence and good will. By combining genuine compassion with bold innovation, we can ensure that every individual we serve is able to live their life to the fullest.

Lt.-Gen. Lloyd Campbell (ret'd),
Chair, Board of Directors

A Multigenerational Community

Perley Health continually expands the services, programs and activities it offers to residents, tenants and the larger community, often in partnership with outside groups.
The latest example is the intergenerational music program delivered in partnership with Christie Lake Kids, a non-profit that provides year-round after-school and camp programs to children and youth from low-income households. Throughout 2024, a group of teenagers and seniors gathered at Perley Health each week for two hours of song, conversation, laughter and food.

“We have a lot of fun,” says teenager Nevaeh Bleary. “I enjoy meeting seniors and interacting with them.”

“Singing and chatting with teenagers makes me feel good,” says Senior Living tenant Norman Smith. “And I think it gives us all a little more sense of purpose.”
A second partnership led to the opening of a primary-care clinic at Perley Health. Operated by Dream Team MediX, the clinic currently schedules appointments only with tenants of Senior Living, Perley Health's independent-living apartments.

“The clinic is further proof that moving here was the best decision I ever made,” says Bea Seal, a tenant since 2021. “I can access everything I need without leaving the building. Exercise classes, hair salon, trivia games, coffee chats and more—from hair to toenails, as I like to say.”

Meanwhile, progress continues on two other projects that promise to benefit the larger community: an onsite childcare with intergenerational programming, and an expansion to accommodate additional long-term care residents and apartment tenants. Perley Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Long-Term Care, the Perley Health Foundation and other partners, is developing a plan to finance the expansion.

The childcare with intergenerational programming, a partnership with Andrew Fleck Children's Services, is further along. Approval has been granted to fund up to 49 spaces under the Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, for instance, and an application has been submitted to the City of Ottawa for the building permit needed to start construction.

To validate the concept of intergenerational programming, Perley and Andrew Fleck partnered on a pilot project: an onsite playgroup where residents and tenants play and interact with young children accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The childcare centre is scheduled to open by early 2026.

June 2025

Perley Health continues to work on expansion plans to accommodate more residents in long-term care and more Senior Living tenants. The expansion will add much-needed long-term care beds along with independent living capacity to Perley Health.