One of the things I have always found remarkable here, working at the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, is the quality of the individuals who are attracted to supporting our mission to improve the lives of Canadians as we age.
The skills, passion and the lifetime of experience that they bring to that volunteer work has been the fuel in the engine of our association.
And over my 18 years at CARP, there have been so many that have dedicated their time in retirement to the advocacy that has made Canada a demonstrably better place for elders.
And so, it is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Kathy Wright, Vice Chair of the CARP Ottawa Chapter volunteer Board of Directors and Chair of its Long-Term Care Committee, following a brief illness.
Kathy dedicated her life to improving the lives of older adults, particularly those living with dementia
and those receiving long-term care. For more than 30 years, she served as Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County where she helped establish innovative programs and partnerships that continue to support individuals and families facing dementia today. Among her many accomplishments were her leadership roles in creating the Bungalows at the Peter D. Clark Long-Term Care Home, the First Link program, the Guest House, and Minds in Song. She also co-chaired the Champlain Dementia Network for more than a decade and was recognized with both the Regional Geriatric Program of Eastern Ontario’s Award for Exemplary Leadership and the Order of Ottawa.
Following her retirement, Kathy brought her experience, compassion, and determination to the CARP Ottawa Chapter. She became a driving force behind CARP’s long-term care advocacy efforts, helping launch and lead the Change LTC Now movement. Kathy was relentless in her pursuit of a better future for long-term care, championing a transformation from institutional models of care to person-centred, home-like environments where residents could live with dignity, purpose, and meaningful relationships.
She worked tirelessly to educate the public, influence policymakers, organize webinars, write opinion pieces, and build coalitions dedicated to reforming long-term care in Ontario.
Those who knew Kathy will remember not only her expertise and advocacy, but also her kindness, wisdom, generosity, and unwavering belief that older Canadians deserve better.
On behalf of CARP, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Kathy’s daughter, her family, and her many friends and colleagues.
Her legacy will live on in the countless lives she touched and in the ongoing work to create a more compassionate and dignified long-term care system.
Kathy was also able to see many of the ideas she championed begin to gain traction. Through Change LTC Now and her work with CARP Ottawa, she advocated for a more person-centred approach to long-term care—one that treats long-term care homes as true homes rather than institutions. In recent years, Ontario expanded investments in long-term care, committed billions toward new and redeveloped beds, increased direct care hours for residents, invested in the recruitment and training of personal support workers and nurses, and launched innovative pilot projects designed to better connect long-term care, hospitals, and community-based supports. The province also began testing new models that allow seniors to access long-term care services while remaining in their own homes longer—an approach that reflected many of the principles Kathy championed for years.
CARP members across the country and all seniors will be rightfully thankful for Kathy’s unsung work on their behalf.
She took pride in seeing policymakers, care providers, advocates, and the public increasingly embrace the need for meaningful reform and a more dignified, resident-focused system of care.
Our national office commits to continuing Kathy’s work with a renewed resolve to bring the person-centred long-term care model that she fought for to all LTC residents.
Anthony Quinn
President, CARP
June 22, 2026
