Continuing Communications Newsletter, Volume 18, Issue 1
In this issue:
- Schlegel Villages’ Innovation Catalyst Initiative drives improvement through design thinking
- Independent evaluation shows CARF accreditation enhances service quality and accountability
- Education and training opportunities
- Congratulations to Aging Services providers earning CARF accreditation
- Check out the conferences and events CARF Aging Services staff will attend
- Aging Services Resource Specialist consultations
Schlegel Villages’ Innovation Catalyst Initiative drives improvement through design thinking
Karen Crichton, Accreditation Advisor for CARF Canada, had the privilege of attending Schlegel Villages’ 4th Annual Innovations in Engagement Day for their Innovation Catalyst program, which empowers frontline team members to collaborate and drive meaningful improvements in care and services by using design thinking to help identify and experiment solutions for common challenges. It is a key component of Schlegel Villages’ Quality Framework.
This inspiring event was held in Kitchener, Ontario on May 22, 2025 and brought together over 100 participants–including team members from every Schlegel Village and residents themselves–to explore this year’s theme: Meaningful Engagement. Through thoughtful discussion and idea-sharing, attendees worked to develop innovative approaches to further enhance opportunities for meaningful engagement that can be applied across all Village neighbourhoods.
The culture of innovation is evident, with engaged team members and leaders who posses an openness to external ideas and to sharing their successes with others. This helps to spread quality improvement beyond the organization to the long-term care sector as a whole.
Schlegel Villages is commended for their continued commitment to quality improvement and their unique approach to tackling everyday challenges in long-term care.
For more information on the Innovation Catalyst Initiative, please connect with Lora Bruyn-Martin, Innovation Specialist with Schlegel Villages at lora.bruynmartin@schlegelvillages.com.
Independent evaluation shows CARF accreditation enhances service quality and accountability
An independent evaluation commissioned by CARF Canada, has revealed that accreditation is a key driver of service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement. The study included organizations funded by Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) and the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), highlighting the significant benefits of CARF accreditation after more than two decades of implementation across the province.
The findings revealed that accreditation has enhanced service delivery by improving governance, fostering best practices, and strengthening transparency. Organizations reported that accreditation has helped launch new initiatives, elevated staff training, and reinforced a culture of continuous improvement. Additionally, it has provided a roadmap for new service providers, ensuring that persons served receive high-quality, person-centered care.
Beyond internal improvements, the findings confirmed that accreditation has strengthened public trust, improved stakeholder relationships, and contributed to more strategic business planning. While challenges remain, such as resource constraints and adapting to evolving standards, the overwhelming response from participants affirmed that accreditation plays a crucial role in building evidence-based and best practices in the sector.
CARF Canada looks forward to sharing the final evaluation highlights in the near future.
Education and training opportunities
CARF International offers a variety of virtual, in-person and on-demand training events and educational opportunities throughout the year. Check out the training calendar for dates/times of events at https://carf.org/training-calendar/ and subscribe to receive news of upcoming events and trainings.
Upcoming in-person trainings (Registration is open now)
2025 Transforming Outcomes Data into Management Information Institute
July 24–26, 2025 (Columbus, Ohio); Register now.
Upcoming virtual and in-person trainings
AS 101: Preparing for Successful Accreditation in Aging Services
This class is available in both virtual and in-person. CARF will add opportunities to the website as they become available. The class structure differs between the two.
Virtual 101 class
In-person 101 class
Similarities between the class
Explore on-demand eLearning on CARF website
Access on-demand eLearning through CARF’s extensive content library. Join from the comfort of your own space (no travel required) and learn at your own pace. Curated webinars and courses on the CARF standards are just a click away through CARF’s Enhance Learning platform (https://enhance.carf.org/start). Create your personalized account and explore the course catalog to get started.
Congratulations to Aging Services providers earning CARF accreditation
The following providers achieved accreditation between December 2024 and June 2025.
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2629693 Ontario Inc co/ Sarsfield Colonial Home |
Sarsfield, ON |
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AgeCare Aylmer |
Aylmer, ON |
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AgeCare Parkhill |
Parkhill, ON |
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Air Force Retired Officers Community/Falcons Landing |
Potomac Falls, VA |
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Amana HealthCare Village |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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Broadview Foundation O/A Chester Village |
Toronto, ON |
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Chartwell Griesbach Retirement Residence |
Edmonton, AB |
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Chartwell Heritage Valley Retirement Residence |
Edmonton, AB |
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Chartwell Langley Gardens |
Langley Township, BC |
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Covenant Woods |
Mechanicsville, VA |
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CSH Crescent Gardens Limited Partnership |
Surrey, BC |
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DTOC II Long Term Care LP |
Toronto, ON |
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Duncaster, Inc. |
Bloomfield, CT |
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Easter Seals Alberta Society |
Edmonton, AB |
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Elim Village |
Surrey, BC |
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Glenmeadow, Inc. |
Longmeadow, MA |
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H.J. McFarland Memorial Home |
Prince Edward, ON |
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Heritage Nursing Home |
Toronto, ON |
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Landis Homes Retirement Community |
Lititz, PA |
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LeeCaring Communities |
Edmonton, AB |
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Missing Link Home Services Ltd. |
Edmonton, AB |
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Nightingale Nursing Registry, Ltd. |
Selwyn, ON |
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North York Seniors Centre |
Toronto, ON |
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Oakville Senior Citizens Residence |
Oakville, ON |
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QCare KWC Inc. |
Kitchner, ON |
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Quabbin Valley Healthcare |
Athol, MA |
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Qualicare Health Services – Citadel Care Centre |
Edmonton, AB |
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Qualicum Manor |
Qualicum Beach, BC |
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Seabury |
Bloomfield, CT |
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Sherwood Care |
Sherwood Park, AB |
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SpringRidge at Charbonneau |
Wilsonville, OR |
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Strathcona Long Term Care |
Mount Forest, ON |
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The Village at Sherman Oaks |
Los Angeles, CA |
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Trinity Village |
Hickory, NC |
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Watford Quality Care Centre |
Watford, ON |
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West Country Hearth |
Sturgeon County, AB |
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Yarrow Limited Partnership |
Vancouver, BC |
Check out the conferences and events CARF Aging Services staff will attend
CARF International Aging Services staff members are On the Road in 2025! Below are upcoming conferences and events we plan to attend. If you are attending, please reach out and connect!
USAging 50th Annual Conference & Tradeshow (https://www.usagingconference.org/#)
Answers on Aging 2025 (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
July 20–23, 2025
Terry Carolan, CARF Managing Director, Aging Services & Medical Rehab, and Julia Meashey, CARF Senior Business Development Specialist, exhibiting
Ontario Retirement Communities Association Conference (https://www.orcaretirement.com/orca-events/orca-conference/)
ORCACON 2025 (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada)
September 9–11, 2025
Karen Crichton, Accreditation Advisor, CARF Canada
National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) (https://www.nadsa.org)
National Conference (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
October 22–24, 2025
Julia Meashey, CARF Senior Business Development Specialist, exhibiting/attending
Alberta Continuing Care Association Annual Conference (https://www.ab-cca.ca/calendar/acca-2025)
ACCA 2025: Moving Forward (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
October 14–16, 2025
Karen Crichton, Accreditation Advisor, CARF Canada
Ontario Long Term Care Association (https://thisisltc.com/)
This is Long Term Care 2025 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
October 26–28, 2025
Karen Crichton, Accreditation Advisor, CARF Canada
Global Ageing Network/LeadingAge Annual Meeting (https://leadingage.org/)
International Joint Conference (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
November 2–5, 2025
Terry Carolan, CARF Managing Director, Aging Services & Medical Rehab, presenting/exhibiting, and Julia Meashey, CARF Senior Business Development Specialist, exhibiting
Aging Services Resource Specialist consultations
Need assistance with CARF standard interpretation?
Have questions about the accreditation process?
New to CARF accreditation?
Your resource specialist can assist you with standards interpretation, guide you through all steps of the accreditation process, provide coaching for first-time and resurvey preparation, and answer questions throughout the accreditation term. CARF encourages organizations to contact their resource specialist early in the process.
If you have suggestions for content to be included in a future issue of Continuing Communication, please email CARF Aging Services at AS@carf.org.
Please include the carf.org domain on your safe-senders list to ensure that Continuing Communication and other important emails from CARF Aging Services are not blocked by spam filters.
If a lender is interested in the systems you use to manage risk in your organization, support management competencies, measure outcomes, and foster sound business practices, please direct the lender to this section of the website. The webpage includes language geared toward educating lenders about accreditation for your organization. Lenders may also download the CARF Financial Planning and Management Standards.