Référence: LTC09032025
The RAIC Long Term Care Design Working Group presents Redefining Long-Term Care: Architecture, Culture, and Person-Centered Approaches.
DESCRIPTION: Join us for a 90-minute moderated panel discussion exploring the evolving role of architecture in long-term care (LTC) and dementia-friendly environments. In this session, experts will address key issues such as redefining institutional care, fostering cultural change, and creating architectural solutions that prioritize person-centered care. Panelists will share their experiences with new models of care, the importance of individualized care plans, and the impact of inclusive design on quality of life for residents.
This engaging session will provide architects, designers, and care professionals with practical insights on how to design environments that support aging in place and individuals with dementia. The webinar will also feature a live Q&A and provide valuable resources for further learning.
DATE: September 3, 2025
TIME: 1:30-3:00pm ET
COST: FREE for RAIC members; $39.00 for non-members
This webinar has been approved for 1.5 CORE AIBC LU's.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify key challenges in the current long-term care system and understand the need for redefined care models.
2. Describe how cultural shifts in long-term care settings can improve the experience of residents and staff.
3. Recognize architectural strategies and design components that support aging in place and dementia-friendly environments.
4. Evaluate the impact of person-centered care in long-term care, and the balance between standardized and evidence-based design.
5. Understand how to engage key stakeholders in the shift towards more inclusive, supportive care environments.
MODERATOR:
Heather Button, MRAIC
Heather Button is a healthcare architect with over 14 years of experience designing environments that uphold dignity, promote wellness, and support person-centered living and care. As co-chair of the RAIC’s Long-Term Care Working Group, she champions innovative, person-centred approaches to long-term care – particularly in small home models that prioritize compassion and community. Heather’s leadership on projects like the Sarah Steele Treatment Facility and her work with the University Health Network highlights her ability to lead projects that integrate clinical needs with therapeutic, evidence-based design principles. She leads the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Crisis Hub in Newmarket, where she collaborates with healthcare teams, first responders, and clients to shape a supportive and functional non-clinical environment. With a deep commitment to holistic models of care, Heather’s work is rooted in empathy, community connection, and the creation of spaces that promote independence and healing for vulnerable populations.
PRESENTERS:
Robert Wrublowsky, MRAIC
After a rewarding 32-year career, Robert transitioned from ownership of his mid-sized architectural practice in 2022 to pursue his passion for environmental gerontology. His specialization in creating dementia-friendly environments reflects a deep commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.
By focusing on dementia-friendly design, Robert addresses a critical aspect of this field. Dementia presents unique challenges that require design solutions extending far beyond conventional guidelines, which often prioritize safety and security alone. His work emphasizes the incorporation of Person-Centered Care strategies—an approach that values each individual's unique background and experience. This philosophy ensures that care and environments are tailored to meet specific needs, promoting dignity, respect, and well-being.
Robert is a frequent speaker at international conferences on aging and has authored numerous publications. He is currently part of a research team working on the continued development of the Next Generation Environmental Assessment Tool (EASE), funded by the National Alzheimer’s Association (ARCOM-23-1012026). His design guideline, published in 2018, is widely cited by universities, private organizations, and health authorities as a supplemental reference for new build projects.
Demonstrating ongoing commitment to advancing Person Directed Living standards and informing long-term care (LTC) design guidelines, Robert has served on various task forces and committees, including CSA Z8000:24 (LTC Design Guidelines) and CSA Z305.3 (Home and Community Care Standards). His advocacy plays a vital role in raising awareness about the importance of dementia-friendly environments.
Currently, Robert sits on three technical subcommittees with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and is the only Canadian professional on the American Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) Emergency Conditions Subcommittee. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Manitoba Alzheimer’s Association from 2018 to 2024.
Through continued research, speaking engagements, and publications, Robert remains dedicated to promoting a research-based design process that supports individuals living with dementia. His transition from architecture to environmental gerontology exemplifies a profound dedication to making a meaningful impact. By integrating his design expertise with a focus on Person-Centered Care, Robert is helping create more supportive and compassionate living environments—ultimately improving quality of life and inspiring others to pursue purposeful change.
Suellen Beatty
Suellen is the CEO Emeritus at Sherbrooke Community Society in Saskatoon and a Global Partner with the Eden Alternative in Western Canada. Suellen has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Masters of Science from the University of Saskatchewan.
Suellen was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada, a Centennial Medal from the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, the status of “Distinguished Alumnus” from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing, the Athena Leadership Award, and a” Woman of Distinction Award for Management” from the YWCA.
She has trained over 5000 Certified Eden Associates in three day and online training courses. Suellen consults to organizations on leadership, environmental design and culture change.
Through the Sherbrooke Learning Centre, Suellen has hosted many visitors from around the world who come to see the Eden Alternative ® Philosophy in practice and the design of the Sherbrooke Villages. Sherbrooke has received Milestone 4 Status with the Eden Alternative.
She is married to husband Tom Archibald and they live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the proud grandmother of three.
Diana C. Anderson, MD, MArch, FACHA, OAQ is a triple-boarded professional – healthcare architect, internist, and a geriatrician. As a “dochitect,” she pioneered a collaborative, evidence-based model for approaching healthcare from the medicine and architecture fields simultaneously. She has worked on healthcare design projects globally and is widely published in both architectural and medical journals, books, and the popular press. She is a past fellow of the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics, which launched her current exploration into the ethics of built space within long-term care environments.
She has co-founded the Clinicians for Design group, an international network of leaders that seeks to inspire and accelerate the design of environments and systems; and Bioethics Peer Review (BPR) Lab, an interdisciplinary, international think tank at the nexus of bioethics and architecture. An Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University, she is a recipient of an Alzheimer's Association Clinician Scientist Fellowship, in addition to a Greenwall Foundation grant to bring nursing home design ideas to the policy level.
She is a healthcare principal at Jacobs, contributing her thought leadership at the intersection of design and health, and was elevated to the Council of Fellows within the American College of Healthcare Architects for her contributions to the profession.
$39.00
Prix catalogue: $39.00
Prix membres:
$0.00