Caressant Care’s homes are part of the small Ontario towns they serve: places where residents are known by name and team members care for people like family.
After more than five decades in long-term care, Caressant Care’s owner, Jim Lavelle, is retiring. As he plans for that next chapter, his priority has been to make sure our homes continue to be great places to live and work, run by people who share his values and ours.
That is why, pending the required approvals, Jim has chosen to entrust Caressant Care’s homes to the Jarlette Family.
An application has been submitted to the Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ontario Health to transfer Caressant Care’s long-term care bed licences to the Jarlette Family. Through a separate process managed by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), an application has also been submitted to transfer our retirement homes.
The approval process is underway and includes a public consultation period, which is now open. Subsequently, the Ministry will review the application and make its decision. We don’t yet have a confirmed date for when the transfer would take effect, and we will share updates as decisions are made and timelines become clearer.
The Jarlette Family is a family-owned Ontario operator that began in Midland in 1970. Now led by its third generation, it operates 14 long-term care homes and 8 retirement lodges, mostly in rural communities like ours. Jarlette is known for person-centred, emotion-focused care, including the Butterfly Model of Care and its own Philosophy of Living.
We are confident Jarlette is the right partner to carry Caressant Care’s legacy forward. Both organizations share deep roots in small-town Ontario, and the values that come with them: knowing your neighbours, looking out for one another and treating people like family.
Residents can expect continuity of care, with no anticipated changes to the quality, scope or level of services they receive. The people who care for residents every day will continue their employment with the new operator, so the familiar faces families rely on will remain. If you have questions about your options, our leadership team is here to talk them through.
Caressant Care team members’ employment will continue with the Jarlette Family. Information on terms of employment and benefits will be shared with team members when they become available. For unionized team members, the terms and conditions of collective agreements will continue.
We are holding town halls and on-site visits at each of our homes, and we look forward to introducing our communities to the Jarlette team in the weeks and months ahead.