Long-term care | City of Ottawa

COVID-19 and long-term care

Updates from provincial and municipal partners

Our health care partners provide frequent updates to safety protocols in long-term care. Follow these resources to see the latest recommendations:

Ontario Ministries of Health and Long-term care

Ottawa Public Health

Visiting long-term care homes

Older adults are especially vulnerable to serious and life-threatening complications from COVID-19. Staff are following best practices to ensure everyone’s safety, including screening all visitors and staff, as advised by the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Long-term Care and Ottawa Public Health.

LTC homes are open to visitors, although there are some changes due to COVID-19. Details are in the practice and procedure on Visiting Long-Term Care.

Infection prevention

The homes have plans in place for infection prevention and control to prevent, detect, and reduce the spread of infection. For example:

Infection prevention and control training for visitors

Video 1: How to Hand Rub (video by Public Health Ontario)
Video 2: How to Hand Wash (video by Public Health Ontario)
Video 3: Putting on Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (video by Public Health Ontario)
Video 4: Taking off Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (video by Public Health Ontario)

Factsheet: Recommended Steps – Putting On and Taking Off Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (by Public Health Ontario)

Testing for COVID-19

Staff and residents are each screened for symptoms regularly.
Any resident with respiratory symptoms is isolated and tested. Staff showing symptoms are sent home and tested.
Surveillance testing is regularly completed for long-term care staff, caregivers and visitors.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19

If a case is confirmed, the homes will follow directives from the Ministry of Long-Term Care and guidance from Ottawa Public Health.

New admissions

All new admissions and re-admissions are being tested for COVID-19 and may be temporarily placed on isolation as a precaution.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

The province has prioritized the supply of PPE to long-term care homes. The homes have an appropriate supply of equipment to support everyone’s safety, and we are working with the province and suppliers to maintain that inventory.

About long-term care – apply

What is long-term care?

Long-term care homes provide adults whose needs can no longer be met in the community a place where they can live and get:

Help with most or all daily activities
Access to 24-hour nursing and personal care

Find a long-term care home

Start your search for a long-term care home by contacting your Home and Community Care Support Services Champlain. Staff at Champlain will:

Determine if you or your family member is eligible for long-term care
Tell you about the long-term care homes in your area
Tell you how to get on the wait list and apply
Meet with you to discuss options for care

Wait list

Many long-term care homes have waiting lists. The wait time for a bed in a long-term care home can vary based on the level of care needed, type of room and the number of beds available. Champlain manages the wait list and prioritizes placement based on individual needs.

There are 60 long-term care homes in the Champlain region, which includes Ottawa
Apply for up to five long-term care homes anywhere in Ontario and up to 3 bed types in each home
View the Long-Term Care Wait List [ 743 KB ] for the Champlain Region

For more information about eligibility and admission into a long-term care home, visit the Home and Community Care Champlain website or call 310-2222 (no area code).

Cost of long-term care

All personal and nursing care in long-term care homes in Ontario is funded by the government. Residents pay for room and board. Read more about the costs for long-term care.

Get help to pay for long-term care

If you don’t have enough income to pay for a basic room, you can apply for a government subsidy with the Ministry. Subsidies are not available for private or semi-private rooms. If you wish to apply for a subsidy and need help to fill out forms, contact your long-term care home or the Long-Term Care Action Line at 1-866-434-0144.

Other housing options with support services for seniors

Find out about home care and retirement homes.

Volunteer with Long-term care

We are always looking for volunteers to join our team. Volunteers work with our staff and help to improve quality of life for our residents:

Provide company, friendship and support
Help residents be more active and independent
Give residents something to look forward to
Share life events and stories

Volunteers can help in many ways such as:

Recreation programs
Spiritual and palliative care
Friendly visits
Mealtimes
Tuck shop
Special events

Student volunteers also make a valuable difference to our homes. Students can fulfill their volunteer hours for high school and add new skills to their résumé or college applications.

For information about our Volunteer program, contact one of our homes or ottawa.ca/volunteer.

Care and services

The City operates four long-term care homes:

Carleton Lodge (161 licensed beds)
Centre d’accueil Champlain (160 licensed beds)
Garry J. Armstrong (180 licensed beds)
Peter D. Clark (216 licensed beds)

The homes are accredited by Accreditation Canada.

Our care teams

All four of the City’s long-term care homes have registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and personal support workers on duty 24-hours a day to care for residents. Our Hospitality team takes care of food services, laundry and housekeeping. Our Recreation team plans events and daily activities.

Services

We provide the following services in each of our long-term care homes:

Nursing and personal care on a 24-hour basis with access to medical professionals and services
Help with:
- Daily activities including bathing, personal hygiene, oral care, dressing and grooming
- Mobility, transferring and positioning
- Bedtime and rest routines
Meals including special diets
Laundry and housekeeping
Social work support
Social and recreational programs
Religious and spiritual services
Individual care planning
Shared dining room, TV rooms, country kitchen, faith centre and libraries
Units for residents who benefit from a secure space
Physiotherapy
Palliative and end-of-life care

Other services for a fee include:

Hairdressing and barber services
Audiology / hearing care
Optometry / eye care
Foot care
Dental care
Occupational therapy assessments
Mobility equipment repairs

Rooms

Each of our homes offer both private and shared rooms with washrooms. The average room is 150 to 300 square feet, including the washroom.

Each resident has a bed, dresser or built-in cabinet, night table and small chair
Residents can personalize their rooms with their own things

For more information about rooms, refer to each of the City’s homes and floor plans.

There are common areas for family visits. Families can also book space for private events.

Plan of Care

Every resident has a written plan of care that is developed in partnership with the care team, residents and their families. The plan of care:

Sets out the goals and clear directions for staff and others who provide direct care to the resident
Is based on an assessment of the resident’s needs and preferences
Includes medical, nursing, personal support, nutritional, dietary, recreational, social, restorative, religious and spiritual care
Is revised at least every three months or as needed

Short-stay respite care residents must have a 24-hour admission care plan.

Food and nutrition

All food is planned based on the Ministry of Long-Term Care legislation.

Each home offers a 3- or 4-week seasonal menu. Menus are posted in the dining room area. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are served daily. Residents have a choice of two main entrées at lunch and dinner. Prepared plates are displayed in the dining area to help with the resident’s choice. Here is a sample daily menu.

Breakfast:

Apple or cranberry juice
Dry cereal or rolled oat cereal
White / brown toast with butter / jam
Scrambled egg

Lunch:

Creamy coleslaw
Tomato juice

Choice of roast beef and onion gravy or glazed chicken tenders

Mashed potatoes
Oriental mixed vegetables
Bread and butter
Banana
Orange cake

Dinner:

Chicken noodle soup
Tomato juice

Choice of:

Macaroni and cheese
Pork coriander
Mashed potatoes
Stewed tomatoes
Peas
Apricots
Lemon tarts

Activities

Each home plans weekly activities for its residents. Activities include arts and crafts, exercise, movies, games, guest entertainers, and more. Activity calendars are posted in the homes and are available by email upon request to help family members plan their visits. Here are some of the activities in the homes:

Exercise

Fitness classes
Sports
Lawn games
Dance programs
Gardening and garden walks

Intellectual

Trivia
Mobile library
Card and word games
Reading and education groups

Social / emotional

Tea time
Pub Happy Hour
Garden visits
Bingo / musical bingo
Baking / cooking groups
Live music / entertainment
Sing along
Pet visits / zootherapy
Manicures
Doll therapy
Art therapy
Painting / colouring group
Knitting club
Sports bar / sports viewing
Movie night
Montessori activities
Snoezelen Room
Volunteer visits

Special events

Family BBQs
Holiday parties
Monthly birthday celebrations
Outings

Spiritual

Religious services (Catholic mass, Protestant service, and others by request)
Hymn sing
Pastoral care and spiritual care volunteer visits
Other spiritual services may be offered on request

Adult Day Program

Carleton Lodge and Centre d'accueil Champlain offer Adult Day Programs for seniors who have dementia or face other barriers that prevent them from taking part in regular activities. Small group activities promote good health and social interaction. The programs also provide a break for caregivers.

To apply for an adult day program, contact the Home and Community Care Support Services Champlain or call 310-2222 (no area code).

Residents’ Council

Each long-term care home has a Residents’ Council. We encourage residents to join. The council meets once a month to:

Discuss concerns
Suggest changes
Plan social activities

Feedback from the Residents’ Council helps our care teams improve services and programs to better meet the needs of residents.

Family and Friends Council

Each of our homes has a Family and Friends Council where friends and family of our residents work together to improve the quality of life for all residents. The council provides information sessions and advocates to improve services. Family Councils are also a way for families to give each other support, encouragement and information.

Resident satisfaction surveys

Once a year, residents and caregivers can take part in a resident satisfaction survey. This survey gives residents an opportunity to give feedback anonymously.

Visiting long-term care homes

Long Term Care Homes

Carleton Lodge
Centre d'accueil Champlain
Garry J. Armstrong
Peter D. Clark

Subject: Visiting Long-Term Care Homes
Division:  Administration
P & P no:  750.122
Approval date: August 2022
Approval authority: Long Term Care Management Team
Revision/review date: May 2023
References:

Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021
Ontario Regulation 246/22
Residents’ Bill of Rights
Ministry of Long-Term Care COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario

Form #: Designated Caregiver Form

Practice

The City of Ottawa’s Long-Term Care Homes adhere to the visiting requirements in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, O. Regulation 246/22.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the homes also follow the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s (MLTC) Minister’s Directive: Covid-19 response measures for long-term care homes and the COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario.

The practice and procedure on visiting long-term care homes incorporates the following important principles:

Safety
Emotional well-being
Equitable access
Flexibility
Equality

Procedure

Please consult the information below for current visiting guidelines. It is important that all visitors abide by these guidelines, to ensure the safety of residents, staff and other visitors. If you require clarification on any of the instructions below, please ask a staff member, or contact the home prior to your visit.

City of Ottawa Long-Term Care Homes are committed to upholding these guidelines to ensure the highest level of safety and protection for residents, visitors and staff. Visitors who do not follow the guidelines of this document may be asked to speak with a member of management, undergo additional training, or leave the building, in accordance with Appendix A: Visitor Non-Adherence.

Types of visitors

Essential visitors include:

Support workers, who perform an essential support service for the home or for a resident of the home
Caregivers, who provide support or assistance to meet the needs of the resident, including providing direct physical support with activities of daily living, or social, spiritual or emotional support.
People visiting residents who are palliative or very ill
Government inspectors with a statutory right to enter a long-term care home to carry out their duties

General visitors include people who are visiting for social reasons or who are providing non-essential services. During outbreaks, there may be some restrictions on general visitors.

Designating caregivers

Designated caregivers must be designated by the resident or their substitute decision maker. Individuals under 16 years of age must have approval from a parent or legal guardian to be designated as a caregiver.

To designate an individual as a caregiver, residents or their substitute decision makers must complete the Designated Caregiver Form and return it to reception.

Limitation on visits

There are no restrictions on the number of visitors who can visit a resident at a time. However, any plans to have more than four visitors in the home at a time should be discussed with staff in advance. There are no restrictions on frequency of visits or length of time.

General visitors are not permitted to visit residents who are isolating or areas of the home that are on outbreak.

Limits on visits may change based on current guidance from the Ministry of Long-Term Care or recommendations from Ottawa Public Health.

The reception desk in the home can provide information on regular visiting hours and building access.

Infection prevention and control information

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all visitors, both essential visitors and general visitors, must review the training material before entering the home.

Screening and testing

Active screening is not required. All visitors must self-monitor and postpone their visit to the home if they have symptoms.

Personal protective equipment

Caregivers who are visiting a resident who is on isolation must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) for droplet-contact precautions, including mask, gown, gloves and eye protection. N95 respirators will be available for caregivers who are visiting residents who are confirmed or suspected as positive for COVID-19.

Permitted activities

Visitors may bring food or drinks to a visit to share with the resident in the resident room or a designated area. At the current time, the homes are not able to provide meals for visitors to eat in resident rooms. Visitors are not permitted to eat meals in the communal dining areas or common areas of the home.

Palliative and emergency situations

The screening requirements for support workers, caregivers and general visitors do not need to be followed in an emergency or palliative situation, subject to any restrictions or requirements contained in the Minister’s Directive: COVID-19 response measures for long-term care homes.

Visitors of residents who are very ill or imminently palliative are allowed in the home at any time, including during outbreaks, subject to direction from Ottawa Public Health. There are no restrictions on the length or frequency of their visits, however, there may be some limits on the number of visitors at a time.

Private care providers (sitters)

Private care providers (PCPs) (Sitters) are required to adhere to the guidelines above. If the PCP is a documented designated caregiver, they should follow those criteria, if not, they should follow criteria for general visitors.

Visitors requiring a support person

Visitors who require a support person are permitted to visit with their support person. The support person must follow all screening and PPE requirements. Visitors requiring a support person should inform the home in advance.

Responsibilities of the home

Staff undertake the following responsibilities to ensure visits take place as safely as possibly:

Supporting residents in receiving visitors while mitigating risk of exposure to COVID-19
Obtaining and documenting information from residents/substitute decision makers regarding designated caregivers
Reception staff to obtain the signed Designated Caregiver Form from the resident/substitute decision maker and enter the names of designated caregivers as ’Approved Visitor’ under ’Resident Contact/Associations’
Maintaining a list of visitors that is available for staff to access in MED e-care
Reception staff will run a report for ’Resident Contact/Associations Full' in MED e-care and deliver to the screening desk at the end of each day
Providing training to visitors
Providing the following PPE:
- Surgical/procedure masks, gloves and gowns, for essential visitors as required
- Surgical/procedure masks for general visitors for indoor visits
Supervision of visits is not required, but the home has discretion to supervise as needed to manage health and safety while respecting resident’s rights

Outbreaks

There may be changes to visiting during outbreaks

Essential visitors and support workers are the only types of visitors allowed in the home when the home is on outbreak, or if the resident being visited is on isolation or has symptoms of COVID-19
Ottawa Public Health may provide additional direction on visiting guidelines when a home is in outbreak

Visitor log

The home shall maintain a visitor log for a minimum of 30 days, which includes the:

Name and contact information of the visitor
Time and date of the visit
Name of the resident visited

The law

In Ontario, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care regulates, inspects and sets out the resident fees for all long-term care homes.

Provincial standards for long-term care homes are set out in the the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 and Regulation O. 246/22. This includes the Residents’ Bill of Rights.

The ministry conducts annual inspections of each home. All reports are public and displayed in the long-term care homes. Read reports on long-term care homes on the Ministry’s website.

Emergency plans

The City of Ottawa has a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan that outlines how the City is prepared to handle emergencies.

Each long-term care home has emergency plans in place to respond to specific emergency situations in the homes. All staff receive training on how to respond to the following emergency codes:

Code Black: bomb threat
Code Blue: medical emergency
Code Brown: chemical spill
Code Green: evacuation
Code Grey: loss of essential service
Code Orange: community disaster
Code Red: fire
Code White: violent outburst
Code Yellow: missing resident

More information is available in the Emergency Measures Overviews [ 173 KB ].

The City of Ottawa long-term care homes also follow a Pandemic Response Plan [ 380 KB ] during pandemics.

Health information

The City is responsible for protecting health information under the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). The act has rules to protect personal health information while in the City’s care.

Complaints and concerns

The way to make your complaint depends on the type of complaint. There are two types of complaints:

Non-urgent complaints - these include less serious complaints related to diet, activities or care. Contacting a home directly is often the best and fastest way to address a problem. All complaints are taken seriously. If a resident or family member has a complaint, they can inform the nurse or manager at the home over the phone, or in writing. All complaints are investigated, and a response and resolution are provided to the person who made the complaint.
Urgent complaints - These include cases of harm, neglect or danger to residents. The ministry will respond quickly to urgent complaints — in some cases, on the same day. To report an urgent complaint, contact the home directly or call the Long-Term Care Family Support and Action Line toll free at 1-866-434-0144.

All complaints are taken seriously. If a resident or family member has a complaint, they can inform the nurse or manager at the home over the phone, or in writing. All complaints are investigated, and a response and resolution are provided to the person who made the complaint.

By law, some complaints must also be sent to the Ministry of Long-Term Care by the home. For more information about types of complaints and how to make them, visit the Ministry’s website.

Garry J. Armstrong

Located on the Rideau River between the Vanier Parkway and King Edward Avenue
Offers services in English and French to 180 residents
Common areas include lounges with fireplaces, a library, and a large atrium, used as a pub and tea room
Island setting with river views and garden paths for walking
Shared balconies on each floor
Fully air-conditioned

Tour the home

Take a virtual tour of Garry J. Armstrong. To register for a guided personal tour, call 613-789-5100.

Garry J. Armstrong long-term care home is located at 200 Island Lodge Road in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of four not-for-profit, long-term care homes owned and operated by the City of Ottawa and accredited by Accreditation Canada.

Garry J. Armstrong is a non-smoking home situated on the picturesque banks of the Rideau River, offering gorgeous views of the City’s downtown core, and the Gatineau Hills.

It is home to 180 residents and offers both private and basic accommodation. Each resident room is furnished with a bed, a night table, a chair, and a dresser or wardrobe for storing personal belongings. Basic rooms have a washroom that is shared between two residents.

Garry J. Armstrong is a seven-story building that consists of six ‘houses,’ or neighbourhoods, which accommodate 30 residents each. There are three wings on each neighbourhood, which meet at the centre core elevators. Each neighbourhood also has a spa, a kitchen servery, a dining room, a refreshment area, a lounge with a fireplace and a large south-facing balcony.

The second and third floor neighbourhoods are reserved for residents who require specialized dementia programming and secure accommodation.

The home is situated in a large natural setting and features a variety of comfortable visiting spaces, both inside and out. The property boasts an abundance of wildlife and features garden paths and a gazebo with river views.

Each neighbourhood serves excellent home-cooked meals in dining rooms that offer scenic views of the gardens and the river. The spacious lower-level atrium has a beautiful fireplace and large communal area where residents can gather to enjoy various activities.

The home offers numerous services and amenities to ensure quality and specialized care for each resident, including nursing and personal care, dietary support, meal service and snacks, a full schedule of social activities, physiotherapy, housekeeping, and laundry services.

Garry J. Armstrong also has a multi-faith centre, a country kitchen, a hair salon, a library, an activity room, a pub and a tearoom. The home is completely accessible and has free parking.

Photos and floor plans

Quality improvement plan

The City of Ottawa long-term care homes are committed to continuous quality improvement. Read the Continuous Quality Improvement [ 133 KB ] Report for Garry J. Armstrong Home.

Contact us

200 Island Lodge Road, Ottawa, ON K1N 5M2
Tel: 613-789-5100
Fax: 613-789-3704
TTY: 613-580-2401

Administrator: Sarah Dickson
sarah.dickson@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 30026

Program manager of resident care: Yves Bahizi
yves.bahizi@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 12583

Program manager of personal care / Infection prevention and control lead: Marie Bourgoin
marie.bourgoin@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 22918

Lead for emergency planning: Yves Pilon
yves.pilon@ottawa.ca
613-580-2424 ext. 36190