Hospitals, long-term care homes and community organizations play different roles, but the people they serve experience one health system. Their care depends on how well those organizations work across traditional boundaries. 

This philosophy was reflected at Lakeridge Gardens during the Ontario Long Term Care Association’s Community Engagement Day, which brought residents, families, staff and community partners together. 

Partnership begins with listening 

For Kristen Feasby, President of the Lakeridge Gardens Residents’ Council, togetherness is about more than being in the same place. It is found in interactions and knowing people feel heard and included. 

“Togetherness is more than physical proximity. It is a shared sense of belonging, support and unity,” says Feasby. “It reminds us that we are stronger and more resilient when we are connected to others.” 

“We want to feel like partners in our home, not simply recipients of care,” says Feasby. 

From Consultation to Co-design 

The Essential Partners-in-Care program demonstrates what partnership looks like in practice. Essential Partners-in-Care are family members or others identified by residents whose participation supports their well-being and care. 

Families helped co-design the program, ensuring their lived experience informed how it operates. This included defining the role and explaining how it differs from that of a substitute decision-maker or power of attorney. In-person education has supported consistency, while process measures help Lakeridge Gardens sustain successes and adjust the program based on feedback. 

For Jeanette Dindial, Director of Operations, this reflects the “spirit of co-design and partnership”, involving residents and families early as contributors to shared solutions. “Empowering families and care partners through co-designed care transforms resident care, reminding us that meaningful collaboration is the heart of truly exceptional long-term care. Together, we create a future where every life is enriched and every voice is valued." 

Community Connection, Provincial Impact 

That partnership extends beyond the home. Lakeridge Gardens was named a 2026 Ajax News Advertiser Readers’ Choice Winner in the Best Nursing Homes/Long-Term Care Centre category. 

“Being chosen by members of the Ajax community is meaningful because it reflects the relationships Lakeridge Gardens has built beyond our walls,” says Dindial. “This recognition belongs to our residents, families, staff and community partners, whose voices and contributions help make Lakeridge Gardens a strong and caring community.” 

Community recognition and provincial partnership operate at different levels, but both strengthen care. Lakeridge Gardens’ relationship with OLTCA connects one home’s experience to a network representing nearly 70 per cent of Ontario’s long-term care homes. 

Community Engagement Day demonstrates this two-way connection: a provincial initiative creates conversations, while those insights strengthen a collective voice. ​

Partnership as a Health System Strategy 

This commitment is embedded in Lakeridge Health’s 2026–2031 Strategic Plan. Its direction of Exceptional, Equitable, Connected Care recognizes that people receive the best care when organizations work across traditional boundaries. The plan also identifies system partnership as an enabler of Lakeridge Health’s vision of One System. Best Health. 

A resident’s idea can influence care. A community relationship can connect families to expertise. A local experience shared through a provincial partner can contribute to system-level change. 

The future of health care depends on turning these connections into lasting ways of working together so local voices travel further, shared challenges become collective action and strategic commitments become better care.