Keeping up with Kensington December 2019

December 2019 Volume 3 | Issue 12 kensingtonhealth.org

KENSINGTON KEEPING UP WITH

LETTER

FROM THE

CEO

John Yip, President & CEO, Kensington Health

The Singing Harpist Dianne Parke-Jones is an incredibly talented singer and harpist who has travelled North America performing at internationally-renowned opera companies, symphonies and our very own Kensington Gardens.

Celebrating the season in long-term care

“The energy is very celebratory at the tree trimmings at Kensington.

The staff bring down as many residents as possible and everyone takes a turn in decorating the holiday tree.”

“I would bring my daughter, Sarah, almost every Christmas, and Bill O’Neill used to lift her up and let her put up the star on top of the tree. Sarah is 18 years old now.”

There is a misconception that the holidays are a sad and lonely time in longterm care. But Kensington is Dianne also has a personal bristling with joyful activity. connection to Kensington Gardens.

Dianne first performed at the opening of the Gardens’ “After seeing how well north building in 2004 people were being treated when she was pregnant here, and when my motherwith her daughter. She has in-law needed care, we really returned to play every year wanted her to live here.” since.

Dianne’s mother-in-law, Josie Jones, lived at Kensington Gardens for nearly two years.

“The care was phenomenal.

The nurses knew that she liked Welsh singing and would put on singing videos for her to watch, and she would spend a lot of time in the garden. I am very grateful.”

Read more about Dianne’s story: http://bit.ly/SingingHarpist This holiday season, we thank everyone who is part of our Kensington family.

Your contributions to Kensington’s compassionate care have left a lasting impression on Dianne’s family, and so many others.

As another year comes to a close, I want to thank each and every one of you for being part of the Kensington family.

We should all be proud of the great work and dedication that we have shown this year.

This year is particularly special because a longtime colleague and friend is retiring. Debbie Emmerson, Director of Hospice, has been with Kensington for 18 years!

Debbie was instrumental in making Kensington Hospice the special place it is today.

Her compassion and warmth have comforted so many through some of the most difficult times in their lives. She leaves behind a tremendous legacy, and we are so grateful for Debbie’s countless contributions to Kensington Health. We wish her a happy and joyful retirement.

On behalf of our patients, residents and their loved ones, thank you.

Happy holidays!

Finding comfort at Kensington Hospice

MaryAnn, Family Member Susan and her partner, MaryAnn, came to Kensington Hospice at a time when it felt like so much had been lost.

Susan had terminal lung cancer, and with six older children, they needed care that met their large family’s needs.

At first, they felt anxious, sad and tired. But what the family came to discover was that even small things about Kensington Hospice made their journey easier. With the hospice’s specialized lift equipment, Susan was able to take a relaxing bath without pain. During one particular bath, MaryAnn recalls the sun streaming in the windows and someone playing piano in the background.

MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION CEO

“It just felt really magical.”

In that moment, the family knew that Susan was getting exactly the care she needed. The hospice provided MaryAnn, Susan, and their children a place that felt like home, but with the people and resources to let them spend those last moments focused on each other.

“Kensington Hospice allowed us to have a really wonderful goodbye,” remembers MaryAnn.

Kensington Health Foundation is currently running a fundraising campaign for the hospice The family of Julie Byrne, a Registered Nurse who experienced compassionate care at Kensington Hospice, has promised to match all donations up to $25,000. The deadline for matching donations is December 31, 2019.

To learn more about the campaign, visit kensingtonhealth.org/give-comfort.

Hear more about the family’s story at bit.ly/MaryAnnAndSusan.

Our hospice stands for everything we do and believe in here at Kensington Health. It’s a place where those who are facing end-of-life can come to be with their families, knowing they have all the support required to focus on each other. Caring for those who are approaching end-oflife with agency and choice is one of the most important gifts we can give.

As we move into 2020, our commitment to accessible and highly-personalized palliative care is expanding. We will add nine new beds to our hospice and will offer a new Community Day Hospice Program. New facilities and programming will let us help more people with life-limiting conditions than ever, keeping their needs at the centre of their care.

Our Community Day Hospice Program in particular will allow many to stay in their own homes for longer and give them – and their loved ones – help with the range of physical, emotional, social and spiritual challenges that end-of-life care presents.

This incredible growth is something that’s part of the fabric at Kensington. We exist to care for our communities. This expansion will be a team effort. As construction gets underway, you’ll be hearing a lot about the changes to the Gardens and the fundraising campaign to support this effort.

Corinne Rusch-Drutz CEO, Kensington Health Foundation

To learn more about the expansion and how you can play a part in the campaign, visit kensingtonhealth.org/hospiceexpansion.

Looking back at my time at Kensington This December, Debbie Emmerson, Director of Hospice Care, is retiring after 18 rewarding years at Kensington.

We sat down with her to reflect on her time here.

Q. You were there when Kensington Gardens first opened in 2002. What were the early days like?

A. I think that we were all energized with the excitement of starting something new. We felt pride in being part of the beginning of Kensington.

Q. Is there a special moment that sticks out as you reflect on your time at the hospice?

A. I remember this gentleman whose mom had passed away.

He held my hands in his and said, “there is no word in any language that exists that can express how much I appreciate what you have done for us.”

Dying is inevitable. We have cared for 850 people and without a doubt we have made the dying experience more comfortable for every person. The hospice operates on a human-centred model of care.

The reputation of an organization doesn’t come from the physical structure and the building, but from the people who work there.

It’s important to find the right people. It’s a very demanding and rewarding experience.

Read more about Debbie’s story: http://bit.ly/KHDebbie

Kensington Hospice expansion construction begins in early 2020 Great news – construction on the Kensington Hospice Expansion Project is set to begin in the New Year! The project will add nine additional beds and a new space for a Community Day Hospice Program, allowing us to make room for more moments that matter.

When completed, the 19-bed Kensington Hospice will be the largest single-site hospice in Canada, meeting the growing needs of the communities we serve. This is a remarkable moment in our organization’s evolution, putting us at the forefront of hospice care in the country. Truly an exciting time here at Kensington Health!

Construction We will begin renovations with the Multipurpose Room at 45 Brunswick Avenue. The room is currently being used for life enhancement programs, meetings and community events. The new room will be brighter and boast state-of-the-art audio and conferencing capabilities to better suit the needs of our residents, staff and community partners. The new Multipurpose Room should be ready about three months after renovations begin.

As soon as the Multipurpose Room is complete, we will transform under-used space in the building at 45 Brunswick Avenue. This area will be completely transformed to create the nine bright and welcoming hospice rooms. We anticipate that this phase of work will take approximately one year to complete.

Then, in 2021, renovations on the existing hospice will begin to make necessary enhancements that improve resident, staff and volunteer experience. The kitchen will be renovated to become more functional, and room doorways will be widened so residents can be wheeled out of their rooms in their beds. This phase of construction is much shorter, and has an expected timeline of approximately three months.

The building, staff, residents and families at 25 Brunswick Avenue will not be directly affected at any time throughout this project.

Stay up-to-date We understand that construction can be noisy and disruptive to residents and staff.

Fortunately, the construction is taking place in an area that will not require us to move residents, and interruptions to daily living should be minimal. Kensington is committed to providing timely updates and notices to residents, their loved ones and staff to ensure they are kept up-to-date. Major noise, odour and construction updates will be posted in the lobby of 45 Brunswick Avenue, giving residents and their families an overview of upcoming construction activities. Of course, reception staff is always available to answer any questions you may have.

For more information please email Edward Aust, Corporate Planning Specialist, at eaust@kensingtonhealth.org.

NURSING LEADERSHIP UPDATES AT KENSINGTON GARDENS

Nicoleta Paraschiv, Marilou DeCastro, Myda Paguyo and Anna Slawski (from left to right) Kensington Gardens, Kensington Health’s long-term care home, which offers 24-hour care and services for 350 residents and their families, will be undergoing changes in its nursing leadership structure this upcoming New Year in order to standardize care across its two buildings. As of January 1, 2020, instead of having one Director of Care for each of the buildings, Anna Slawski and Nicoleta Paraschiv will now be overseeing both homes together.

Anna’s role will now be Director of Care, Administrative, which will oversee quality, finance, recruitment, community partnerships and other duties.

Nicoleta’s role will now be Director of Care, Clinical, which will oversee daily care delivery and planning, admissions, clinical programs and other duties. To support this leadership change, Myda Paguyo and Marilou DeCastro’s roles will become Associate Directors of Care, with Myda overseeing South Resident Home Areas and Marilou overseeing North Resident Home Areas. Marilou and Myda will share infection control program responsibilities in both buildings.

No interruptions to resident care are expected through this transition.

The purpose of the restructuring is to align care and practices

across the Gardens and to ensure a similar experience for all residents, families and staff, no matter which building they are in.

Rather than two separate systems running at once, the Gardens’ changes will promote one unified home.

“Health care continues to be very complex, and with the growing needs of our residents, it’s important that we’re open to change and innovation in how we deliver care,” says Anna. “Our goal is to enhance the quality of care provided to residents while also improving the work experience for our team.”

If you have any questions about the Gardens reorganization, please contact Anna Slawski at aslawski@kensingtonhealth.org or Nicoleta Paraschiv at nparaschiv@kensingtonhealth.

WELCOME NEW STAFF Julia Di Ianni, Clinical Assistant, Kensington Vision & Research Centre Kourtney Kobitz, Medical Receptionist, Kensington Diagnostic Imaging Centre

Jamyang Lhamo, PCA, Kensington Gardens Tenzin Tsomo, PCA, Kensington Gardens Tsering Tsomo, PCA, Kensington Gardens

Magdalena Parra, Receptionist, Kensington Gardens

Jessica Will, Life Enhancement Assistant, Kensington Gardens

April Joy Carrascso, PCA, Kensington Gardens

Hiwet Joseph, PCA, Kensington Gardens

Philip Bernard, Application Support Specialist, Kensington Health

Bayoush Gemech, Registered Practical Nurse, Kensington Nospice

Serguei Kossyrine, Health & Safety Coordinator, Kensington Health

Mae Angela Apellido, PCA, Kensington Gardens

Aaron Santos, Landscaper & Maintenance Porter, Kensington Health

Verdine Samuel, PCA, Kensington Gardens

UPCOMING EVENTS Kensington Annual Holiday Brunch - December 14 Join us from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Rooms at 25 & 45 Brunswick Ave. Please wear red or green if you can. If you are available to come in and help, please let Nadine Persaud know at npersaud@kensingtonhealth.org Keep Seniors Warm The We Respect All People (WRAP) Committee will be collecting gently used coats, gloves, hats, scarves in support of CMHA Toronto. The WRAP Committee promotes inclusion and diversity at Kensington. Contact Nina Ambros at nambros@kensingtonhealth.org for details.

Christmas Caroling & Gift Giving - Week of December 16 Please email Nadine Persaud for details at npersaud@kensingtonhealth.org

Sean Agard, Case Manager, Second Mile Club

Carmer Balian, Research Assistant, Kensington Research Institute

Vaness Mensah Owusu, Registered Nurse, Kensington Gardens

Rumi Sarker, Administrative Assistant, Kensington Vision & Research Centre

Behdad Momeni, Network Operations Specialist, Kensington Health

Faryan Tayyari, Research Associate, Kensington Research Institute

Rami Shami, Case Manager, Second Mile Club

HUMANS OF KENSINGTON However, their love story didn’t have a smooth start. She told him she wouldn’t marry a soldier, and she also wanted him to get his university degree and – lastly – learn to dance.

So, nine years later, after Elie left the army, got his degree and learned to dance, they finally married.

Elie Sutton, Kensington Gardens Later on, after 30 years of working in Britain, Elie and his family Elie is 99-years-old and a resident moved to Canada, where he of Kensington Gardens. He started studying religion at the proudly served in WWII with the University of Toronto through his British Intelligence Services. Elie 70s. He is often found studying met his wife, a French nurse, from his huge personal library. while stationed in Lebanon.

MEET THE DOGS OF KENSINGTON

GET YOUR COPY OF THE 2020 KENSINGTON CALENDAR TODAY! $15 donation per calendar

It's that time of year again! When the furry friends of Kensington aren't chatting and playing with residents, visitors and staff, they gather to model for the annual Kensington calendar.

The calendar is available for order now. Visit Kensington Gardens Reception at 25 or 45 Brunswick to order yours. Calendars will arrive by December 15th.

All donations support Kensington Health and are processed by the Kensington Health Foundation. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $30.00 or more, less the market value of goods received.

kensingtonhealth.org/foundation