On most days you will find BC Care Provider Association and SafeCare BC staff at their desks or in meetings, but last Wednesday a group of staff visited the Kiwanis Care Centre in New Westminster.
“All of our staff are committed to the work they do to make B.C. better for seniors, but it is important that all staff take the time to visit care homes once in a while to truly understand the impact of our individual roles,” says BCCPA CEO Daniel Fontaine.
Immediately upon walking through the doors at Kiwanis, BCCPA staff were warmly greeted by Mango, the resident parrot at the care home which has the capacity to support 75 seniors. Mango, while choosy about who he would let pet him, was a major focal point for residents, many of whom had always had pets at home.
Once acquainted with not just Mango, but also with the resident fish at Kiwanis, BCCPA’s visit began with a tour from Lorrie Gerrard, Executive Director of Kiwanis.
“We talk a lot about the role of infrastructure at BCCPA. During the tour Lorrie explained to us that the 36-year-old building was originally designed for an intermediate level of care and over time the resident composition at Kiwanis has changed,” says Lara Croll, Health Human Resource Analyst.
“As Kiwanis is an older home the importance of infrastructure renewal and capital investments was evident. Right now, Kiwanis has been prioritizing the installation of resident lifts, but it is also clear that the care home would benefit from retrofits to help support the current population in care,” she continued.
“It helped drive home the importance of programs like the Seniors Safety and Quality Improvement Program (SSQIP),” says Croll.
What stuck out for Policy Analyst Ravin Johl was the teamwork employed by staff at the care home, as well as the passion that the staff had for the work they do.
“We were able to speak with all levels of staff, including care aides, RNs, recreation coordinators, activity aides, executive leadership and care managers, as well as non-direct care staff, like staff in food services,” says Johl.
“The care aides we spoke with were nothing but passionate about their work and you could tell they had a connection with the seniors they care for,” she continued.
As part of the visit front-line workers generously sat down with BCCPA to talk about their roles and the issues which matter to them. Workers were quick to identify that Fraser Health’s recent increases to direct care hours have been very well-received by the care home’s staff. The care home has been very successful at recruiting for the new positions and expressed appreciation to BCCPA for their advocacy on this issue.
“I enjoyed shadowing the care aides as they supported residents. Their creativity and kindness, especially when working with people with dementia, was both inspiring and a real ode to why quality training both in the classroom and on the job is incredibly important,” says Rebecca Morris, Manager, Public Affairs, Home Care and Assisted Living.
The day finished with a performer covering Johnny Cash and other crowd favourites.
“I really enjoyed seeing the concert that was happening on the day we visited. It was great to see so much enthusiasm on the part of the Kiwanis team to make this event such a success. They were doing such a fantastic job engaging all the residents. There were so many people clapping, singing and dancing, which was so lovely to see,” says Marjahn O’Connor, Programs and Events Coordinator.
“BCCPA and SafeCare BC would like to thank Kiwanis for kindly hosting our team last week. We look forward to the next opportunity we have to visit,” says Fontaine.
