Welcoming Trans and Gender-Diverse Older Adults to Long-Term Care

This resource provides practical guidance to help LTC homes create welcoming, inclusive, and

affirming experiences for trans and gender-diverse older adults.

It supports teams in

reviewing admission, assessment, care planning, communication, and organizational practices

through practical actions, reflection questions, and additional learning resources.

Check out the guide here.

We recently invited LTC teams to share success stories and examples of the meaningful work happening in their homes to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). We were so inspired by the thoughtful submissions we received and the ways teams are creating more inclusive, welcoming, and person-centred environments for residents, family care partners, and team members!

As a thank you for taking the time to share a story, everyone who submitted an entry was included in an appreciation draw. The draw was random and not based on the content or impact of submissions.

Congratulations to our three randomly selected winners!

• Apotex, Jewish Home for the Aged (Toronto, Ontario)
• Bloomington Cove Community (Stouffville, Ontario)
• Leacock Care Centre (Orillia, Ontario)

Each winner received artwork by Indigenous artist Jessica Mamakeesick, along with a gift card to support framing and displaying the piece in their LTC home. They also received a bundle of EDI resources.



Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your EDI stories with us! We know it takes time to prepare a submission and we appreciate your effort.

The University of Waterloo’s Listening to Make Care Labour Harm-Less study explores how harms experienced by Personal Support Care workers in Canadian long-term care homes can be addressed while building more restorative and affirming care workplaces. The project aims to identify workplace practices and policies that allow these harms to persist and develop more restorative, accountable, and affirming approaches to care labour.

The research team is seeking residential care support workers to participate in interviews and community members to share messages of appreciation for care workers. Participants will receive a token of appreciation.

See the posters above for details and scan the QR codes to participate. For more information or to participate, please email: cfutures@uwaterloo.ca

Guest Column Spotlight: Immigration: More than staffing stability — a culture change strategy

By: Bryce McBain, Director of Operations Central West Ontario, Schlegel Villages

During the peak workforce crisis, the integration of internationally educated nurses (IENs) was often framed solely as a temporary solution to staffing shortages. However, what began as a crisis response has since been transformed into a highly successful professional development strategy. Through the establishment of structured pathways supporting foreign-trained professionals transitioning from personal support worker roles to RN or RPN designations, clinical capacity has been strengthened and organizational culture profoundly reshaped. 

Internationally educated professionals bring valuable skills, experience and perspectives to long-term care, yet many face credentialing barriers and begin in roles below their qualifications. Supporting their advancement helps long-term care homes retain talent, build more inclusive workplaces and provide care where diverse residents and team members feel understood, respected and valued. Read the full guest column in McKnights Long Term Care News here

Check Out Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Advancing Health Equity virtual series (Apply by Friday)

This six-month virtual series helps participants apply Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Health Equity Framework in their own settings. It includes three interactive virtual sessions, coaching, peer-connection opportunities and supported periods to apply learning in practice, followed by a virtual closing congress to share and celebrate successes.



• Application deadline: August 14, 2026
• Register here

September 18 is LTC Community Engagement Day!

Long-Term Care Community Engagement Day encourages long-term care homes to strengthen relationships with residents, families, local leaders and community organizations. It is also an opportunity to consider whose voices and communities are represented, build new partnerships and create a stronger sense of belonging within the home.

Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Topic: Supporting Linguistic Diversity

Time: 11:00 AM -12:00 PM 

Language plays an important role in how residents communicate their needs, express their identities, build relationships and participate in decisions about their care. When language barriers are not addressed, they can affect daily communication, resident safety, diagnostic accuracy, access to information and overall quality of life.



Join our next EDI in LTC Community of Practice session to explore the importance of linguistic diversity in long-term care. Participants will have an opportunity to learn alongside colleagues, exchange experiences and consider practical ways to create more inclusive and responsive environments for residents, families and team members with diverse language needs.

If you aren’t a member yet, join here.

Join this 4-hour virtual workshop to deepen your understanding of EDIB in long-term care, explore practical strategies through scenario discussions and discover Ontario CLRI tools for creating more inclusive, affirming and belonging-centred environments.