Almonte's community connections an integral part of long-term care home
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - Roderick Benns
The community connections that Almonte Country Haven has made continue to be an integral part of the long-term care home's identity, according to Administrator Rick Gourlie.

Rick says the community inclusiveness that is created through the partnerships is invaluable to both sides. "We open up what long-term care is all about and we learn a lot, too," he says.

Rick points to the relationship the home has with the local high school, where co-op students have regularly been coming to Almonte to fulfil credit requirements or community hours needed for graduation.

"When someone like (Maintenance Manager) Bucky (Warren) models good behaviour, he's setting a great example for someone young working under him. Bucky's not going to be late, for example, and that's just good modelling," Rick explains.

Rick says young people who come in to learn about long-term care or maintenance work may not have seniors in their immediate family or circle. "They learn about the dignity and respect around older people and learn what it means to age," says Rick.

Pastoral care is another area where Rick sees good community connections. "We have a great number of volunteers from the pastoral community who make time for Almonte," says Rick, noting they like to stay informed about long-term care issues, too.

"From standards, to LHINs (Local Health Integration Networks) and other issues in our sector, they make it their business to know what's going on. Then they have a better understanding of the whole" of the sector, says Rick.

Almonte General Hospital works with Almonte Country Haven closely for lab services and transfers, says Rick, and that's a necessary relationship to cultivate, he notes, because of the issues involved.

The administrator says the home's connection to the local Alzheimer Society has been important and helpful, with in-services conducted by the Alzheimer Society within Almonte. As well, the Society has also helped Almonte with its accreditation process, something the home is presently going through.

Rick says a partnership he is exploring is the possibility of integrating his disaster plan with OMNI's two Kanata homes, Forest Hill and Garden Terrace. In the event of a disaster at Almonte, Rick says the home needs to be ready to be able to transport residents. To be able to do so to two nearby OMNI homes just makes sense, he says.