Accessibility
Carefor’s commitment to accessibility
In keeping with its values, Carefor is committed to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner that respects their dignity and independence. We embrace a broad definition of disability which includes those that may not be visible or apparent. Carefor will strive to provide clients and their care partners, staff, volunteers and members of the community with barrier-free access to its facilities, policies, programs, practices and services. Carefor will continue to foster and endorse attitudes and behaviours that eliminate barriers for persons with disabilities.
About Carefor’s Accessibility Plan
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires all public institutions to put into motion several initiatives that will result in greater accessibility in the province of Ontario by 2025. Carefor’s accessibility plan demonstrates its commitment to work in partnership with all stakeholders, including clients, residents and their care partners with a range of accessibility needs, to meet the minimum standard specified as AODA requirements by 2025, and to bring an accessibility lens to the entire organization with the goal of ensuring that we can provide “the best life” to all clients and residents. It is recognized that achieving accessibility and/or eliminating barriers for all clients and residents may require efforts beyond those specified in the AODA legislation.
This Accessibility Plan is a living document which will evolve as the organization continues to identify and eliminate barriers to equal accessibility. The aim of this plan is to help us achieve our vision of making Carefor fully accessible to all individuals who receive care, work in or visit its facilities.
Read the full accessibility plan
About Carefor
Carefor supports thousands of people across Eastern Ontario every year. As an organization with an annual budget of approximately $70 million that provides service from the upper Ottawa Renfrew border to the Quebec border our scope may seem large but our impact is very personal.
Our staff work with people in need, in their homes, and in the community. These people are our neighbours, friends and family. Often elderly and vulnerable, our clients and their families rely on us in countless ways: in-home healthcare and personal support services, meal delivery, non-urgent medical transportation, respite and adult day programs for people living with dementia, retirement homes and palliative programs are just some of the services we offer people in our communities.
While diverse, what ties our programs and services together is a desire to help people lead their best lives. Through caring and professionalism, our staff make people’s lives better. We work with our clients, their care partners and the local health-care system to tailor a care plan that supports the whole person.
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Policy
Carefor has a policy to guide our practices in ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities.
Accessibility Workplan
A number of documents and policies were created to address Accessibility issues at Carefor.
Accessibility Workplan: Addressing the AODA Customer Service Standard Reference:
429/07: Accessibility standards for customer service
| # | Regulation Section | Compliance Deadline | Carefor’s Compliance Action | Status/Last Updated | Next Review Date | Responsible Lead/Team |
| 1 | Establishment of Policies & Procedures (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 3) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website | Compliant | February, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 2 | Use of Service Animals and Support Persons (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 4) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website addresses:Use of service animals and support persons | Compliant | February, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 3 | Notice of Temporary Disruptions (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 5) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website addresses:• notices of temporary disruption | Compliant | February, 2022 | COO/Manager(s), Facilities |
| 4 | Feedback Process for providers of goods or services (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 7) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website addresses:• feedback process | Compliant | February, 2022 | COO/Manager(s), Facilities |
| 5 | Notice of Availability of documents (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 8) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website addresses:• notice of availability of documents upon request in different formats | Compliant | February, 2022 | Manager, Marketing and Communications |
| 6 | Format of documents (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 9) | Dec 31, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website addresses:notice of availability of documents upon request in different formats. | Compliant | February, 2022 | Manager, Marketing and Communications |
| 7 | Training for staff, etc. (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 429/07, s. 6) | Jan 1, 2014 | All staff, volunteers and physicians trained on Accessible Customer Service Standards legislation (2009). | Compliant | February, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
Accessibility Workplan: Addressing the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)
Part 1 – General Integrated Standards Reference:191/11: Integrated accessibility standards
| # | Regulation Section | Compliance Deadline | Carefor’s Compliance Action | Status/Last Updated | Next Review Date | Responsible Lead/Team |
| 8 | Establishment of Accesibility Policies (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 3) | Dec 1, 2013 | Overall accessibility policy posted on the website | Compliant | February, 2023 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 9 | Accessibility Plans (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 4) | Dec 1, 2013 | AODA requirements reviewed to establish workplan for the 2020-2025 timeframe. Updated plan posted on website in Oct 2021. | Compliant | February, 2023 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 10 | Training (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 7) | Dec 1, 2013 | Training on IASR content: IASR training content was added to Orientation Customer service Standard content for dissemination to all staff and ongoing Orientation Training for new hires. | Compliant | February, 2023 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
Part 2 – Information & Communication Standards
| # | Regulation Section | Compliance Deadline | Carefor’s Compliance Action | Status/Last Updated | Next Review Date | Responsible Lead/Team |
| 11 | Feedback (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s.11) | Dec 1, 2014 | Feedback is accepted in whatever format family wishes (correspondence, phone, email, in person).Disabilities are accommodated by working with family to ensure communication can occur (e.g. Sign language interpreters, communicating by email, accommodating need for support persons to be present)Carefor is moving to solicit client/resident experience surveys via email/electronically. Introduction of a statement informing survey participants of the availability of an accessible format upon request will be included. | Compliant | December, 2022 | Manager, Marketing & Communications |
| 12 | Accessible formats and communication supports (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 12) | Jan 1, 2015 | Overall accessibility policy and customer service policy state that information will be made available in accessible format to public upon request | Compliant | December, 2022 | Manager, Marketing & Communications |
| 13 | Emergency procedure, plans or public safety information (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 13) | Dec 1, 2013 | Emergency information template will be used to inform the public of emergency plans and procedures | Compliant | December, 2022 | Manager, Marketing & Communications |
| 14 | Accessible websites and web content (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 14) | Jan 1, 2021 | Our external websites are compliant.Our new intranet was launched in Mar 2020 and is compliant with AODA.We will be level AA compliant by October 2021 | Compliant | December, 2022 | Manager, Marketing & Communications |
Part 3 – Employment Standards
| 15 | Return to work process (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 29) | Jan 1, 2014 | Policy in place for employees to return to work and accommodation policy (3019) | Compliant | July, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 16 | Performance Management (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s.30) | Jan 1, 2014 | Commitment to develop accommodation plan on a case by case basis as needed. | Compliant | July, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 17 | Career development and advancement (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 31) | Jan 1, 2014 | Commitment by HR to work collaboratively on a case by case basis as per our duty to accommodate. | Compliant | July, 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
| 18 | Redeployment (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 32) | Jan 1, 2014 | Return to Work Accomodation Policy updated with accessibility clause in health and safety program. | Compliant | July 2022 | Director HR (Executive Lead) |
Part 5 – Built Environment
| 19 | Accessible parkingApplication, off-street parkingAccess aislesMinimum number and type of accessible parking spacesSignage• On-street parking spaces (AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 80.32-80.39, O. Reg 413/12 s.6) | Jan 1, 2016 | Carefor exceeds current legal standards. Accessibility requirements will be considered in parking areas/space renovation | Compliant | Ongoing Commitment | COO/Facilities Manager(s) |
| 20 | Obtaining Services:ApplicationService CountersFixed Queuing guidelinesWaiting areas(AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 80.40-80.43, O. Reg. 413/12 s. 6) | Jan 1, 2016 | All new service counters, queuing areas and waiting rooms will be made accessible | Compliant | Ongoing Commitment | COO/Facilities Manager(s) |
| 21 | Maintenance of accessible elements(AODA, 2005, O. Reg. 191/11, s. 80.44, O. Reg. 413/12 s. 6) | Jan 1, 2016 | All accessible parts of public spaces will/should be maintained | Compliant | Ongoing Commitment | COO/Facilities Manager(s) |
Communication of Accessibility Plan
Carefor makes its Accessibility Plan available to staff, volunteers and members of the community. We also look for opportunities to further inform clients, residents and care partners of major changes, as they arise.
Carefor’s communication of its accessibility plan will include:
Internal Audience
- Informing all leaders within the organization of the availability of the most recent Accessibility Plan;
- Posting the Accessibility Plan on Carefor’s intranet site, which enables all employees and volunteers to consult or refer to the plan;
- Providing training and awareness about the plan and Carefor’s commitment to accessibility, including at orientation and via articles, reminders and updates via the intranet.
External Audience
- Posting of the most recent plan on Carefor’s three web sites (Carefor.ca; cornwallhospice.com; guesthouseottawa.ca) to ensure that clients, residents, care partners and the community at large have access to the plan;
- Promoting the availability of our executive lead (Director, HR) to express concerns or provide feedback on issues of accessibility;
Feedback
As we move forward, we will continually ask ourselves “How can we improve?” Carefor recognizes the importance of obtaining feedback from clients, residents and care partners on ways in which our organization can continue to render itself accessible.
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