Partnering with local homes vital for relationship building, says LEC
Kentwood working with area homes to establish visibility in community
Wednesday July 23, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Kentwood Park life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC) Linda Sheppard says it’s important for long-term care homes in small towns to engage with other area homes to establish relationship-building and create visibility in the community.

“When you’re in a small community everybody hears everything, so it’s a good idea to be on friendly terms,” says Sheppard. “Visibility and co-operation is extremely important in small towns.”

To promote camaraderie, Kentwood Park and other long-term care homes in Picton, a town in Prince Edward County of about 4,000, have regular social networking functions and partner on community endeavours.

For example, Kentwood Park and its OMNI sister home West Lake Terrace team up with Picton Manor to raise money for the Alzheimer Society of Prince Edward County during Alzheimer Tag Day, held on the first Monday of June each year.

The event, which is organized by Picton Manor, sees LECs and residents from Picton-area homes setting up booths outside of supermarkets and shopping centres to collect donations for the society and to spread awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.

Additionally, the Picton homes team up for a variety of networking functions each year, including the annual Picton Fair, where each home in town sets up an information booth showcasing what the homes have to offer the community.

The homes also participate in social functions for residents at the Picton Elks Club, which provides residents with an avenue to meet new people and gives the homes’ staff members a chance to network, says Sheppard.

Sheppard, who has been LEC at Kentwood Park for two years, says the community aspects of these gatherings are beneficial to her because she can learn new things and increase her access to resources.

“I turn to other homes in the Picton area for information because the LECs at the homes here have worked here for years. I’m the new kid on the block,” she says.

If you have a story you would like to share about how OMNI is engaging with other long-term care homes, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051 ext. 23 or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.ca.

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