Policyall employees are responsible for delivering accessible customer service.The organization will develop and implement policies and procedures that allow all people regardless of disabilities to have equal right of access to all goods and services provided by Patricia Region Senior Services Inc.

Roles and responsibilities of the employee

a) Provide quality service to tenants, clients, applicants and visitors and treating them all with respect and dignity. b) Report any visible and invisible barriers to service that may exist. c) Work with other employees and management to address and remove barriers to service.

d) Work with individuals and employees to find alternative ways to meet service needs if barriers are preventing people with disabilities from accessing services.

e) Communicate effectively in both written and interpersonal communications with individuals with disabilities while respecting their needs and taking into account their disabilities.

 f) Use appropriate language when communicating with a person with a disability. Using “people first” language is respectful and focuses on the individual, not their disability.

g) Use assistive devices offered by the organization.

h) Allow individuals to use their own personal assistive devices or those available at Patricia Gardens while accessing services.

i) Ensure individuals who have service animals and guide dogs can enter and use all public areas of the building as well as the tenants’ apartment.

j) Follow service animal etiquette while ensuring that others do not touch, feed or interact with a service animal while it is working. k) Ensure that support people are allowed to accompany a person with a disability while in the public areas of the building. l) Provide notice in advance if there is a cost for a support person to attend an event.  

m) Provide notice of service disruption, and provide the reason for the disruption, expected duration and a description of alternate facilities or service. n) Receive and respond to feedback from the public about the way you provide service to people with disabilities.

If an individual is experiencing problems in accessing services:a) Ask the person how you can best help him or herb) Ask what alternative method or service would be more accessiblec) Be flexibled) Provide service in a variety of ways, as quickly as possible

a) Assistive Devices Devices used to assist people with disabilities in

carrying out activities. Devises used to assist people with disabilities in

accessing the service of people or organizations.

Devices include, but are not limited to: wheelchairs, reading machines, recording machines, hearing devices, devices for grasping, or a white cane.

b) Barrier Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities

Act, 2005, barrier means anything that prevents a person with a disability form fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, architectural barrier, information or communications barrier, attitudinal barrier, technological barrier, a policy, procedure or a practice.

c) Disability Is any degree of physical disability, infirmity,

malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, included diabetes, mellitus, epilepsy, and brain injury, and any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device, a condition of mental impairment or a development disability.

Disability Cont.A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

A mental disorder, or

An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance act, 1997.

Service Animals

A service animal is defined as either:a) a “guide dog” b) a “service animal” for a person with a disability

Support PersonA support person is defined as another person who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help them with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services.

Policy:Assistive Devices:People with disabilities may choose to use their own personal assistive devices, unless there is a defined risk associated with that use.

b) Service Animalsa) People with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal are permitted on the parts of the premises that are open to the public and other third parties.  b) Public areas of Patricia Gardens include common areas such as lobby, laundry facilities recreational facilities, building office, common eating areas, meeting rooms, etc. Service animals are not permitted where food preparation is being undertaken and utility rooms. c) The tenant, client or customer when accompanied by a service animal will be allowed to enter the premises with the animal and keep the animal with him or her at all times. d) The tenant or client is responsible for the care, supervision and control of their service animal while on the premises.

Support Persons a) People who are accompanied by a support person, have the right to have access to their support person while accessing goods and services of PRSS Inc. b) If confidential information is going to be discussed, the person with the disability should be asked if they prefer their support person to remain present. A signed consent must be received from the person with the disability. A signed confidentiality agreement should also be obtained from the support person. c) If PRSS Inc. charges an admission fee in connection with a support person’s presence at an event or function or for a service; PRSS Inc. shall post a notice, providing information in advance about the amount.

Notice of Service Disruptions 

a) If there is a temporary disruption in the availability of services and facilities used by individuals with disabilities, Patricia Gardens will notify the public of the reason for the disruption, the date(s) of disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that are available.

b) The notice may be provided by a variety of methods:postings in conspicuous places at the affected premises by email, by Patricia Gardens website (www.drydenseniorservices.ca), Other means that will ensure that the notice reaches those persons potentially affected by the temporary disruption.  c) If the disruption is anticipated, a reasonable amount of advance notice of the disruption will be provided.  d) If the disruption is unexpected, notice will be provided as soon as possible.

Feedback This process enables people to provide feedback either in person, by telephone, in writing, by email, online, on disk or by another method.TrainingAll individuals who interact and deal with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of PRSS Inc. as an employee, agent, volunteer or otherwise shall be required to receive training on providing customer service to people with disabilities.

PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES:

Employees will allow people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal to enter the premises and keep their animal with them during an apartment showing;If it is unclear an animal is a service animal, the Program Coordinator will request documentation in the form of a letter from a physician or nurse that says the animal is needed because of a disability. A certificate or identification card from a service animal training school, or an identification card from the Attorney General of Ontario. If required documentation is not available when requested, the Program Coordinator is not obligated to allow entry of the animal onto the premises until such documentation is available.

PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES: Cont.

The Program Coordinator will notify tenants who use a service animal of areas designated for service animals to relieve themselves and communicate the policy that the tenant, client or customer is responsible for supervision and care of their service animal.The Building Maintenance Person will identify the designated area and will ensure that clean-up and disposal devices are made available to the tenant, client or individual, recognizing that they may not be able to complete the task on their own and require assistance.The service animal shall reside in the apartment with the tenant.Total and complete care of the service animal shall be the responsibility of the tenant.

SERVICE ANIMALS EXCLUED BY ANOTHER LAWAnimals are not allowed in places where food is manufactured, prepared, processed, handled, served, displayed, stored, sold or offered for sale.HOW TO SERVE SOMEONE IF THEIR ANIMAL IS EXCLUDED BY LAWWhere an animal is excluded by law from your premises, you must still take steps to make sure that you can provide your goods or services to the person with a disability. If the person with the service animal agrees, this might mean leaving the animal in a secure area where it is permitted by law.

PolicyAll individuals regardless of disability have the right to access goods and services provided by Patricia Region Senior Services Inc. It is the policy of this organization that individuals with disabilities access goods and services consistent with the principals of independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity as set out in the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. All employees and volunteers who deal with the public will receive Accessibility Awareness Training within three months of beginning employment. All service providers and contractors will be compliant with the requirements for training, and will provide verification of such training in writing. Ongoing training will be provided should there be any changes in its policies, practices, and procedures.  Training records will be kept of all training provided, including dates training is provided and the individual persons trained.

Disruption of Services If there is a disruption of a service used to allow a person with a disability to access goods or services, notice of the disruption will be posted. Notice will include the following details: reason for the disruption, anticipated duration of the disruption and describing alternative facilities or services that may be available. This information will be posted in a visible place, and will be communicated by other methods as required. If the disruption of service is a scheduled disruption – (7) seven working days of notice will be given. If the disruption is unexpected, notice will be provided as soon as possible.

Feedback Process The public can provide feedback on the accessibility of goods and services by:

a) Mail addressed to the Administrator of the organization

b) Telephone to 807-223-5278c) In person at the front office located at

35 Van Horne Avenue Feedback will be responded to within (10) working ten days

Policy:People with disabilities have the right to have access to their support person while accessing goods and services of Patricia Region Senior Services Inc. If confidential information is going to be discussed, the person with the disability should be asked if they prefer their support person to remain present. If the support person is present when confidential information is to be disclosed, signed consent must be received from the person with the disability. A signed confidentiality agreement should also be obtained from the support person.

Policy cont.

If Patricia Gardens charges an admission fee in connection with a support person’s presence at an event or function or for a service, Patricia Gardens shall post a notice, providing information in advance about the amount, if any, that is payable by the support person accompanying a person with a disability. Patricia Gardens may request a person with a disability be accompanied by a support person, in the event that it is considered necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. This will only occur after consultation with the person with a disability and when it is the only means to allow the person with a disability to access Patricia Gardens’ goods or services.

Admission Fees for Events

Staff, volunteers, service providers and third party contractors responsible for organizing events, functions or services are responsible for providing notice, in advance of the event or function, if there is an admission fee and the amount of the fee payable by the support person accompanying a person with a disability. This information could be provided on posters, in brochures, included on telephone recordings, etc. or other means used for advertising the event or function.

  

CONSENT FOR PRESENCE OF SUPPORT PERSON 

 I, __________________________________________________________consent to _________________________________________ being present during my meeting  with ___________________________________________ staff of Patricia Region  Senior Services Inc. on ____________________________ and to the sharing of  confidential and or personal information in the presence of my support person.    SIGNED THIS _________________day of _______________, 20_________.   _______________________________________________Client or Tenant Signature   ________________________________________________Patricia Region Senior Service Inc. Representative Signature  

  

DECLARATION OF CONFIDENTIALITY  

I, ___________________________________________________have been asked to  accompany _______________________________________________ as a support  person. I understand and agree at all times to treat information discussed by staff of Patricia Region Senior Services Inc. and ____________________________________ for whom I am a support person as confidential and agree to safeguard the  confidentiality of all information shared.  SIGNED THIS _________________day of _______________, 20_________.   _______________________________________________Support Person Signature   ________________________________________________Patricia Region Senior Service Inc. Representative Signature