Business View Magazine
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retirement homes in meeting the mandatory govern-
ment standards of the Retirement Homes Regulatory
Agency (RHRA).
“In the past, ORCA was a voluntary thing; they helped
us educate and they came in and they did our inspec-
tions to make sure that we met certain standards,”
said Lackey. “The RHRA is mandatory, so those people
that weren’t following standards now have to, which I
love.”
When asked about what sets Metcalfe Gardens apart
from the other two existing retirement homes in St.
Thomas - one of which is attached to a long-term care
facility and the other a smaller home converted from
an old school that doesn’t offer services - Lackey re-
sponded quickly.
“Even though we’re 25, 26 years old, we look like an
apartment building,” she said. “For a senior who’s hav-
ing trouble leaving home to begin with, in their mind
they think, ‘I’m not going, it’s an institution.’ So when
they walk in the door and see our beautiful lounges on
every floor, all kinds of recreation areas, a nice front
lobby, it seems more like a hotel idea.”
Surrounded by beautiful gardens, a gazebo area and
plenty of recreational options including a chapel, li-
brary, physiotherapy room, and games room, Metcalfe
Gardens makes an effort to break free of the traditional
retirement home image. It also owns a 16-passenger
bus for outings and utilizes a sprinkler system through-
out the property to ensure quality maintenance.
“We’ve got a corporation behind us that has really sol-
id standards, and we know those standards and we
know that they support us,” she said. “Everybody be-
lieves the same things: customer service is your num-
ber one priority.”
With various renovations over the past few years and
numerous awards through the Natural Quality Institute
for their Continuous Quality Improvement program,
Lackey is confident that Metcalfe Gardens will con-
tinue to deliver services based upon its strong core
values.
“At any retirement home you will see levels of care. You
know some residents may need more help than others
and others are very independent, but it’s all done so
that nobody is singled out. We’re a huge family here
and I think it’s about dignity.”
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