Country Terrace celebrating diversity

Initiative ties in with OMNI's Respect Always program

October 5, 2012 -- Deron Hamel

Country Terrace will be celebrating diversity by dedicating each month to recognizing the different groups of people who make up the home and the surrounding village of Komoka.

Clinical care co-ordinator Kimberley Noftle, one of the staff members spearheading the initiative, says because the rural community and home are becoming more diverse, the team wanted to ensure the people at Country Terrace are celebrated and recognized.

Celebrating diversity at the home also ties in with Respect Always, an OMNI Health Care core program that “refers to a code of conduct, a guiding value and a measure of who we are and how we conduct ourselves.”

This month, the home is recognizing people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). October is LGBT History Month and since the home has residents, and staff members of all sexual preferences it was fitting to centre on this theme, says Noftle.

Having themed months recognizing diversity is also a way of letting people know that everyone is welcome to live, visit and work at Country Terrace and that there is zero tolerance for bigotry, she adds.

The home will be providing printed information on a bulletin board in a common area so residents, visitors and staff members can learn about people representing different groups in the community as well as about the human rights we all have.

“There (will also be) information about the different support groups in the community that can assist people if needed,” says Noftle.

Future themed months include November celebrating Sikhs, Christians and Jews in December, and Chinese people in January and February is Black History Month.

If you have a story you would like to share with the OMNIway, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 23, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.

If you have feedback on this story, please call the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 23, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.








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