Tour home, ask questions when choosing long-term care
Denise Ansell
Life enrichment co-ordinator, Streamway Villa
How frightening it must be to come to the realization that a loved one, usually a parent, has to be placed into long term care. Especially lately with the recent burst of information in the media about the mistreatment of seniors in long term care homes.

These stories paint a horrible picture of long term care in Ontario. It is important to remember that these stories are about a very small percentage of long term care homes.

The care provided at Streamway Villa is exceptional. One family member commented by saying " It feels good to go home and have no doubt that my mother is well cared for". When you hear comments like that you know you are doing a good job.

During care one resident explained to a staff member what it was like to wake up one day and realize that your independence is gone. That you can no longer return to the home that you love. She also explained that the one consolation is that she has had the opportunity to meet a wonderful and caring bunch of people.

One of the reasons we have been so successful in creating such a caring environment is that we understand that each person’s input is valuable. Each staff member, each volunteer, every family member, each friend, every single supplier, every contracted service person, each resident has valuable information and insight into how to meet the needs of the residents who live here. Input into creating such a caring environment.

One resident has done very well with very limited amounts of medication. This is because her family, friends, staff and even residents work together to understand her needs and to fulfill them to the best of our abilities without utilizing medications that would impact her quality of life.

In order to meet the intellectual and creative needs of one resident a staff member has taken time out of her busy schedule to teach her how to play the piano. When a resident has been feeling down the maintenance man thought that bringing a steak for supper would cheer him up. Two more staff members went out of their way to make this supper a special one. The resident loved it!

When making the decision to place your loved one into long term care, remember to tour each home and as questions, lots of them. Listen to the way the staff are interacting with the residents, with you and with each other. Listen for fun and laughter. Make sure the home is prepared to meet the needs of your loved one, no matter how trivial they may seem to you. A person asked me once " how would you deal with a demanding resident?". I explained that demanding people are the easiest to deal with because they always tell you what they want. Often residents can not communicate their needs so we are forced to guess or use trial and error. At Streamway Villa we understand that the residents who live here have lost many of their roles in life. They are no longer employees, spouses, mothers ( their children are now caring for them) or even home owners. What little control that they may have left is what makes a person demanding. We understand and encourage these residents to continue to have control over their lives and we accommodate them. This will enhance their quality of life. We respect that.

We support open and honest communication. Our doors are always open. If there are issues we encourage people to speak up, communicate because all input is valuable. When considering a home for you loved one please feel free to come for a visit. You are welcome to drop by any time. If you ever have a questions about long term care or how to access it please feel free to call me and ask. All long term care homes are here for the same reason so no matter where your loved one ends up living we are always willing to answer any questions you may have.