Person-Centred Language (PCL) Award
Publish Date:
Words Matter. In a care setting, the right words can significantly enhance a person’s experience, self-esteem, and dignity. Person-Centred Language (PCL) is a way of communicating that respects and acknowledges people as individuals. It focuses on putting the whole person first, avoiding labels and promoting inclusivity. PCL supports a positive environment where everyone is valued for their unique qualities and strengths, and not defined by their challenges and disabilities. To read more, select here!
The Person-Centred Language Award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of champions who are dedicated to creating supportive and life-affirming environments for residents, family care partners and team members in long-term care (LTC). This encompasses respectful and inclusive communication practices, including verbal and non-verbal language, that focus on the individual and their unique preferences and needs. Through their passion and commitment, PCL champions have helped foster an environment of compassion, dignity, and respect.
The call for nominations for the next PCL Award will open in Summer 2026. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date!
See below to meet our PCL champions and read about their inspiring work!
Meet our PCL champions
*Organization at the time of the award
2025
Winner
Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Behavioural Supports Ontario Long-Term Care Mobile Team
We are honoured to recognize the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Behavioural Supports Ontario Long-Term Care Mobile Team as the PCL Award Winner for 2025 – congratulations to this outstanding group!
This team has gone above and beyond to promote language that upholds dignity, respect, and inclusion in long-term care.
Backed by a compelling nomination filled with heartfelt testimonials and strong endorsements from across the long-term care sector, the team stood out for their unwavering commitment to person-centred language.
Across 81 long-term care homes in the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant region, the HNHB BSO Long-Term Care Mobile Team has been a driving force in promoting language that puts the resident first, fostering a culture of safety, respect, and belonging. The impact of their work is powerful. As one family member beautifully shared, “It makes a world of difference to feel seen and heard.”
The HNHB BSO Long-Term Care Mobile Team leads by example. They not only model respectful, person-first communication with residents, but also mentor team members across multiple homes, using real-time coaching and practical tools like quick-reference guides. They help team members reframe stigmatizing terms, challenge biases, and focus on the person before the diagnosis, embedding dignity and empathy into everyday care. Their efforts ensure that the message is clear: person-centred language isn’t optional–it’s expected.
Through their leadership, the HNHB BSO Long-Term Care Mobile Team has strengthened relationships between residents, families, and care teams, and has demonstrated the power of language in transforming the culture of long-term care.
We are honoured to recognize them as true champions of person-centred language.
Honourable Mentions
We thank all of our nominees and honourable mentions for their efforts and for being a strong advocate for PCL and its use. We are excited to highlight many PCL champions for 2025!
We are pleased to recognize Haley Barisic for her outstanding efforts in advancing person-centred language at Berkshire Care Centre. Nominated by multiple colleagues, she is celebrated for consistently modelling respectful, inclusive communication and supporting others to do the same—ensuring residents feel seen, heard, and valued.
One standout initiative was her leadership in replacing the term “unit” with resident-chosen names like Lavender Lane and Sunflower Lane, creating a more home-like environment. She also introduced the PCL Pledge, inspiring over 90% of the leadership team to commit. Her efforts have truly transformed the culture of Berkshire, making PCL not only a practice, but also a shared value embraced by residents, families, and team members.
A true PCL champion, Rosa Athanassoulis consistently models respectful, individualized communication and embeds person-centred language throughout Simcoe Manor. She coaches team members to replace institutional language with words that honour residents’ dignity, and integrates PCL into onboarding, education, documentation, signage, and programming.
One powerful example of her impact is the transformation of the Residents’ and Family Councils. By guiding members to use person-first language and fostering respectful dialogue, she has helped create a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and empowered. Her commitment ensures that PCL is not a one-time initiative, but a sustained and growing part of Simcoe Manor’s culture.
Gregory Jonas is a passionate PCL advocate, driven by a mission to change the mindset around person-centred care. He believes it is crucial to shift our perspective, remove labels, and value each person as an individual—an approach central to everything he does.
He is recognized by many colleagues for guiding others to shift their language. One example is his ‘word swap’ initiative, where he posted common institutional terms alongside person-centred alternatives. He also integrates PCL into training, documentation, and his email signature, creating reminders of the value behind words. As a mentor for future PSWs, he weaves PCL into teaching and clinical experiences. Through his leadership and advocacy, he promotes dignity, individuality, and compassion in all aspects of care.
2024
Winner
Lisa St-Jean
Human Experience Manager, Dundurn Place Care Centre*
Congratulations to Lisa St-Jean, the PCL Award Winner for 2024! For over a decade, Lisa has consistently championed language that respects and values every individual. Her approach goes beyond verbal communication, ensuring that body language, tone of voice, and the environment contribute to a sense of safety, respect, and belonging.
When asked about Lisa, one of the residents she supports stated, “I love Lisa, she goes out of her way to make me feel important and celebrated…”
What sets Lisa apart is her ability to communicate respectfully with residents and her commitment to mentoring colleagues in the practice of PCL. Through workshops, one-on-one coaching, and daily role-modeling, Lisa ensures that the principles of PCL are deeply ingrained in the culture of her organization. She has even introduced a new method for providing peer-to-peer feedback about language choices by developing a signal word to call in team members when they are using non-person-centred language.
Through her leadership, she has promoted a culture where respect, dignity, and empathy are at the forefront.
Thank you, Lisa, for your commitment to using person-centred language to enhance the experience for residents, family care partners, and team members in long-term care. You are a true PCL champion!
Honourable Mentions
We thank all of our nominees and honourable mentions for their efforts and for being a strong advocate for PCL and its use. We are excited to highlight many PCL champions for 2024!
We are honoured to recognize Erin Apothecary-Reid for her outstanding efforts in championing person-centred language. Erin received several nominations this year, with each nominator commending her ability to weave PCL into all of her interactions. She uses PCL when communicating verbally with team members, residents and family members, and in her documentation.
Erin leads by example. She not only exemplifies PCL through her own communication, but also mentors and educates those around her. When others are not using person-centred language, she provides encouragement, examples, and resources to support a more person-centred approach.
It is with great pleasure that we recognize Carey Brestovacki as a PCL champion. Carey has a passion for using language as a way to create a truly person-centred experience for the individuals she interacts with and supports.
Impressively, she has provided in-person education to more than 1500 team members in LTC homes across her organization on the importance of using PCL. She has also hosted several Community of Practice meetings to encourage the use of PCL to support a culture of change
We are pleased to recognize Melissa Silliphant for her unwavering commitment to promoting PCL.
Melissa has developed and led training sessions on the importance of person-centred language for team members and family care partners. She focuses on using language that respects each person’s dignity and individuality.
Moreover, Melissa regularly reviews documentation and corrects the use of non-person-centred language. Similarly, when she hears non-person-centred language being used during huddles or case conferences, she respectfully suggests more inclusive word choices. She leverages the tools available through the PCL Initiative to encourage others to use PCL and to take the pledge to change their language.
2023
Winner
Joy Cardinal Flores
Programs Therapist at O’Neill Centre*
Joy Cardinal Flores believes that person-centred care has allowed her to build trusting relationships with residents and this has significantly changed how she views her work.
Joy’s dedication and passion for person-centred language and care shines brightly in her everyday actions. Residents at the O’Neill Centre don’t see Joy as a staff member; they see her as family and her unique bond with residents encapsulates the very essence of PCL.
From a Family Member:
“Joy has a wonderful, kind and empathetic heart, not only when dealing with my dad, but all the other residents she works with. Joy brings a smile to their faces and it’s beautiful to see how she interacts with them. Her name says it all.”
Thank you, Joy for your unwavering commitment to your work, residents and community. Thank you for being an example for all of us.
Honourable Mentions
We’re honored to recognize Kelly Seow, Manager, Resident Experience & Service Excellence at Sienna Senior Living*, for her unwavering dedication to person-centred language in Long-Term Care. With over 12 years of experience, Kelly defines the heart of person-centred language as “listening to persons served, recognizing them as the experts of their own lived experience.”
Among her many achievements, Kelly championed the reimagining of decision-making processes, ensuring the voices of residents, regardless of cognitive ability, are considered and respected. Her work stands as a beacon for compassionate, individualized communication in long-term care.
We would also like to spotlight Cristina De Santis, a fervent leader at Hawthorne Place and Dundurn Place*. Her initiatives, such as the Butterfly pilots and Meaningful Care Matters implementations, have shaped the homes’ atmosphere and elevated team pride.
Cristina’s commitment extends beyond residents, as seen in her holistic approach with the Welbi recreation platform and the revised move-in guidebook. She embodies the spirit of a true PCL Champion, continuously striving for a compassionate and individualized approach in long-term care.
It’s with great pleasure that we also honor Jen Cornell, Director of Grey County LTC*. Jen exemplifies the essence of person-centred language, deeply committed to the ‘why’ behind each word. She ensures that the voices of residents, care partners and team members are always at the center, valuing their experiences and narratives.
Jen’s leadership, marked by genuine compassion and heart, sets a high standard for the long-term care sector, showcasing the transformative potential of person-centred language. Jen is recognized for her unwavering commitment to dignity, understanding, and compassion.
Acknowledgements
The Person-Centred Language Award is co-led by the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (Ontario CLRI) at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) and Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) with support from the members of the Person-Centred Language Working Group.
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