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Willows Estate LEC underscores the value of one-to-one programming

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Life enrichment team members will always make time for residents who need individualized programming, says Teddy Mazzuca

When it comes to finding meaningful programming to engage residents living with cognitive impairment, the wide variety of one-to-one activities Willows Estate offers are at the top of the list, says Teddy Mazzuca, the home’s life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC).

And given the value residents find with one-to-one programming, the Aurora, Ont. long-term care home’s life enrichment team members will always find time to engage residents in these activities, she adds.

Residents affected by cognitive impairment will sometimes become agitated in group settings and will be unable to participate, Teddy says. Because residents want the social and emotional benefits that come from programming, sitting down with a staff member and completing an activity that fits their needs can make a positive difference, she adds.

“And it can be anything from a hand massage to one-to-one colouring,” Teddy tells The OMNIway. “It can be a variety of programs that are strictly one-on-one.”

A popular one-to-one programming resource for residents is the home’s “sensory bin,” which is filled with a myriad of items ranging from building blocks to board games.

A favourite activity among many residents is sorting objects, and this works well in a one-to-one setting, Teddy says.

There’s also a program called Picture Perfect which sees life enrichment team members place colourful pictures of people, animals or objects on a table and the residents will engage in discussions about the pictures.

Teddy says one-to-one programs are geared to individual strengths and, therefore, each activity can be completed successfully.

While long-term care homes are at times challenged by staff shortages, life enrichment team members always find the extra time needed to spend with those residents who need it, Teddy says.

“We have to make sure we’re providing programming for each resident, whether that’s in a group setting or one-to-one,” she says.

“There is always a little bit of time, even if it’s 20 minutes in the day, where we can stop by and see someone.”

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Springdale residents clean their plates at pumpkin pie social

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Annual event delivers fun, socializing and slices of a favourite autumn dessert

SPRINGVILLE, Ont. – Nothing says “autumn has arrived” like a slice of pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and the residents of Springdale Country Manor were treated to a celebration of this favourite dessert during the Peterborough County long-term care home’s annual pumpkin pie social.

About 15 residents attended the Oct. 6 event, which saw them go through nearly three large pumpkin pies, much to the delight of one of the social’s organizers, life enrichment co-ordinator Sonia Murney.

Sonia notes that special treats like pumpkin pie are a great way to get people to eat and socialize.

“Everybody loves pumpkin pie,” she told The OMNIway, while prepping pie slices for residents. “And we always offer it to the staff as well.”

In fact, the residents ate so much pie that there were only a few slices left for staff, Sonia noted.

Between slices of pie, team members engaged residents in a discussion about how to make the perfect pumpkin pie, and everyone shared their favourite tips.

Some residents were quick to point out errors others were committing when trying to make the perfect pie crust.

“You can’t overwork the pastry,” one resident advised a staff member.

After residents had finished their slice of pie (many also approached team members for second helpings), Sonia stood at the front of the dining room.

“Is everyone done? Do you need more food?” she asked.

A resounding “no!” was followed by streams of laughter.

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Village Green celebrates Residents’ Council Week with a variety of events

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Raising awareness of the Residents’ Bill of Rights, creating a resident subcommittee to write council bylaws and attending a virtual concert with other LTC residents were among the highlights

Village Green celebrated Residents’ Council Week by raising awareness about the Ontario Residents’ Bill of Rights, forming a subcommittee to create residents’ council bylaws and attending a virtual concert organized by the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils (OARC).

There are 29 rights in the Residents’ Bill of Rights which are ingrained in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act (FLTCA), 2021. These rights guarantee that all residents of Ontario long-term care homes “receive safe, consistent, and high-quality resident-centred care in settings where residents feel at home, are treated with respect, and have the supports and services they need for their health and well-being,” OARC says on its website.

To raise awareness of the Residents’ Bill of Rights, the Selby, Ont. long-term care home’s team members participated in a pop quiz that was focused on the Bill of Rights, says Village Green life enrichment co-ordinator Ulana Orrick.

For example, team members were asked if they knew where the Residents’ Bill of Rights was posted in the home as well as which residents’ rights they could name.

Since there were amendments made to the Residents’ Bill of Rights in 2021, staff members were also asked if they knew what those changes were.

Acting on a suggestion mentioned in the OARC newsletter, Village Green used Residents’ Council Week to establish a resident-led subcommittee to develop bylaws for the home’s residents’ council.

“The residents said this would be a great thing to do during Residents’ Council Week, so that’s what we did,” Ulana tells The OMNIway. “We bought some doughnuts and made some coffee and we started writing bylaws.”

To cap off the week, the OARC hosted an hour-long virtual concert featuring singer-songwriter Deidrey Francois which the residents enjoyed, Ulana says.

During the broadcast, it was announced that Village Green was one of three long-term care homes that won an $800 gift certificate that will be put towards a new residents’ council information board (read more in an upcoming OMNIway story).

Long-term-care home residents across Ontario tuned in to the performance, which was aired over Zoom. This created a strong sense of community for residents, Ulana says.

“The residents really liked seeing that other homes were also celebrating Residents’ Council Week alongside them virtually,” she says. “That was fun for everybody.”

Residents’ Council Week was Sept. 12-18. The week, which is organized each year by OARC, aims to raise awareness about the important role residents’ councils play in long-term care homes.

Residents’ councils are mandated by the Ministry of Long-Term Care and serve to empower residents and help them make the most of their experience living in long-term care homes.

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Forest Hill’s one-to-one cart is proving to be a proactive tool for curbing agitation

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 ‘The cart not only engages the residents, it engages the life enrichment staff’

Being proactive can help prevent agitation in people affected by cognitive impairment, and one way life enrichment team members at Forest Hill stay proactive is by using a “one-to-one cart” team member Kurstin Robertson created.

Kurstin is also a college student, and as part of a class project she created this special cart which is loaded with items of varying shapes and colours that residents can sort.

Life enrichment team members will often take the cart to residents affected by cognitive impairment and invite them to choose articles to sort, explains Craig Forrest, the Kanata, Ont. long-term care home’s life enrichment co-ordinator, adding Kurstin “did a really great job” making the cart.

The blocks and other items inside the cart help create Montessori-like activities for residents which are geared towards individual strengths and allow for a high rate of success.

Craig notes that a major cause of agitation in residents living with cognitive impairment is boredom, so keeping people engaged with meaningful activities is important.

He adds that the cart’s benefits are twofold.

“The cart not only engages the residents, it engages the life enrichment staff, (and) this gives the staff another avenue to engage and spend time with residents,” he says. “This offers more to the residents.”

Craig is also commending Kurstin for creating this innovative cart, noting she has a gift for coming up with creative ideas.

“She is really good with activities; she has a real knack for it,” he says.

If you have a story you would like to share with The OMNIway, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

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The Golden Girls and cheesecake star in new Springdale program

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Laughing with the Golden Girls gets residents reminiscing while enjoying a delicious snack

The Golden Girls and cheesecake are coming together in a new Springdale Country Manor program that’s bringing back fun memories for the Peterborough County long-term care home’s residents.

The Laughing with the Golden Girls program was created by life enrichment aide Michelle Geeves, who knew that many residents were fans of the Golden Girls.

The Golden Girls, of course, was the famous American sitcom about four older women who share a home in Miami. The program aired from 1985 to 1992 and starred Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty.

Whenever a crisis arose in the Golden Girls’ household, the women would sit around the kitchen table and solve the problem while eating cheesecake.

During the new activity, a group of residents will get together to watch an episode of the Golden Girls on DVD. Afterward, Michelle hosts a trivia about the program and the residents will sit around a table discussing the episode over cheesecake, coffee and tea – much like the Golden Girls.

“Residents remember the Golden Girls well, and we have cheesecake because that was the Golden Girls’ favourite snack,” Michelle tells The OMNIway.

“We all laughed and thought it was fun.”

Sonia Murney, the home’s life enrichment co-ordinator, says the program has been a huge hit with residents, adding Michelle did a “great job” coming up with the idea.

The Laughing with the Golden Girls program has prompted lots of reminiscing about the days when it was a top-rated TV show, Sonia says.

“Michelle gets a good group of residents together and they sit around and chat and create memories and do all kinds of fun stuff,” she says.

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Royal memories, a chip truck visit and residents’ council week mark a busy month at OMNI homes

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September was a busy month at OMNI Health Care homes, and team members did an amazing job of organizing meaningful events for residents.

The big news across the globe was the Sept. 8 passing of Queen Elizabeth II, who served as head of state to the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms – including Canada – for 70 years.

At Forest Hill, residents and staff members spent the week of Sept. 19 to Sept. 25 paying homage to Her Majesty with a variety of events, beginning with watching the Queen’s funeral on TV live from Westminster Abbey.

Residents were also engaged in a variety of TV programs and documentaries about Queen Elizabeth II. A favourite activity amongst residents was watching a YouTube video featuring a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace, the reigning monarch’s official residence in London.

Life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC) Craig Forrest said the week meant a lot to the residents.

“Many residents are from a generation where the monarchy was really important, and they were happy for us to honour the Queen,” he said.

Summer may have turned to autumn on Sept. 22, but there was still enough sunny weather on Sept. 23 for a chip truck to swing by Streamway Villa and dish up portions of poutine, the favourite Canadian snack consisting of fries, gravy and cheese curd.

After the residents got their poutine from the Personal Touch Catering chip truck, they joined their loved ones and the Cobourg long-term care home’s team members in the scenic courtyard to enjoy the afternoon.

The idea for the chip truck visit came from LEC Laurie Kracht, and members of the residents’ council voted to fund the event.

“We haven’t been able to go anywhere, and I wanted to do something to also include the staff,” Laurie said. “I spoke with the residents’ council, and the residents’ council gave the OK to us to splurge on them, so that’s what we did.”

Residents’ Council Week was Sept. 12-18, and Willows Estate marked the week by hosting a variety of activities that were both fun and informative.

The week, organized each year by the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils (OARC), aims to raise awareness about the important role residents’ councils play in long-term care homes.

Among the activities team members organized to celebrate the week were a tea party, a photo booth and trivia about residents’ councils. Team members created a display wall that offered information about Residents’ Council Week.

LEC Teddy Mazzuca said that although Willows Estate celebrates Residents’ Council Week every year, this year’s event had a great presence, a fact she attributes to pandemic restrictions easing this year.

“I think we focused more on Residents’ Council Week this year, just because we’re trying to get back into the swing of things,” she said.

If you have a story you would like to share with The OMNIway, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

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PHOTO CAPTION: Forest Hill residents are pictured here at a high tea that was hosted Sept. 23 during a week that honoured Queen Elizabeth II.

Resident’s son commends Streamway Villa team for helping his mother continue the activities she loves

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Mike Filip says his mother, Joan, is still gardening, bird watching and spending time with her family

COBOURG, Ont. – Since moving into Streamway Villa eight months ago, Joan Filip has been enjoying the same activities she always has, and she’s especially happy to be continuing her passion for growing flowers, gardening and bird watching as well as spending lots of time with her family.

Joan was able to move all her flowers and plants from home to Streamway, and her son, Mike, built a little garden outside his mother’s window, complete with bird feeders.

“She loves the birds and she loves to garden because that’s what she did when she retired, so we tried to bring that here for her as well because that’s what she had in the past,” Mike tells The OMNIway.

Sitting outside the home on a pleasant Friday afternoon, Joan and Mike spoke with The OMNIway about their experiences at Streamway Villa and how the home’s staff members have ensured Joan’s transition was seamless.

Pointing towards the Streamway Villa courtyard, Mike says the environment provides the scenery Joan finds comforting, adding if his mother lived in another home she might not have her own little flower garden.

“We’re able to do that here, rather than being in a skyscraper or an apartment building where all you have is a window and looking out onto cement; she’s got the window she can look out of and she’s got the trees that are around her window,” Mike says.

Joan, who’s 102, also gets lots of visits from her family members and friends, and Mike says Streamway staff members go out of their way to accommodate visitors.

“She loves the fact that she’s in contact with her family all the time,” Mike says. “She has a phone in her room, so her grandchildren can call her, (and) she’s able to watch the hockey games, so there are all kinds of benefits that a small home provides.”

Joan is highly active at Streamway Villa, participating in programming and she especially enjoys taking trips to the local farmers’ market on Saturday mornings.

She also spends a lot of time with her loved ones, going for lunch or out for walks, Mike notes, adding Streamway Villa life enrichment co-ordinator Laurie Kracht has been helpful at ensuring Joan’s family members can visit.

“Her family members come from all over, and they always work out timing with Laurie to get in here and get all the protocols covered,” he says.

– This is Part 2 of a two-part story.

If you have a story you would like to share with The OMNIway, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

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PHOTO CAPTION: Streamway Villa resident Joan Filip and her son, Mike, are pictured here enjoying a sunny afternoon together at the Cobourg long-term care home.

Pleasant Meadow residents gearing up for Norwood Fall Fair

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Residents have been preparing crafts and food that will be entered in the fair’s contests

The Norwood Fall Fair is returning for the first time since 2019, and the residents of Pleasant Meadow Manor are preparing crafts and food to enter in contests held during the event, which has been a highlight of autumn in the community since 1868.

Every September, residents start making crafts and baking for the fair, which is held during the Thanksgiving weekend. Residents win prizes for their crafts and baking entries almost every year.

Fall Fair organizers supply the home with a list of crafts and baking people can enter. The Pleasant Meadow Manor life enrichment team presents the list to residents for them to decide what they would like to do.

This year, about 12 residents have been preparing items to enter in the fair’s contests, says Pleasant Meadow Manor life enrichment co-ordinator Kim Williams.

Some items residents will be entering in contests include wall decorations, door decorations, a Pleasant Meadow Manor scrapbook and homemade fudge.

Kim says residents have been showing their creative flair once again.

“There is a resident who is doing three different things: a painting of a Christmas ornament, a Christmas wreath, and a Halloween door decoration,” she tells The OMNIway.

Participating in the Norwood Fall Fair has become an important part of the culture at Pleasant Meadow Manor over the years.

The fair is returning for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020.

While Kim isn’t making any specific predictions for winning entries this year, she says she’s hopeful there will be more ribbons coming to Pleasant Meadow.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed,” she says.

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Streamway Villa is a small home with a big heart, says family member

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‘The people here are unbelievable’

COBOURG, Ont. – When Joan Filip was ready to move into a long-term care home eight months ago, Streamway Villa was the only option her son, Mike Filip, says was on the table.

Joan and Mike were aware of Streamway Villa’s stellar reputation in Cobourg, and after looking at several other homes in the region, they both knew Streamway was the right fit, Mike says.

With 59 beds, Streamway Villa is a small and older long-term care home, but Mike cites these characteristics as strengths.

He also underscores that it’s the people who work at Streamway Villa, not the building, that makes the home such a special place.

“Everybody here knows my mum,” he tells The OMNIway. “When I walk down the hall, or when she walks down the hall, someone will always say hi to her. It’s always on a first-name basis and it’s always very positive. The people here are unbelievable.”

Joan, who is 102, is a retired laboratory technician who spent her career at the Banting Institute in Toronto. She says living at Streamway Villa has been a seamless transition.

Joan notes that her family members are close by and often visit, and she does many of the same things at Streamway Villa she did before moving to the home, such as tending to her plants and enjoying the outdoors.

“I haven’t really realized that I’m here; I could be (back home),” Joan says of her transition to Streamway Villa.

“I know I’m close to my family, (and) I need to be near my family, and I am happy that this experience is available.”

Mike agrees.

“Geography-wise, I’m only 10 minutes away; I don’t have to fight traffic to get here, and it’s a comfortable and personable environment, and that’s what we love about it,” he says.

Streamway Villa recently won the Northumberland News Readers’ Choice diamond award in the “best nursing home/long-term care centre” category, which is the top honour.

Mike says Streamway Villa earning this accolade is reflective of the care his mother receives at Streamway Villa and of the culture of the home.

“My thoughts are, simply, this is why we’re here,” he says. “This is the best (long-term care home), at least for my mum and her lifestyle. She loves being here.”

– This is Part 1 of a two-part story

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PHOTO CAPTION: Streamway Villa resident Joan Filip and her son, Mike, are pictured here enjoying a sunny afternoon together at the Cobourg long-term care home.

Canadians encouraged to participate in National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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Today marks the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, and people and organizations across the country are being encouraged to acknowledge the day by hosting activities and educational events that honour the First Nations people of Canada who survived the residential school system as well as those children who did not return home from residential schools.

People can honour the day by wearing orange, the official colour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and organizations can support the day by hosting educational activities using resources from the Government of Canada’s website.

During the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021, OMNI Health Care long-term care homes hosted events that involved residents and staff members.

For example, West Lake Terrace hosted an all-day event that included introducing residents to traditional First Nations foods and holding an information session focused on the traditions and customs of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

The event also featured a video presentation that included an interview with a residential school survivor.

Everyone was also asked to wear orange, a colour that has important significance.

In 1973, Phyllis Webstad, a then-six-year-old First Nations student from British Columbia, had an orange shirt taken from her by teachers at the residential school she attended.

In addition to today being the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it’s also Orange Shirt Day, which was first acknowledged on Sept. 30, 2013, to raise awareness of the injustices First Nations, Inuit and Métis people faced in residential schools.

Orange has been designated as the colour of remembrance for the children who didn’t return home from residential schools.

“The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations,” the Government of Canada says on its website.

“On September 30, we encourage all Canadians to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.”

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PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above, West Lake Terrace team members wear orange shirts during the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, 2021.