Nelly Hobbs, administrator at Rosebridge, says the hospital and Rosebridge have made arrangements to be part of a two-day meeting with recreation departments from Ottawa-area homes to make a presentation. Rosebridge meets with the hospital Feb 18 in Ottawa to draft the presentation. The actual meeting will be March 21, with about 125 attendees.

"Ottawa is so large. They have the research and teaching hospitals with all the resources. So it's very significant for us when the Royal Ottawa Hospital recognizes our success," says Nelly.

But Nelly says that even in Ottawa-area health circles there is still some insecurity about approaches in psycho-geriatric care. There is a tendency to want to fit the person into the routines of the institution or home, rather than fitting routines to the needs of the resident.

Rosebridge's life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC) Kathy Barr and Nelly have met with three people from the Royal Ottawa Hospital to move the upcoming presentation along.

Lindsay Webber, the recreational therapist at the hospital, Carmelina Cimaglia, a social worker and Debbie Warren, a psycho-geriatric resource consultant have all met to discuss the direction of the presentation.

The home has about 75 per cent of its residents who have been followed in the past, or are being followed now, by the psycho-geriatric unit in Brockville, a long-time community partner for Rosebridge. In 2001 the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital identified that it had provided consultation services for 62 out of 78 residents at Rosebridge Manor in Jasper.

About 10 years ago, Rosebridge contacted the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital for help in working with residents. They've been in partnership ever since and Rosebridge has developed working with residents with high behavioural issues into a specialty.