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 Starwood. Check “News & Events”

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:

• Welcome Home: On their first day, 2 staff members are assigned to meet the new residents and their family members. A nurse meets with the resident and a member of our administrative staff meets with the family.
• Welcome Huddle: Within the first couple of hours on the first day we have a “welcome huddle” to try and help the family and resident relax and feel comfortable with our staff and home.
• Family Support Group: Our Family Advisory Board runs a Family Support Group to help support families. They host a once monthly “husbands’ breakfast” where men can discuss issues and recognize the differences between being a husband, brother, father or son. For women, they host a monthly “wives’ luncheon” where they talk about the same issues and differences in being a wife, daughter, sister or mother.
• Residents Council: New residents are greeted by a welcoming committee from Residents Council, who focus on getting to know the new residents and what their interests and preferences are.
• Family Participation: 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.
• Open Door Policy: Our open door policy ensures we’re always available to listen whenever a family member wants to talk. Plus our Social Worker is always available to talk privately about coping with the stress and emotions of care giving.

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:

• Goldsmith Date Morning: Every Tuesday, Goldsmith Transport, a local business, sponsors date morning for one resident or one couple. We find out what they would like to do and then the owners of Goldsmith send over a van and a driver to pick the resident(s) up and take them on their date. When the date is over they drive them back to the home and underwrite the entire cost.
• Fall Colours Tour: In the fall, we organize a tour out into the countryside to enjoy the breathtaking colours of autumn.
• Horse Carriage Rides: Once a year in the fall we have horse drawn carriage rides. Residents really enjoy the clip-clop of the beautiful draft horses, the fresh crisp air and colours of fall.
• Winterlude: During Winterlude residents take a trip down to see all the lights as well as the ice sculptures on display.
• Christmas Lights Tour: Every Christmas, our residents are taken on a tour of the city to enjoy the bright festive lights.
• Annual Yard Sale: In the summer we host our annual Yard sale that is open to the community and very well supported. People buy tables on our grounds, set out the things they have for sale and residents, family members and the public have a great day socializing and finding hidden treasures at bargain prices.
• Annual Community Carnival: We also host an annual community carnival with games, face painting and a petting zoo for the kids.
• Christmas Bazaar: During the holiday season we host a Christmas Bazaar that is open to the community. Vendors buy tables and residents sell their baked goods, crafts and knitting and all who attend have a very good time.
• Student Placement Opportunities: We provide placement opportunities for students in the RN, RPN, PSW and Social Work programs at University of Ottawa and Algonquin College.
• Community Service Opportunities: We also provide openings for local high school students to earn their 40 hour community service credit.
• Community Volunteers: Our core of 130 community volunteers donate over 8,000 hours of time to help meet the needs of our residents.