Our Difference

We understand the decision to transition to long-term care is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. We want to ensure your decision is a positive one. Below are some of our home’s points of difference:

The calendar is always full. You can be as active as you like.

For some people, the key to living better is filling every day with meaningful activities that bring people together, build bonds and create shared experiences.

Whether it’s tapping the power of music to engage a resident with dementia, attending worship services, participating in exercise classes, or reminiscing with a friendly volunteer, there’s always something going on at Extendicare Crossing Bridge.

Here, residents lead active and engaged lives.

This is home. Your home.

We want you to feel at home. We’ll support you in becoming an active and engaged member of your new community and enjoy life to the best of your ability.

We have a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Not only do we work very hard to integrate residents into our community and feel at home, we’re also committed to making families feel at home here too. The following are some of the measures we take to help our residents settle in and also help family members feel comfortable and get involved:

• Meet Your Primary Caregiver: Upon arrival, new residents and family members meet their Primary Caregiver in an effort to immediately begin establishing a relationship of trust.
• Meet Our Team: New residents and family members are introduced to all department heads.
• Guardian Angel Program: Our Guardian Angel Program provides support and aids in a smooth transition to our home for residents and their families.
• Family Involvement: Family members are encouraged and welcomed to participate in activities with their loved one.
• Resident Care Plan: Family members, along with their loved one, participate actively in all aspects of the development of the resident’s Care Plan.
• Family Council: Our Family Council engages families and invites them to attend monthly meetings where they can meet other family members and feel welcomed.
• Family Support: Our social worker hosts a support group lunch for family members.
• Welcome Basket: Each new resident receives a Welcome Basket from our Residents Council, which includes a number of small personal items and a free coupon for our Breakfast Club.
• Open Door Policy: We have an open door policy so whenever a family member wants to talk; we’re here to listen.

We connect you to the community.

Maintaining strong connections to others is essential to keeping people active and involved.

Getting you out into the community and bringing the community into our home is important to your quality of life. Here are some of the ways in which the residents and staff get involved with the community, and how the community connects with us:

• Resident Outings: We organize outings at least once a month for residents. These trips include everything from shopping excursions, lunch, movies and theatre to touring museums, picnics and more.
• Fall Colours Tour: In the fall, we organize a tour out into the countryside to enjoy the breathtaking colours of autumn.
• Christmas Lights Tour: Every Christmas, our residents are taken on a tour of the city to enjoy the bright festive lights.
• Annual Christmas Bazaar: Our Annual Christmas Bazaar is very popular and has been going strong for a number of years.
• Community Garage Sale: Every spring, we host a community Garage Sale, which attracts buyers and sellers from the community.
• Family Fun Day: We host an annual Family Fun day for staff, residents, family, friends and volunteers which includes a barbeque, petting zoo, face painting, live music, buskers, and more.
• Tulip Festival Tour: Each spring, our residents enjoy a Tulip Festival Tour.
• Boat Ride Tour: During the summer months, residents can enjoy a beautiful slow boat ride tour on the Rideau Canal.
• Summer Camping: Each summer our residents are guests at the RCMP campground outside the city on the Rideau River.
• Community Fundraising: Our staff and home are active participants in local fundraising initiatives for the Alzheimer’s society, the Terry fox Run, Canadian Cancer Society and others.
• Student Placement Opportunities: We provide placement opportunities for students in the RN, RPN and PSW and Social Work programs at University of Ottawa, Algonquin College, Trillium College and others.
• Elementary School BBQ Sponsor: Every year, on the last day of school, we sponsor a big barbeque for the nearby elementary school.
• Community Volunteers: We have a strong core of over 100 volunteers who donate their time and energy to help our home and residents in countless ways.