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 Oshawa.

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:

• Family Welcome: Upon admission, staff and caregivers meet with new residents and family members to immediately begin establishing a relationship of trust.
• Family Council & Residents Council: Our Family Council and Residents Council are actively engaged in our home and we invite new residents and family members to participate as a way to get more involved in our home.
• Personalize Your Room: New residents are encouraged to bring personal items from home such as family photos, meaningful items and small pieces of furniture to make their rooms feel more comfortable and familiar.
• Information Night: Our Family Council hosts quarterly information nights with guest speakers and presentations. Family members can ask questions and raise concerns.
• Quarterly Newsletter: We produce a quarterly newsletter, which is distributed to all family members to keep them informed and included.
• Palliative Care Support: We provide Palliative Care Support to family members to help them through the very difficult time as loved ones reach the end of life.
• Support Group Meetings: Our Social Worker holds quarterly support group meetings for family members and residents.
• Mother’s Day Tea & Father’s Day BBQ: We host a Mother’s Day Tea and Father’s Day Barbeque every year and family members are invited to attend with their loved ones.
• Resident & Family Christmas Party: We also host an annual Resident and Family Christmas Party complete with live entertainment, Santa and his elves and gifts.
• Park Road Chalet Fine Dining Experience: Each spring, we host our annual Park Road Chalet Fine Dining Experience to which residents and family members are invited.
• Welcome Meal: On Admission Day we provide a complimentary meal to family member so they can remain close to their loved one on that very stressful day.
• 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.
• Welcome Basket: All new residents receive a Welcome Basket in their room.
• 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 regular outings for residents and they can include everything from trips to the Toronto Zoo, Ripley’s Aquarium, the casino and picnics at Lake Vista Park to a Blue Jays game, dinner theatre, shopping and the Legion for Remembrance Day.
• Christmas Lights Tour: Every Christmas, our residents are taken on a tour to enjoy the bright festive lights along Old Scuggog Road.
• Fall Colours Tour: Each fall, we take a tour to see the beautiful autumn colours.
• Student Placement Opportunities: We provide placement opportunities for students in the RN, RPN , PSW and Social Work Programs at Durham College, Fleming College, Trent University and the University of Toronto. As well, we work with local high schools to provide work experience opportunities for students considering a career in health care.
• Community Service Opportunities: We also provide opportunities for local high school students to earn their 40 hour community service credit.
• Intergenerational Program: Our Intergenerational Program brings children from the local daycare into our home to spend an afternoon with our residents.
• Christmas Celebration: For many years, members of the Durham Regional Police have come to our home at Christmas in full uniform to visit with residents individually and deliver gifts.
• Local Committee Involvement: Members of our management team volunteer their time and expertise on local community committees and boards for such organizations as the Diabetes Association, Hospice Association, Alzheimer’s Society and others.
• Christmas Bazaar: We host an annual community Christmas Bazaar. Outside vendors set up in our home alongside residents who sell crafts and delicious baked goods. It’s advertised in the local newspaper and you can’t miss the big sign on our front lawn.