Business View Magazine - September 2015

100 Business View - September 2015 Business View - September 2015 101 “So now, Providence Care has a team of specialized staff that is focused specifically on the behaviors as- sociated with people who have cognitive impairment,” she says. “It’s a group with additional training and ex- perience that is available to all long-term care homes in the region, including Providence Manor, who can provide suggestions and recommendations on how to manage responsive behaviors that we see in people living with cognitive impairment. In addition, Provi- dence Manor, itself, has established a responsive be- havior team in our Home. One of its roles is to provide education for staff on how to care for somebody who is experiencing these behaviors.” Nowlan also talks about the general level of care offered to all Providence Manor residents by its 420-member staff: “Our philosophy of care is very cen- tered on the person; enabling that person to be the best they can be within the limitations they have in life. We call that the ‘restorative care model.’ So, we don’t ‘do’ for people - we assist people to do for themselves. This is their home and they have the right to make de- cisions that affect their lives. We work very closely with residents and families to understand how they want to live their life while they’re here.” Providence Care’s partnership with Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College means Providence Manor is also a learning site for new healthcare providers, including doctors. Medical residents complete placements at Providence Manor, gaining experience caring for older adults. While continuing its ongoing Mission of serving the needs of its 243 residents, Providence Manor is also planning a move from the building that has been its home for a century and a half. “The Sisters of Provi- dence have just recently announced an opportunity for Providence Manor to re-locate to another property. Together, we’re exploring ways for long-term care to be better integrated into a community setting, where there are other housing and health-related services. It’s in the conceptual stages and it is exciting.” The move is approximately five years away, and the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation is launching a capital campaign this fall, which will raise money to support Providence Care’s Providence Manor redevel- opment project, as well as other hospital projects in southeastern Ontario. “The future is going to look very different than today,” says Nowlan. “We want to build on the proud history of the Sisters and design a future that will better meet the needs of the residents, improve their lives, and make it easier for them to live the life they choose to live.” Mitchell, who came to Providence Manor some years ago after working in a hospital setting, sums up the enduring character of Providence Manor, which will continue, as it has in the past, regardless of its future location. “There is something about the energy and the culture in this Home,” she says. “There’s a feeling here when you come into this building that is so differ- ent than many other places. We live this mission; we celebrate it every day. It’s family; it’s a sense of home. The individuals who work here and the individuals who live here have this sense of community that I haven’t seen in many other places. And I hear this many times from many other individuals, as well.” Over 150 years ago, four young women came to Kings- ton to begin their mission of caring for society’s most vulnerable. Today, the work of those brave and com- passionate Sisters continues. “It really is about keep- ing the mission alive,” says Nowlan. “That’s what we’ve been tasked by the Sisters to do. We are taking the torch and carrying it on.” PREFERRED VENDORS Evertemp Inc. – evertemp@kos.net Healthcare Healthcare