Leeanne Hadley

In an interview with Leeanne Hadley at the 59-bed home the administrator points out that Streamway is actually well-poised to handle the coming competition from the standpoint of staff loyalty and longevity in their positions. “I’m not expecting to lose staff. We’re competitive, wage-wise, and people like the environment here,” says Leeanne.

In the fall the new Northumberland Health Care Centre will open and Extendicare has a new home going up in Port Hope, just minutes away.

Leeanne admits it could be a problem if there was a significant difference in pay and benefits, this would be the only way she could conceive that staff might be lost. “But you know we all like this home and it shows. Great care is given here. Even the compliance officer who was just here last week commented how wonderful resident care is here,” Leeanne notes. (The compliance officer found no unmet standards in her visit.)

Leeanne – who has been at Streamway for one year as of April – say special projects also help keep the home relevant. She says a great deal of time has been spent planning how these will unfold.

• Multidose has been around for six months and had only minor glitches in its implementation, according to Leeanne. It continues to function well, she adds.

• The Tena disposable incontinence program will begin April 21. Leeanne says they are currently looking for volunteers to learn and administer the program, and to take a lead once inservices are held in the week before implementation.

• Supportive measures will also be front and centre at this Cobourg home, including stronger community partnering with a psychogeriatric resource team from Peterborough for those residents with complex cognitive concerns. “We’ve had many staff members take the supportive measures course and we have three applications filled out to take the extended course,” says Leeanne.

• A falls prevention program will also be beefed up, with more staff members getting involved.

• Wound care is getting a boost, too, with three registered nurses now certified in wound care. The home will soon set up a wound care team lead by Laurie Robillard, RN.