Both Jean-Marc Lanoue of Woodland Villa in Long Sault and Karl Samuelson of Garden Terrace in Kanata, say the contrast between OMNI homes and the situations described in some other homes in the Star articles is astonishing.

"That was terrible," says Jean-Marc of the story of Natalie, a 93-year-old woman who died of a gangrenous bedsore, according to Star reports.

"I used this story (with staff) to contrast the difference the Star articles and OMNI's mission, vision and values."

Jean-Marc grows increasingly passionate as he articulates the difference between his own long-term care home and the Star's report of Natalie.

"Everything here is focused on the resident. We know we have everything in place" to prevent this from happening. "My director of care would have taken that woman to the hospital on her back if she had to," he says, referencing Natalie from the Star articles.

Jean-Marc says Woodland recently went through a compliance review and there "were no unmet standards."

"Zero. None. People are proud of that here."

"From laundry to the front-line and everyone in between we are resident-focused. I have over 130 staff members who go the extra mile every single day," he says.

"There are a half dozen family members here right now visiting their loved ones. I could go get them right now for you to interview, on the spot. They know their loved ones are well cared for."

Jean-Marc says the Star stories were effective in pointing to the need for a high standard of care that is met by all home operators.

At Garden Terrace, Karl Samuelson agrees. "I think the main thesis of the Star articles is how do we strengthen long-term care?" Karl notes.

Karl says beyond the individual focus of the resident in The Star, the newspaper also raised the issue of funding for the industry, which he describes as "valid."

"Let's ask why we spend less on long-term care" than so many U.S. states and Canadian provinces, Karl says.

But he says he has a problem with The Star report suggesting more enforcement is necessary when what is really needed is more frontline staff in long-term care homes.

"If I were a decision maker at Queen's Park I would be looking at how to strengthen long-term care. I think a provincial task force would be appropriate here -- maybe 25 people with a couple of long-term care administrators on it. I would love to sit on that task force," says Karl.

A task force would allow all of this to be open and talked about, says Karl, creating a sense of urgency to make some key changes.

"The treatment of that resident (Natalie) described in those articles is unconscionable and vile."

"I think it is the exception and not the rule, but even a single case is one too many."

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To read the series published
in the Toronto Star, click here.