Donna Duncan - reimagining long-term care, building community, and combatting ageism

#ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench

Episode #28 - Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington welcome the CEO for the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, Donna Duncan to the green bench. A passionate conversation about what aged care is, building community, combatting ageism, and reimagining what long-term care can be in the future.

Donna first experienced long-term care in the 1980s with her grandmother and then again with her father living with alzheimers in 1999. She brings a personal view to what it is and what it can be as we look at some of today's challenges in front of us:

• Staffing challenges
• Older buildings
• Higher care needs

"We dream of a day that it is okay to go into long-term care, where people aren't frightened, families don't feel guilty, staff take great pride, and they are physical living environments where people want to be." -Donna Duncan

"Let's reimagine it (long-term care), let's rebuild it and rethink it with residents, families and staff. Anything is possible, especially if we work together." -Donna Duncan

What is a home with dignity and what is a care environment?

The pandemic has brought Mental Illness and Long-term Care to the forefront, two topics that Donna has a passion to work with.

"Aging is visible and I think it's time we take pride in the aging process and that we don't isolate people as we age." -Donna Duncan

"Honesty, integrity, genuine interest in people - we've got to bring these to the forefront and take the lead in sharing these concepts." -Lloyd Hetherington

"There has to be so much more WE in this and less compartmentalizing in the whole demographic picture." -Erin Davis

What does a community model look like for long-term care?

"You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream." -C.S. Lewis

Have a listen to this podcast by OLTCA

Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our ageing population

The pandemic was driving many stories of darkness coming out of long-term care, rather than focussing on the people and their stories.

The podcast anchors us in hope and broadens the conversation of what aged care is and what it can be. Conversations with like minded individuals to build a movement.

"Fear of dying is human, but fear of aging is cultural." -Ashton Applewhite

"We are in it together. We have a message to get out and the more voices we can find, the better is it." -Lloyd Hetherington

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The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice.

It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence.

"The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders." -Ron Schlegel

This podcast is brought to you by Schlegel Villages, retirement & long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada.

#ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench is produced by Memory Tree Productions
Learn more about our host, Erin Davis, at erindavis.com
Learn more about co-host, Lloyd Hetherington
Learn more about #ElderWisdom at elderwisdom.ca