Sunnyside Adventist Care Centre: Changing one step at a time!

The journey of Sunnyside Adventist Care Centre in Saskatoon from “institution to home” started nine years ago and continues to this day!

In the beginning, when Sunnyside decided to change into the Eden Alternative Care model, they focused on trying to maintain consistent staffing. Building relationships between staff and residents was key to making the change happen. The staff realized that they needed to spend time “listening” to their residents and stop focussing so much on tasks.

They renamed their “wings” to neighborhoods and gave them recognizable names that would mean something to the residents and staff. The names Diefenbaker, Riverview, and Prairie Land were used based on name recognition and views of the outdoors. Then they removed the nursing station! This transition was not easy for staff, but the change provided more space for gathering spaces and started to make Sunnyside look like a home! Changing signage, adding lounges, artwork, creating a spa-like tub room all contributed to this feeling of “home”.

With assistance from Montgomery Sisam, architects, Sunnyside is working on a Master Plan to modernize and expand spaces so that every resident enjoys more autonomy, privacy and belonging.

To read more, click here: Sunnyside A Little Bit of our StoryOct 2025

Corrected blog: Ontario Government Invests in Dementia Care

 

Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) congratulates the Ontario Government on its $9 million investment for Dementia Care in long-term care homes.

“This initiative could be a game changer and is an important step forward in building a stronger, more compassionate long-term care home system” notes Kathy Wright, Chair of CARP’s Advocacy Working Group on Long-Term Care. “As advocates for seniors and their families, we welcome this targeted investment in emotion-based care.”    Read more:   

Ontario Government Invests in Dementia Care

Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) congratulates the Ontario Government on its $9 million investment for Dementia Care in long-term care homes.

“This initiative could be a game changer and is an important step forward in building a stronger, more compassionate long-term care home system” notes Kathy Wright, Chair of CARP’s Advocacy Working Group on Long-Term Care. “As advocates for seniors and their families, we welcome this targeted investment in emotion-based care.”    Read more:   

 

 

 

Miramichi Lodge – ‘Welcome to Our Home’

Mike Blackmore, Director of Long Term Care, Miramichi Lodge in Pembroke, provides an introduction in this short video clip (under 9 minutes) to the inspirational journey including the accreditation of the Lodge in implementing the Butterfly Approach to Care.  Please take the time to watch it – click here:  

 

Camp Generate at Sherbrooke Village LTC Home in Saskatoon

  IImagine sending your child to a summer day camp at Sherbrooke Village LTC Home in Saskatoon!  Camp Generate is a unique summer camp for children 10-12 years of age. This camp gives kids the chance to develop confidence,  leadership and caregiving skills by getting to know Sherbrooke residents and taking part in fun activities with them. These activities include creating a carnival, gardening, art projects, games, and every day a show and tell with residents.

Camp Generate is part of Sherbrooke’s commitment to intergenerational learning, which includes the Grade 6 iGen program.  iGen is designed to provide close and continuing contact between Elders in long-term care and grade six students from across Saskatoon over the period of one school year.

To learn more about this exciting program and the wonderful outcomes that occur for both students and residents click here 

Stop “warehousing” seniors and build small homes for long-term care

Debra Boudreau, Administrator, Tideview Terrace Long-Term Care Home in Digby, Nova Scotia says, “It’s not OK to just keep warehousing people in traditional institutions.”  Tideview Terrace, a not-for-profit home, has 10 small homes with nine residents in each. They provide care based on The Eden Alternative model. Nova Scotia became the first province in Canada to incorporate the small care home design. (www.tideviewterrace.ca)

In the recent National Institute on Ageing Report entitled  “There is No Place Like Home,”  co-author  Dr Samir Sinha said, “It is not realistic for all seniors to remain in their homes, so the next best thing would be better quality long-term care in home-like settings.” Tideview Terrace is  one long-term care home that fits the bill.

Read more here  

Recording: Re-Designing Long-Term Care for a day well lived

Providence Living at the Views opened their doors in July 2024 in Comox, B.C. Since then, they have welcomed 156 residents who live in 13 households. Providence Living is a public, non-profit LTC based on the Hogeweyk villages model of care. It sits on 13 acres and includes supportive housing, assisted living, primary care and retail spaces. Participants learned that this is an efficient model of care, staff enjoy working there, and residents have a day well lived.

For full recording, click here

Hurrah for Elliott Community!

Image by the Elliott Community

As reported in GuelphToday in June, the ‘Elliott Community becomes the first accredited Butterfly Home in Guelph’.    This represents ‘a significant milestone in the organization’s journey toward delivering truly person-centred and emotion-focused care’.  Click here to read