Jenny Gaboury: better understanding means better care
A person-centred approach to geriatric care
As an Advanced Practice Nurse at Lachine Hospital, Jenny Gaboury has made geriatric care her primary area of expertise. Her approach is rooted in person-centred care, with an emphasis on understanding the reasons behind patients' behaviours. This allows her to adapt interventions to individual needs, support healthcare teams and improve the quality of care provided to older adults.
“Taking the time to truly get to know the person in front of me is essential to providing the best possible care,” she says.
To further develop her expertise, Jenny completed two academic programs in 2026: a certificate in Geriatrics and a newly introduced program focused on behavioural and psychological symptoms of major neurocognitive disorders in adults. She is the program's first-ever graduate.
“Neurocognitive disorders are an area of practice that truly fascinates me,” she explains.
The training allowed her to deepen her understanding of the psychological and behavioural symptoms associated with dementia, as well as the interventions that can help address them more effectively.
Understanding dementia-related behaviours through individualized care
At the Lachine Hospital, Jenny puts her expertise into practice by emphasizing non-pharmacological approaches to care. Since April 2026, she has led a multidisciplinary committee at the Camille Lefebvre Pavilion (CHSLD), dedicated to addressing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).
The committee meets monthly and can also be called together to address particularly complex situations. It helps develop individualized intervention plans and provides support to care teams working with patients who exhibit challenging behaviours.
The project is now set to expand further, with plans to extend it to the Lachine healthcare sector.
This expertise addresses a very real need. Many older adults admitted to hospital have neurocognitive disorders and are waiting for a long-term care placement. In these situations, taking the time to better understand their behaviours and find appropriate ways to support them can make a meaningful difference in their care experience.
Jenny saw this firsthand when working with a patient living with dementia who, without family members to support her, experienced episodes of wandering, among other behaviours.
Working closely with the care team, Jenny sought to better understand the patient's needs and explore different approaches, including aromatherapy, hand massage, music therapy through listening, and other interventions tailored to the individual. These efforts helped reduce the frequency of these behaviours while also giving the team a better understanding of how to recognize and respond to them.
“We need to try to understand what the behaviour is telling us,” she explains.
Strengthening geriatric care through nursing expertise and team support
In her role as an advanced practice nurse, Jenny spends approximately 20% of her time providing direct patient care. The remainder of her work focuses on improving clinical practices, leadership, education and organizational research. She also remains available to support teams facing complex situations.
She recognizes that an ageing population and limited resources present significant challenges for geriatric care. In her view, developing specialized expertise and sharing knowledge are therefore essential.
Her involvement extends across the MUHC. As Vice-Chair of the Council of Nurses, she is committed to strengthening the sense of belonging among staff and ensuring that Lachine maintains a strong presence within the MUHC. She is also a member of the Nursing Innovation Committee, which oversees new initiatives across the MUHC's various sites.
Her commitment extends beyond the MUHC. She sits on the Scientific Committee of the Quebec Association of Nurses in Gerontology and the National Committee on the Delivery of Health and Social Services in the English Language, which advises the Minister of Health on access to these services.
Preparing for the future of nursing care at Lachine Hospital
Having experienced the move of the Royal Victoria Hospital to the Glen site, Jenny is now preparing to take part in another major transformation at Lachine, with the opening of the hospital's new expansion planned for 2027. Among her contributions, she has helped establish best practices for the palliative care services that will be offered there.
For Jenny Gaboury, advanced nursing practice brings together clinical expertise, an understanding of each individual, support for care teams and a commitment to improving clinical practices. This approach is particularly valuable when caring for people whose behaviours may be difficult to understand, but who are nonetheless expressing a need: to be heard, understood and supported.