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 Mississauga.

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 Social Worker: Upon arrival, new residents and family members are greeted by our Social Worker who serves as a single point of contact and introduces the resident and family members to other staff members one at a time.
• Meet Your Primary Caregiver: New residents and family members also meet their Primary Caregiver who spends half a day with the resident to begin building a relationship of trust.
• Welcome Basket: Every new resident receives a Welcome Basket.
• Family Welcome Meal: On their first day, we set aside our reserved dining area so that the family and their loved one can enjoy their first meal in private.
• Resident Care Plan: We immediately start working on the new resident’s Care Plan which includes building a ‘Past Life History” to begin to know the resident’s preferences, likes, dislikes, bedtime, favourite foods, work history and so on. 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 to attend and participate in their monthly meetings where they can meet other family members and feel welcomed.
• Family Involvement: Family members are encouraged and welcomed to participate in activities with their loved one.
• Open Door Policy: We have an open door policy, so whenever a family member wants to talk, we’re here to listen. Plus, our social worker is always available to talk privately about coping with the stress and emotions of caregiving.
• Palliative Care Room: We have a separate Palliative Care Room for family members who want to stay close to a loved one as he or she approaches the end of life.
• Celebration of Life: Every quarter, we host a celebration of Life at which we release balloons and Chinese lanterns in honour of residents who have passed away. Family members are invited to join us and many have been coming back for years to remember their loved ones.

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 regular outings for residents which can include everything from shopping excursions, dinner at Stage West and a Caledonia River Cruise to picnics, trips to the Terra Cotta Conservation Area and wine tastings in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
• 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, we take our residents on a tour of the city to enjoy the bright festive lights.
• Intergenerational Program: Our Intergenerational Program brings elementary students from local schools into our home to spend time and do activities with our residents.
• Volunteer Staff: Our volunteer staff is over 100 strong and they are involved on a daily basis helping to meet the needs of our residents.
• Student Placement Opportunities: We provide placement opportunities for students in the RN, RPN, PSW, Social Work and Recreational Therapy programs at York University, U. of T., Sheridan College, Ryerson, and George Brown College.
• Community Service Opportunities: We also provide local high school students with the opportunity to earn their 40 hour community service credit.
• Community Car Wash: We hold an annual Community Car Wash in summer with all proceeds going to our Residents Council.
• Silent Auction: Each year, we host a fund raising Silent Auction with items donated by staff, family members and community members.
• Alzheimer’s Society: We also help the Alzheimer’s Society by promoting their fund raising efforts in our home.