UPDATE (March 18): The AdvantAge Ontario conference has been cancelled due to COVID-19

Join us for a Living Classroom presentation on Friday, April 24, 11:15 am-12:15 pm, at Advancing Senior Care, AdvantAge Ontario’s annual general meeting and convention.

• Learn about the benefits of the Living Classroom, a postsecondary partnership program for addressing PSW shortages, including its impact on PSW recruitment and retention.
• Explore evidence collected from use and regional adaptation of this model in different long-term care settings, and implementation strategies for successful program delivery from a range of stakeholder perspectives.
• Identify how to assess your organization’s readiness to start a Living Classroom.

Speakers

Scott Mitchell, Knowledge Broker, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging

Scott Mitchell is a Knowledge Broker at the Ontario Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI) hosted by the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging in Waterloo. He is a co-founder and coordinating committee member of the Canadian Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Community of Practice.


Shelley Sheedy, Director, Long-Term Care, Bonnechere Manor, Renfrew and Miramichi Lodge, Pembroke

Shelley Sheedy is an experienced health care leader with a diverse range of acute care, community, education and long-term care experience. Within long-term care, Shelley has held progressive leadership positions including Resident Care Co-ordinator, Director of Care, Administrator and is currently the Director of Long-Term Care for both of the County of Renfrew’s Homes — Bonnechere Manor and Miramichi Lodge — with responsibility for 346 residents, over 500 staff, approximately 300 volunteers and a $32M budget. She also oversaw the redevelopment of the 166-bed Miramichi Lodge. Both Homes have achieved Accreditation Canada’s highest “Accreditation with Exemplary Standing” Award.

Shelley holds a Masters degree in Health Studies and a certificate in Healthcare Leadership from the Telfer School of Management (University of Ottawa) and sits on a number of regional and provincial committees. She has published several articles including “A Call to Action — Dispelling the Myths and Reducing the Negative Factors Impacting Nursing Recruitment in LTC”; “Should Upper Tier Municipalities in Ontario Contribute to the Operations of a LTC Home?”; and “Improving the Image of Nursing in Ontario — What Can you Do?”

Shelley’s career passions include leading change with a continuous quality improvement focus on evidenced-based practices and implementing innovative human resource practices.

Heather Klein-Horsman, PSW and PN Program Coordinator, Algonquin College

Heather Klein-Horsman, RN, graduated from University of Ottawa in 2006 and continued on to complete her Critical Care Course through Algonquin College. She worked at the intensive care unit at the Ottawa Civic Hospital from 2006-2009. In 2009 she moved to the Renfrew Valley region and started in the ICU/ER department at the Pembroke Regional Hospital and part-time clinical teaching with Algonquin College Pembroke campus. She completed her Masters in Nursing through Charles Sturt University, was hired full time at Algonquin College in 2014 and now coordinates both PSW and PN programs (the PSW Living Classroom is in its second year) and teaches throughout the Nursing programs. Heather has a passion for teaching, leadership and change management and serves on multiple committees through the College and Provincial level.


Pamela Ficociello, Executive Director, Algoma Manor

Pamela Ficociello serves as a AFS Board President, GPA Certified Coach and is a part of the Sault College Business Advisory Committee, and LTC Regional Committee. She has over 10 years of experience in a long-term care setting and 6 years of experience working in the mental health field as a Clinician Care and Treatment Worker.


Lori Crosson, Director of Continuing Education and E-Learning, Sault College

Lori is responsible for various PSW programming including online offerings, in-community offerings and in-facility offerings. She has been a member of the Sault College Continuing Education team for over 10 years and has experience in various models of flexible education.