Baycrest Accessibility Plan - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why has Baycrest prepared an Accessibility Plan?
As per the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) that was passed on December 14, 2001, health care institutions and other key institution in the broader public sector were asked to prepare accessibility plans and have them completed by September 30, 2003. Senior Management and the Centre's Board of Directors approved Baycrest's Accessibility Plan in September 2003.

2. What are the requirements for health care institutions under the ODA?
Health care institutions are required to prepare annual accessibility plans and to make them public. The plans must address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to people with disabilities in the organization's by-laws (if any), and its policies, programs, practices and services.

Baycrest's approach to accessibility goes beyond the identification and removal of barriers. It also advocates, education and research, as well as our provision of care and treatment as guided by our mission to enrich the lives of the elderly.

3. How was Baycrest's plan developed?
An Accessibility Working Group was formed with representation from across Baycrest to develop an accessibility plan.

Client/consumer input was obtained from staff, inpatients and outpatients, Family Advisory Council, volunteers, clients, and others.

4. What does Baycrest's Accessibility Plan include?
Plans must identify barriers to people with disabilities, and ways in which to remove and prevent them, in a hospital's by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services.

Some examples of opportunities for improvement in Baycrest's Plan for 2003/2004 include:

review signage and way finding;
replace and upgrade all main floor public telephones to include features for hard of hearing, sight and mobility impairments, and wheelchair accessibility;
redevelopment of Baycrest's website to make it more user friendly;
more communications kits to be placed on resident and patients floors, and more.

5. What services for people with disabilities are already in place?
Ensuring that Baycrest is accessible to as many people as possible has always been important. Our commitment is even stronger today with the establishment of Baycrest's Accessibility Plan.

Over the years many measures and practices have been put in place to address accessibility issues. Below are some examples:

advocating for hard of hearing clients on accessibility issues. One example is the Hard of Hearing Club wrote to the TTC, on behalf of members at risk in emergencies on the subway requesting a visual alert system;
Occupational Therapy provides a Power Mobility Program to encourage independent mobility;
Baycrest has a history of providing volunteer opportunities to people who have a variety of special needs;
wheelchair accessible washrooms are available throughout the Centre;
annual program to grind exterior concrete and walkways that pose an impedance or trip hazard
Baycrest supports an onsite Ability Store for the sale of assertive devices, which help with daily living activities for people with disabilities.

6. Who will pay for the costs of developing and implementing Baycrest's plan?
Hospitals, provincial ministries, municipalities, colleges, universities, school boards and public transportation providers have been asked to develop accessibility plans using their existing resources.

Baycrest will incorporate accessibility planning costs into to its annual operating and capital business plan.

7. How often does Baycrest's plan get updated?
Plans must be updated every year. Baycrest's Environment Team will ensure that the accessibility plan is updated and incorporated into the Centre's annual operating and capital business plan.

8. How will Baycrest determine what changes and improvements will be done on an annual basis?
Input will be gathered from the various stakeholder groups including staff, volunteers, patients, residents and their families, and special interest groups.

Then the Environment Team (the team now responsible for plan updates) will use the following criteria to prioritize the suggested changes and improvements. The criteria are:

Aging population – client related
Greatest benefit to the most people affected
The frequency in which the problem is encountered during normal daily living
The number of disabilities that are affected by the accessibility problem
Feasibility
Level of risk
Affordability

9. If I want more information about accessibility planning at Baycrest, who can I contact?
You can call Public Affairs at 416-785-2500 ext 2645 to receive your hardcopy of the Accessibility Plan or you can e-mail Vic Lambert, Vice President of Support and Information Services, at vlambert@baycrest.org.

The Environmental Team encourages you to identify your accessibility related concerns and/or suggestions for improvements.

Staff and visitors to Baycrest can also use the “Speak Your Mind” boxes located throughout the Centre, or contact Neil Shepherd, Director Physical Plant, at (416) 785-2500 ext. 2384 or nshepherd@baycrest.org.

10. Where can I get more information on the Ontarians Disability Act 2001?
Additional information, including backgrounders and Frequently Asked Questions, is available from:

The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
Ministry of Citizenship
3rd Floor,
400 University Ave.
Toronto, ON M7A 2R9
Tel: (voice) 416-314-7541; Toll-free 1-888-520-5828
TTY/TDD 416-326-0148; Toll-free: 1-888-335-6611
Fax: 416-314-7307
E-mail: ODA@mczcr.gov.on.ca

or the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario web portal at:

A general guide to annual accessibility planning is available at the following link on the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario website.

The Paths to Equal Opportunity website also provides extensive information on accessibility and disability issues at: http://www.equalopportunity.on.ca/