How we help enrich lives
If we are going to help our residents live better, then it is our responsibility to offer them every opportunity to be actively engaged and involved. At Extendicare Van Daele Manor, we provide social and recreational services seven days a week - including holidays. These services are designed to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of our residents. All activities are developed, organized and led by qualified staff and we offer both group and individualized services to meet residents’ unique needs and circumstances. Examples of our recreational services and activities include:
- Vinyl Memories: Our Vinyl Memories program features an extensive collection of old vinyl records that we have built through donations from the community and residents love listening to records and reminiscing about the past.
- Souper Tuesday: Every Tuesday is Souper Tuesday because a group of residents get together and make delicious fresh home-made soup in our country kitchen for all to enjoy.
- Breakfast Club: Every Wednesday morning we host a Breakfast Club where residents enjoy their breakfast while discussing current events and other topics of interest. The men and women alternate Wednesdays.
- Tea Party: Once a month the ladies have a formal Tea Party for which they dress up and get out the fine china cups.
- Music and Memory: Through our Music and Memory program, residents living with dementia can have their own personal playlist loaded on an i-pod and listen with earphones to their favourite music.
- Sundowner Program: Our Sundowner Program features one-on-one attention for residents with Alzheimer’s Disease or other form of dementia. These residents often experience the most anxiety and responsive behaviour as the sun is going down so the individual attention helps divert their attention and redirect their behaviours.
- Intergenerational Program: Our Intergenerational Program involves a play day once a month where local elementary students come in and do crafts, puzzles, or read with residents. On PD days staff and family members also bring their children in for the day and the residents love having them around.
- Bon Soo Carnival: When the Bon Soo carnival is on, we have our own winter carnival with events in the home for residents to enjoy and participate in.
- Halloween Pumpkin Carving & Ginger Bread House Contest: Every Halloween we have a pumpkin carving contest and every Christmas there is a Ginger Bread House contest. Residents work as teams and the entrants are judged by members of the Residents Council and staff.
- Montessori Program: Our Montessori Program helps residents living with dementia connect with things and activities from their past. The Behavioural Support Team learns as much as they can about the residents past from friends and family and then tailors activities to their past history. It helps them to feel needed or useful and can help reduce and control responsive behaviours.
- Ice Cream Fridays: In the summer Ice Cream Fridays are very popular with residents and staff.
We also offer a wide range of physiotherapy, cognitive, speech and occupational therapies according to the needs of our residents. Currently we offer:
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech Therapist