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 St. Catharines.

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: Residents are greeted at the door when they first arrive and immediately introduced to the staff. They receive a Welcome Package from our Resident’s Council and, between the Council and staff, every new resident is introduced to other residents within the first few days.
• Personalize Your Room: Residents are encouraged to bring a few treasured items from their home that are meaningful to them and decorate their rooms to create a feeling of home.
• Meet Your Social Worker: We’re always available and here to listen if a family member wants to talk to us or has questions. Plus, our Social Worker is always available to talk privately about coping with the stress and emotions of caregiving.
• Family Council: Our Family Council invites families to attend and participate in information and education sessions where they can meet other family members and feel welcomed. We also listen to our Family Council when they bring forth suggestions for improvements to our home.
• Family Events: We also host a number of events throughout the year where family members are invited to attend, the highlight of which is our annual Christmas dinner

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:

• Christmas Bazaar: We are especially known throughout the community for our annual Christmas Bazaar. We sell tables to crafters from the community who come in and sell their wares. Our residents also have tables where they sell their crafts, knitting, preserves and more. All proceeds go to the Resident’s Council for use to fund activities and outings for residents.
• Annual Fishing Trip: We take residents on an annual fishing trip where those who enjoyed fishing in the past are able to once again enjoy this great outdoor activity.
• Resident Outings: Resident outings are geared towards all residents in the home. We strive to ensure that all residents are able to get the opportunity to enjoy the community. Outings include trips to the Scout Summer camp where residents and campers do crafts, play cooperative games, barbecue lunch and roast marshmallows while singing camp tunes around the fire. Other activities include fishing trips, car shows, trips to the rose garden, petting farms, wineries, conservation areas, and sugar bush. We invite families to join us for picnics at the parks. Residents enjoy bus tours around the local fruit farms and to see fall scenery.
• Niagara Falls Excursions: We also go on excursions to Niagara Falls and take in the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls every winter.
• Student Placement Opportunities: In addition, we partner with Brock University, Niagara College and other schools to provide work placements for their RN, RPN, PSW, and Therapeutic Recreation programs.