About The Butterfly Approach
The Elliott Community is the first long-term care home in Guelph to receive accreditation in The Butterfly Approach, an innovative, person-centred and emotion-focused model of care. The Elliott Community received a Level 1 – “Excellent” result from Meaningful Care Matters, an organization based out of the United Kingdom with a mission to create meaningful care cultures where people are “free to be me”. Read more about this milestone in The Elliott Community’s June 24, 2025 Media Release Butterfly Accreditation Media Release June 24, 2025.
CBC News – Guelph long-term care home gets “Butterfly Home” accreditation
The Wellington, Fountain and Edinburgh home areas in Long-term care are accredited in The Butterfly Approach. This approach to care is now being rolled out in the remaining two long-term care home areas, Eramosa and Paisley.
What is The Butterfly Approach?
The Butterfly Approach involves moving away from a clinical approach towards one that places equal importance on the emotional needs as well as the physical needs of people living in the home. In a Butterfly Home, schedules and tasks are replaced with flexibility and engagement. Staff do not wear uniforms. People living and working in the home share moments and experiences together and feel like family.
What does a Butterfly Home look and feel like?
A Butterfly Home feels like a real home, not a hospital, hotel or institution. It is bright, colourful and full of the “stuff of life”. The environment tells the story of the people who live there. The environment supports people living and working in the home to make connections, engage with one another in meaningful activity and “change a moment”.
What is involved in a Butterfly transformation?
Becoming accredited in The Butterfly Approach involves:
- Moving away from a task-focused, clinical approach to care towards one that is more flexible and relaxed
- Providing staff with training and tools and strategies to make emotional connections with the people living in the home as well as an understanding of the complex needs of people living with dementia
- Enhancing the environment to make it feel more like home
- Creating spaces and places to support the unique needs of individuals at different stages of the dementia journey
How can I learn more?
To learn about the Butterfly Approach at The Elliott Community, please contact:
Lindsay Marinovic, Resident Experience Lead, 519-822-4835 extension 2110.
How can I support the Butterfly Approach at The Elliott Community?
Please visit our Transforming Together page to learn more about our current fundraising campaign support our Butterfly transformation.