Stayner Care Centre celebrates new location
The first thing that strikes you upon entering the new Stayner Care Centre on Junction Road is colour. Bright, cheery colours and lots of welcoming, open spaces. Julie Heidman says that is no accident. Heidman is butterfly manager at the new facility, in charge of everything from paint colours and décor to staff training, all with the goal of making the long- term care facility feel like home for the residents.
“We do eight days of education with every staff member, from dietary staff to personal support workers, and nursing staff, to ensure that we learn about each person individually,” she said. “Imagine you were moving in here tomorrow; What would you want me to know about you?”
Heidman says redevelopment of the Stayner Care Centre has involved years of preparation and vision. It replaces the downtown facility, which since COVID had housed 36 residents. The new facility is home to 128 residents, and there is already a waiting list.
Simcoe Grey MP Terry Dowdall, on hand for the ribbon cutting, commended everyone involved for creating a space where seniors can feel safe and connected to their community.
Heidman says staff do not dress in scrubs, which tends to create an “us” and “them” dynamic. Instead, staff and residents are all part of a community. For the grand opening celebration on Wednesday most were dressed on theme in roaring 20s attire prompting Dowdall to joke that the staff have the best uniforms ever.
Heidman noted, “A house is a dwelling. A home is characterized by emotional connections, and this feels like a home.”
Part of what makes it feel homey is a series of tableaus ranging from farming implements to vintage vinyl that pay homage to the lives residents led before moving in. Each resident room is decorated with a “front door”, further making each space feel individual.
Ivan Da Costa, a resident since last October, and a member of the resident’s council commented on the vibrant colours and many displays, saying “They are impeding my efforts at speed walking, because there is so much to look at.”
Harrison Jarlette, president of Jarlette Health Services which operates the facility, is the third generation of his family involved in long-term care.
“Without the residents, it’s just a building,” he said. “They make it home.”
Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe Grey, told the gathering that long-term care has been a priority of this government since it was elected in 2018.
“The pandemic taught us that we have a lot of work to do, and I congratulate everyone involved with this project for all the hard work and planning that clearly went into creating this facility,” he said.
The province has committed $6.4 billion to build 58,000 new or upgraded long-term care beds by 2028 to reduce wait lists and alleviate capacity pressures on hospitals.
Clearview Mayor Doug Measures noted that the original site plan for Stayner Care Centre called for a second building, creating a campus of care and expressed the hope that there will be further development at the site in the future.
Bonnie MacPherson photo: Stayner Care Centre staff in fancy dress, from left, Simran Mall, Joanne Badong-Xhani, Brianne Friesen, Joanna Maeki-Koivisto, Anita Nicholson, and Melissa Hunt. In front: Julie Heidman.
