A community of learning: residents, their families and other care partners
At the heart of every Living Classroom are the people we serve.
The Living Classroom (LC) is more than just an educational model; it is a community where knowledge is lived and shared. While students come here to develop their skills, long-term care home residents, their families, and other care partners are at the core of the curriculum, providing lived experience and imparting their wisdom regarding what compassionate care should be.
The vital role of residents: teaching through experience
Residents play a crucial role in shaping the students who will one day lead the healthcare workforce. By interacting with students, residents provide an experiential education that a traditional classroom cannot replicate.
- Teaching Empathy and Understanding: Through personalized social engagement, residents help students develop the insight required to care for older adults with skill and compassion.
- Real-World Perspectives: Residents share their knowledge, wisdom, and life experiences, giving students a realistic understanding of both the joys and limitations older adults may face.
- Interactive Mentorship: Residents act as valued mentors, participating in LC activities and lesson plans that strengthen student learning and capabilities.
Families and other care partners: a foundation of knowledge
Families and other care partners are essential collaborators in the Living Classroom culture of shared learning. The involvement of those who know the resident best ensures that care remains personalized and respectful.
- Sharing Expert Knowledge: Families and other care partners provide invaluable insights into their loved ones’ history, preferences, and needs, helping students understand the resident as an individual, rather than a patient.
- Supporting Clinical Excellence: Families and other care partners help shape the interpersonal skills and clinical capabilities needed to provide high-quality care. After all, this group often has years of caregiving experience and valuable perspectives to share.
- Collaborative Culture: The Living Classroom brings together a person’s family and other care partners, along with their care teams to create a supportive environment that enhances both student education and resident well-being.
Our commitment to you: respectful, compassionate, and highly skilled care
We understand that a long-term care home is a private and sacred space for its residents. The Living Classroom is built on a foundation of mutual respect and collaboration among many stakeholders—including the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care, the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA), the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators (CESBA), and the educational institutions that partner with long-term care homes to deliver the program to local communities all across the province.
The Living Classroom team strives to always provide:
Learning excellence
This model produces highly skilled, better-prepared graduates who are ready to deliver best-practice care from day one.
Flexible innovation
Each Living Classroom is a catalyst for improved care approaches, ensuring that learning is adaptable, culturally relevant, and effective for the people it serves.
Shared benefit
Residents, families, and other care partners benefit from increased student engagement, leading to improved recruitment and retention of skilled graduates.
Resident, family, and other care partners FAQ
Will having students in the home affect the quality of care?
The Living Classroom is designed to enhance care by developing more skilled and compassionate healthcare workers in the home. Students work alongside experienced professionals, receive mentorship, and learn to apply the latest evidence-based best practices directly to their care.
Is the residents’ privacy still protected with students around?
Absolutely. Respect is a cornerstone of the Living Classroom. Students are taught that they are guests in the residents’ home and must follow the same strict confidentiality and privacy standards as regular team members.
Do residents have to participate in student learning activities?
Participation is always a choice. Many residents love to share their wisdom and life experiences with the next generation, but their autonomy and comfort always come first.
How do students learn the “real-world” side of aging?
While textbooks teach clinical skills, residents and their family and care partners can teach students about empathy, the realities of daily life, and the importance of seeing the person, not just the medical need.
Who is in charge of the students?
The Living Classroom is a partnership between the care home and the educational institution offering the program. Faculty members and the home’s senior mentoring team are there to ensure that every interaction is respectful and helpful to everyone involved.
The Living Classroom impact
A recent survey asked families, other care partners, and LTC home team members to describe the impact of LC students at their Long-Term Care Home:
“Four students have worked with my mother during the days that I have been in visiting. All four have been engaged with the residents. (They are) very open to information about the specific residents that I have gotten to know. Two of them were especially attentive and clearly used their excellent skills to make the residents feel special.”
– family member
“Amazing. Learning while they are immersed in the home benefits everyone. Residents know them on graduation, they have a smoother transition from student to employee, and the teams love the extra help when the students are here.”
– LTC home team member
“They (the students) add extra needed hands. All workers have more time for the residents.”
– family member
Learn about a Living Classroom near you
Find Living Classrooms in your community, or ask our team if you have questions as a resident, family member, or care partner.