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 Holyrood.

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:

• Your Primary Caregiver: On their first day, new residents and family members meet staff, managers and the HCA who will be the resident’s primary care giver.
• Family Advisory Group: We tell family members about our Family Advisory Group and invite them to join. The Group meets once a month to discuss issues and made suggestions on how to improve our home.
• Resident Care Plan: Family members, along with their loved one, participate actively in all aspects of the development of the resident’s Care Plan.
• Welcome Home Meal: Family members receive a complimentary meal on the first day so that they can stay and eat with their loved one.
• Family Communication: Our staff keeps close contact with new residents for the first week to help make the transition easier. We always make time to listen should a family member or resident want to talk.
• Personalize Your Room: Residents are encouraged to bring some personal items from home to make their rooms feel more familiar and comfortable.
• Resident Council: We tell our new residents about Residents Council and encourage them to join and participate in the regular meetings.
• Quarterly Newsletter: We produce and circulate a quarterly newsletter to keep residents and family members informed about our home.
• Memorial Service: Twice a year, we host a Memorial Service and invite family members to join us to celebrate the lives of residents who have passed away.
• Tree Trimming Party: At Christmas, we host a Tree Trimming Party. Families bring in one unbreakable ornament and hang it on our tree with their loved one. We serve refreshments, there is entertainment and Santa Claus makes an appearance.
• Family Participation: Family members are encouraged and welcomed to participate in activities with their loved one.

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:

• Our monthly outings include everything from lunch at a local restaurant, a trip on the Edmonton Queen Riverboat, and bowling to a day at Fort Edmonton, shopping, exploring the Ukrainian Cultural Village and an afternoon at Muttart Conservatory.
• During the festive holidays, we arrange a Christmas Lights tour of the community.
• We provide placement opportunities for students in the RN, HCA, Social Work and Occupational Therapy programs at University of Alberta, Norquest College and MacEwan University.
• We have an Intergenerational Program that brings elementary school children and Grade 9 leadership students into our home to spend time with our residents talking, playing games, reading and listening to music.
• We also provide work placement opportunities for local high school students interested in a career in health care and seeking work experience in the field.
• Members of our management team volunteer their time and expertise with the Quality council – Edmonton Zone to discuss policy and make recommendations to improve long-term health care and develop innovative health care practices.
• For over 20 years we have hosted a community-wide Garage Sale in our parking lot. We advertise in the community, serve hot dogs and pop and the there is always a large turnout.
• Twice a year we host a Silent Auction to which family members, suppliers and others in the community donate items to be auctioned.
• Twice a year we also hold a community-wide raffle that is very popular.
• All funds raised at the Garage sale, Silent Auctions and Raffles go to our Residents Council.