Accessibility Policy

Background

In 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”) was passed. The purpose of the AODA is to break down barriers and obstacles that keep people with disabilities from easily managing basic activities such as getting groceries, traveling and integrating into the workforce. The goal of the legislation is to achieve a fully accessible Ontario by 2025.

The regulations associated with the Integrated Accessibility Standards (“IASR”) require 7209908 Canada Inc. dba  Russell Meadows Retirement Community to establish and maintain a multi-year accessibility plan which outlines Russell Meadows Retirement Community’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities and to meet its requirements under AODA.

The following accessibility standards set requirements that are applicable to Russell Meadows Retirement Community: Customer Service, Information & Communications and Employment.

Objectives

This multi-year accessibility plan will help Russell Meadows Retirement Community make advancements in meeting the requirements under the AODA. The plan outlines the specific requirements of the AODA and how Russell Meadows Retirement Community will actively work on removing barriers for people with disabilities who come to Russell Meadows Retirement Community.

Purpose

In accordance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005), Russell Meadows Retirement Community is committed to excellence in serving our residents, staff and or visitors and in making our facility accessible to all persons including those with disabilities.

Our Commitment

We strive to provide our residents, staff and or visitors with services that reflects the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. Our commitment is to provide all residents, staff and or visitors including those with disabilities with the same opportunity to access, and benefit from our goods and services.

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Russell Meadows Retirement Community is committed to removing barriers to accessibility for all our residents, staff and or visitors including those with disabilities.

  1. Communication – We will communicate with residents, staff and or visitors with disabilities in ways that take their disability into account. We will train our people on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.
  2. Telephone Services – We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our residents, staff and or visitors. We will train our people to communicate over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will offer to communicate with residents, staff and or visitors using the relay service or by email if telephone communication is not suitable for their needs or is not available.
  3. Assistive Devices – Russell Meadows Retirement Community welcomes our residents, staff and or visitors with disabilities and allows them to use their own personal devices. Russell Meadows Retirement Community also offers wheelchairs and other mobility aides for assistance. We will keep these items in good working order and will inform our residents, staff and or visitors of their availability or of any disruption of service. Please note that we do not have wheelchairs that residents may keep for the duration of their tenancy agreement. Note on Oxygen Tanks: Residents requiring the use of an oxygen tank may bring it with them into either building and on our bus; however, we ask that they inform the bus driver so that it can be determined if their current seat is the best accommodation for this assistive device.
  4. Documentation – All published documents can be made available in hard copy, large print and email if required.
Support Persons

Russell Meadows Retirement Community welcomes support persons for any resident, staff and or visitors with disabilities. Everyone entering our home, including those acting as a support person, is required to sign in and out of our buildings.

If a resident, staff and or visitor and their support person come to an event ( open house, part or tour ); our staff will do their best to relocate them to a location where they can be seated together. The ability to do this will be based on availability and cannot be guaranteed. If they cannot be seated together, we will ensure that our resident, staff and or visitor can access their support person while in our home.

Support Animals

Russell Meadows Retirement Community welcomes service animals for any resident, staff and or visitors with disabilities. Service Animals may accompany the resident, staff and or visitor in areas open to the general public. Residents, staff and or visitors should ensure that they have the proper documentation that identifies their animal as a certified service animal.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Russell Meadows Retirement Community will provide notice to the public when there is a temporary disruption of facilities or services used by our residents, staff and or visitors with disabilities to access our goods or services. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative services that may be available. We will post this notice in reasonable places including all communication boards and where possible, the point of disruption. When possible, disruptions that are known in advance will be posted on all communication boards.

Employee Training

Russell Meadows Retirement Community will provide training to all employees and others who interact with our residents, staff and or visitors, as well as those who are involved in the development of corporate policies, practices and procedures. Russell Meadows Retirement Community  will also ensure that the staff of third parties operating within our homes has received training on serving our residents, staff and or visitors with disabilities.

Training will cover the following

The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, (2005), and the requirements of the customer service standard is as follows:

  • How to interact and communicate with residents, staff ad or visitors with various types of disabilities.
  • How to interact with residents, staff and or visitors with disabilities that use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
  • Awareness of the location of our assistive devices and the persons who know how to use them.
  • What to do if a residents, staff and or visitors with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods or services.

Those involved in policy development will receive additional training about providing goods or services to the public or services to the public or third parties. This training will be done as part of our mandatory training program each year. For all staff members that join our team after this point, this training will be provided within their new hire training classes. Ongoing training will be provided with respect to any changes to the Russell Meadows Retirement Community policies, practices and procedures.

Russell Meadows Retirement Community

Feedback

Russell Meadows Retirement Community is committed to providing exceptional customer service. We appreciate feedback from our residents, staff and or visitors on all issues, especially related to the way we provide goods and services to people with disabilities. All feedback should be directed to our management team in the method most preferred by the residents, staff and or visitors.

During an event, residents, staff and or visitors may visit our receptionist at the front desk located near by the main entrance. For all other methods, please use the contact information below:

By Mail
Russell Meadows Retirement Community
475 Church St.
Russell, ON
K4R 0A9

By Phone
613-445-5200

By Fax
613-445-5100

By Email
info@russellmeadows.com

Whenever possible, residents, staff, and/or visitors, should include the date and location of their visit. If they wish to be contacted about their feedback, residents, staff and or visitors should provide their name and contact information. Russell Meadows Retirement Community will endeavour to provide timely responses to any feedback where requested.

    Questions about This Policy

    Any questions about this policy should be referred to Managing Partner at the contact information noted above.

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