Malton Village Long Term Care Centre has become the first Butterfly Care Home in Ontario, to care for people living with dementia, after the overwhelming success of a year-long pilot project.
And over the next three years, with Peel expected to have one of the highest rates of dementia in the province, the region will roll out Butterfly Care Homes to all five of its long-term care facilities.
In 2017, Peel Region entered into an agreement with U.K.-based Dementia Care Matters, founded by Dr. David Sheard, to introduce the Butterfly Care Model of care in the 25-bed Malton facility.
While dementia care has traditionally been task-oriented, the Butterfly Care Model emphasizes a transformation in the way people are cared for, with a focus on people’s emotions and the creation of homelike environments and everyday activities people enjoyed earlier in life.
At the May 10 regional council meeting, staff presented a video of the pilot project http://www.peelregion.ca/ltc/butterfly-home/ about how this kinder and gentler model of care can dramatically change the lives of people living with dementia.
“We need to return to a compassionate society,” said Sheard. “Only a compassionate society will create the movement to make this happen.”
The physical environment of Malton Village was transformed to make it more homelike. The walls were painted with vibrant colours and wall art was added to units. Staff also received comprehensive training to emotionally connect with people who are living with dementia.