BC Care Providers Association is pleased to recognize nominees for the 2025 BC Care Provider of the Year | Long-Term Care award. These are individuals who exhibit exemplary commitment and passion in delivering and fostering the best quality of care for seniors across B.C.
Shannon Johnson – Director, Resident Services and Administration, at The Kiwanis Pavillion
Shannon Johnson is an inspiring leader whose vision and compassion have transformed the Kiwanis Pavilion. A nurse by profession, she strengthens her team through practical improvements, such as introducing a dedicated wound-care role, and fosters a culture of collaboration and trust. Her “open door” approach ensures staff, residents, and families feel heard and valued.
Shannon champions resident inclusion, introducing care conferences that give residents a voice in shaping their own care. Her forward-thinking leadership drives innovation, from securing specialized equipment to expanding recreational opportunities, all aimed at enriching residents’ lives. Families consistently express gratitude for the exceptional care that reflects Shannon’s influence.
Beyond the Pavilion, Shannon invests in her team’s growth. She prioritizes education and engagement, often being the first to purchase tickets for SafeCare BC’s Hearts and Hands Conference and arranging transportation for staff, even when resources are tight. Her commitment goes beyond logistics; she volunteers at events and actively promotes peer learning and staff retention.
Shannon’s leadership is rooted in generosity, advocacy, and unwavering dedication. She exemplifies what it means to lead with heart, creating a workplace where staff thrive and residents experience dignity, comfort, and joy.
“Shannon coordinated a SafeCare BC sponsored safety education coffee break with her staff. Her positive and collaborative leadership style was evident throughout. She was “hands-on” and present. She encouraged staff to participate in shifts, coordinating coverage while staff attended. She introduced new staff to the SafeCare reps, encouraging them to learn more about the health and safety resources available. Her sense of humour and connection with staff showed the positive culture she cultivates, which not only impacts staff, but also residents and families. With Shannon, you can see leadership in action.” – Ken Donohue, SafeCare BC
Paul Chappelle – Director of Building Operations at Kinsmen Lodge
Since January 1978, Paul Chappelle has been committed to his work at Kinsmen Lodge. As the backbone of building operations for nearly five decades, Paul contributes to the quality of care of residents through ensuring that the building is safe, reliable, and well-maintained. His knowledge of the systems, equipment, and infrastructure is crucial to the operations of Kinsmen Lodge.
Paul consistently goes above and beyond for Kinsmen Lodge in ways that most people never see but nevertheless benefit from. Anticipating issues before they become problems, Paul has the ability to react quickly when he foresees a resident’s comfort being undermined. Whether it’s temperature concerns, specialized equipment, or day-to-day maintenance, he treats every task with the mindset that our seniors’ well-being comes first.
Forty-eight years later, Paul continues to bring reliability, pride, and genuine care into everything he does. Even with budget constraints in a non-profit long-term care environment, Paul is always looking for cost-effective solutions and helps us stretch every dollar without compromising resident safety or comfort. His commitment to excellence is woven into the very fabric of Kinsmen Lodge.
Mischelle Ouano – Activity Aide/Health Care Worker at St. Charles Manor
Mischelle Ouano’s work stretches far beyond standards as an Activity Aide/Health Care Worker. Her dedication to quality is evident in her meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that all care protocols are not just met, but often exceeded. She proactively identifies potential issues, contributes to a flawlessly organized and safe environment, and champions continuous improvement, ensuring that every aspect of resident care adheres to the highest professional benchmarks.
Beyond technical proficiency, Mischelle constantly masters the art of biographical care, spending crucial time learning the intricate details of each resident’s pasts, including former careers, beloved hobbies, specific musical tastes, and defining life interests. This deep historical knowledge is not merely passive trivia; it serves as a powerful therapeutic tool, transforming daily interactions and mitigating anxiety. For instance, if a resident struggles with agitation, Mischelle knows to bypass generic redirection and instead utilize a sensory cue tied to their life—perhaps engaging a former librarian in a discussion about specific literary genres or playing the exact big band jazz a resident danced to in their youth. By meticulously weaving a resident’s lifelong identity back into their current experience, she validates their history and reaffirms their dignity, creating individualized, powerful moments of recognition and profound comfort that truly exemplify going above and beyond.
“Mischelle is one of the kindest and most dedicated colleagues I have had the pleasure of working with. She has a stellar outlook and looks to help not just the residents but also her fellow workers.” – Mia
Pam Arora – Director of Care at Retirement Concepts – Waverly Seniors Village
A dedicated nurse who consistently upholds an exceptional standard of care, Pam Arora takes pride in ensuring that every resident at Waverly Seniors Village is not only seen and heard but also treated with the utmost compassion and dignity. Pam personally audits each resident’s care plan monthly, making sure that it is tailored to their specific needs.
Pam consistently goes above and beyond her role in numerous ways for residents, often organizing additional support or resources for residents beyond what is typically required. On one occasion, Pam recognized that a resident was struggling with feelings of isolation, so she coordinated extra social activities and personally spent time with them, helping to lift their spirits and improve their quality of life.
Furthermore, Pam regularly goes out of her way to mentor and support her colleagues, sharing her expertise and providing guidance on how to improve patient care. She doesn’t just meet expectations – she actively seeks ways to improve the care environment through supporting residents or staff alike.
“Pam is an exceptional role model. I am extremely grateful to have her as a mentor and leading our Care team. Her attention to detail and the way she ensures each resident feels heard and valued is truly inspiring and raises the Bar for the rest of us. She’s always willing to lend a helping hand, and her dedication to quality care is unmatched as she ensures every loop is closed. In the past our building has had a number of DOC’s, Pam is by far in my 15 years of employment my number one.” – Vicki, nurse
Bethany Offerein – Social Worker at Comox Valley Senior Village
Described as the glue that holds Comox Valley Senior Village together, Bethany Offerein has taken some of the duties of the ADOC on top of her own workload as a social worker. To ease residents’ transitions into long-term care, Bethany always makes sure that the leadership team has all the information they need and are fully prepared, writing approaches, items for discussion, and dos and don’ts.
Bethany also had a pivotal role in improving the honour guard procedures, the process of providing dignified and respectful send offs to residents who pass away. Thanks to Bethany, Comox Valley Senior Village has a palliative committee, which includes a spiritual/cultural end of life care plan.
Always taking initiative, Bethany is solution focused and contributes to the success of the team and organization.
“Bethany is a rockstar, she will help anybody. Never stays outside the box. Very person centered.” – Michelle Carew, Director of Care
Lynn McLaren – Housekeeper at Trillium Acacia Ty Mawr
As a housekeeper, Lynn McLaren always takes time out of her day every day to visit with the residents, stop and talk with them and do anything she can to brighten their day. Lynn goes above and beyond to make sure the rooms are sparkling on their bath days and is constantly bring forward suggestions of ways we can have higher standards or work harder to make the home nicer for them. She is always on the hunt of missing clothing items or belongings, never says no to an extra task and does so with a smile. You can always tell when Lynn is working as everything is clean, organized and even smells good.
For example, a particular resident with advanced dementia whose communication has greatly diminished however remembering a few familiar songs. Every day Lynn makes a point to go sit with David and sing “you are my sunshine.” While it takes a few moments for him to engage, she will keep signing softly to him until he begins to sing a long with her, with a big smile on his face. This bring immense comfort not only to him, but also to his beloved wife, who knows that when she is not there, that Lynn is there to bring moments of joy and engagement.
“Lynn is very hardworking and always willing to lend a hand. She is very aware of each residents’ preferences and how they like their rooms, so she goes to the extra effort of trying to go the extra mile for them.”
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Thank you to our award sponsor for their generous support:
Click here to register for the 12th Annual BC Care Awards ceremony.
