Denise Bedard

Denise Bedard

Bringing “Home” to Long-Term Care

What if long-term care actually felt like home? I’m a PhD student researching how we can bring comfort, dignity, and belonging back into long-term care. Right now, many older adults live in cold, institutional spaces, when what they truly need is warmth, autonomy, and connection. There are better models out there: small, homelike environments that focus on relationships and quality of life. But despite their benefits, they remain rare. I reviewed 36 academic studies and 13 Canadian policy reports to find out why. What I found was: outdated regulations, staffing challenges, and limited funding are major barriers. But where leadership is strong and teams are supported, real change is happening. This project is not just about redesigning buildings. It is about reimagining how we care, for our elders, and for the future we all deserve. Because aging shouldn’t feel like the end of the story.

Denise Bedard
PhD candidate, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences - Western University

Supervisor
Marie Savundranayagam 
Maxwell Smith 
Afshin Vafaei

Denise Bedard has spent over four decades caring for seniors in long-term care homes, bringing both heart and expertise to her work. She's currently working on her Ph.D. at Western University, where she's researching how to make care more person-centered and improve quality of life for residents.

What sets Denise apart is her vision for transforming long-term care homes from traditional (hospitalized) institutions into warm, homelike environments. She specializes in innovative approaches to Alzheimer's and dementia care, always keeping the residents at the center of everything she does. Her work spans policy development, strategic planning, and leadership development, but it all comes back to one core belief: every senior deserves dignity and a meaningful life.

Beyond her direct care work, Denise advocates against elder abuse and speaks at conferences, pushing for real change in long-term care funding. She's passionate about mentoring others and believes it's time for the Canadian government to rethink how to support seniors who need personalized care.

Denise's research is highlighted in episode 529 of GradCast, the official podcast of the Society of Graduate Students at Western University.

You can connect with Denise via her LinkedIn.

View Denise's work as it appears in the Inspiring Minds Digital Collection.