Bay Haven Care Community’s third annual end of summer party hoedown will be taking place on Wednesday, September 4th for the residents on the retirement side. This is a party that the Bay Haven recreation and dietary team like to provide for the residents before the summer is over. The purpose of this party is to kick-off the summer in style! Residents are encouraged to wear jeans with a plaid shirt, and to wear a cowboy or cowgirl hat and boots!
Residents are invited to celebrate the last days of summer with entertainment by North of 50 and a themed supper to be served in the Bay Haven courtyard. Appetizers and drinks will be served at 4:45 PM with dinner to follow. The dinner menu will have an option of either BBQ Beef Tenderloin or BBQ Chicken Thighs, then on the side there will be baked potatoes with sour cream, zucchini & tomato bake with Parmesan & basil, and corn on the cob. Then ending with a delicious dessert of peach pie & French vanilla ice cream with tea & coffee.
The Bay Haven recreation team decorates each table with a beautiful centre piece, autumn leaves, and so much more. If you are interested in seeing photos of our third annual summer hoedown, like Bay Haven’s Facebook page and you will be able to see all the photos taken during the festivities. We will make sure to post the pictures as soon as possible.
We are incredibly excited to be able to host this party for our residents!
Marco Sanfilippo – Marketing Specialist/Recreation Assistant
Luena is our oldest resident at Bay Haven. She is 106.
What does the term centenarian mean? A centenarian is someone who is 100 years of age or older. Bay Haven Care Community is proud to say that we have THREE centenarian residents, Luena – 106, Isobel – 104, and Annie – 102. All three centenarians are in great health and continue to be active in our recreation programs. In fact, Luena plays the piano for all her fellow residents and staff four days a week. When asking Luena what her secret to longevity is, she said to always keep active physically and mentally. Annie use to be a nurse when Bay Haven began in 1969. Now, her daughter Roseanne is a nurse and her granddaughter Amanda works in house keeping.
Bay Haven Care Community also have many residents that are in their late 90s. Muriel is 99 years old and will be turning 100 in 2020. Other residents’ range between 95 – 99. It is incredible to be surrounded by so many active elders in the Bay Haven community, whenever I come into work, it encourages me to keep active so that I may also live a long, healthy life.
The oldest person to ever live was a woman named Jeanne Calment from France. Jeanne was born on February 21st, 1875 and she passed away on August 4th, 1997. She was 122 years and 164 days old. Currently, the oldest living person is Kane Tanaka from Japan. Kane was born on January 2nd, 1903 and she is currently 116 years old. Kane is still in good health and occupies her time by playing the board game Othello and taking short walks in the facility’s hallways. Her hobbies include calligraphy and calculations. She credits her family, sleep, and God as her secrets to her longevity. Kane also said that she has a strong appetite and likes sweets; she drinks three cans a day of canned coffee, sodas, and various nutritional drinks.
Studies have shown that longevity has been increasing over centuries. As life expectancy is increasing across the world, the number of centenarians is expected to increase quickly in the future. According to a study done in the United Kingdom, one-third of babies born in 2013 in the UK are expected to live to 100. In the end, remember to eat well, keep active, get proper sleep, and live an amazing life.
Marco Sanfilippo – Marketing Specialist/Recreation Assistant
Bay Haven Care Community Residents Enjoying Their Ice Cream.
Every year, Bay Haven Care Community collaborates with the Collingwood Ice Cream Company to provide FREE ice cream to all the residents right at their home. The recreation team and volunteers work together to bring all residents outside to enjoy their free ice cream right in front of the Collingwood Ice Cream Company truck so that each resident can individually choose which flavoured ice cream they would like. Some of the flavoured options included were chocolate, vanilla, blueberry cheesecake, and cookie dough. After the resident chooses their ice cream flavour, they would then decide weather they wanted their ice cream served in a cone or in a bowl. The recreation team also provided some additional tables, chairs, and umbrellas for shade and protection against the sun. This collaboration between Bay Haven and the Collingwood Ice Cream Company is a great way to have two local companies come together to provide residents with local, delicious, Collingwood ice cream.
Additionally, every other Wednesday throughout the month of August, the Bay Haven Care Community recreation team provides residents with their very own personalized ice cream trolley! Recreation assistants Marco and Alivya will dress up wearing ice cream uniforms and then proceed to go to each individual resident with a trolley filled with ice cream and delicious toppings such as chocolate, caramel, strawberry, and sprinkles! To add effect, the recreation team attaches two ice cream trolley signs on both sides of the trolley, as well as having ice cream trolley music playing in loop from our iPad. The residents get really excited when they hear the ice cream music, just like anyone else would! The ice cream trolley begins its route in the Long-Term Care side of Bay Haven and then continues to proceed through the Retirement Home side. The residents absolutely love receiving ice cream directly at their front door of their rooms! Here at Bay Haven Care Community, we acknowledge that summertime is ice cream time, and the residents love it!
Marco Sanfilippo — Marketing Specialist/Recreation Assistant.
Stop the falls! Is an article prepared by our very own Occupational & Physiotherapist Assistant Vi Nguyen. In the article, Vi writes about different methods residents can use to prevent themselves from falling to the ground. The article also gives statistics and facts about the severe injuries that a fall can have on your body. Since falls are the cause of 85% of seniors’ injury-related hospitalizations, it is important to read her article and fully understand everything you can do to prevent these serious falls. In this blog, I will be going over some of the most interesting facts and guidelines to use to prevent seniors from falling.
1. Wear safe footwear.
The first point that Vi mentions in her article is to make sure all seniors are wearing well-fitted footwear to improve their walking and balance. Some footwear such as slippers or flip-fops can cause tripping since they are not as stable as regular shoes. It is always important to wear properly fitted shoes, and make sure your shoes are always new. Old shoes do not work as well since they tend to lose their grip.
2. Use assistive devices.
The second point that Vi mentions is to use proper walking devices such as walkers and canes for more balance and support. This is an excellent point because sometimes seniors tend to walk without their walkers or canes, causing them to fall over. If your doctor or physiotherapists tells you to use a cane or a walker to walk, always make sure you use them when you walk. One little mistake can lead to a plethora of problems.
3. Ensure adequate lighting.
Not a lot of people think about point number three. Vi mentions in her article that poor lighting can increase the risk of slips and falls because of the lack of visibility from the senior. In a senior is walking in a room with poor lighting, the chances of them bumping into furniture or tripping over something on the ground is very likely. Also make sure you have a night-light on during the night, and make sure you have your windows opened/lights on during the day.
4. Reduce tripping hazards.
Vi makes a lot of great points in her article about falling, and number four is an important point. Reduce the risk of tripping by cleaning up spills immediately, keeping your pathway free of clutter, or even replace all your rugs to non-slip rugs/mats. It is extremely important to make sure your room is clean and safe from clutter. Some of the most important parts/rooms in the house to make sure is cleared from clutter are the bathroom, the bedroom, the kitchen and the staircase.
5. Stay physically active.
The last point that Vi mentions in her article is to make sure seniors stay physically active. Exercising is the key to prevent falls. Exercising can improve muscle strength, bone density, and joint health. In fact, inactivity creates an even higher risk of fall, as it can lead to muscle loss, joint stiffness and poor balance. Stay active and prevent falls!
These five tips from Vi will prevent you from falling over. Remember, falls are the cause of 95% of hip-fractures and 50% of all falls happen in your own home. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Vi Nguyen for putting together this excellent article about fall prevention. Following these five tips will help you stop the falls and could save your life.
On July 1st, 1867, Canada officially became its own country when three colonies (Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick) united into a single Dominion called Canada. 152 years later, we continue to celebrate this beautiful country for its rights, freedoms, expressions, and laws that make Canada such a great country. At Bay Haven Care Community, staff, residents and volunteers celebrated Canada Day with a Canada Day Social. Wearing as much red as possible, residents from the Retirement Home side and from the Nursing Home side came together to mingle with their neighbours and friends in the Bay Haven courtyard.
The recreation and dietary team put together a very fun event for Bay Haven’s residents. Some of the recreation assistants put on Canadian themed games for the residents, these games included a Canadian fun facts and trivia, and a Canadian themed bean bag toss. The recreation team also put up Canadian flags and other decorations throughout the entire building. Additionally, the dietary team provided some cold punch, and the members at the Collingwood Royal Canadian Legion were kind enough to donate a large Canada Day cake for our residents! We would like to take this opportunity to thank the members at the Legion for their kindness and generosity. According to the residents, this years Canada Day Social was very fun, warm, and delicious! We cannot wait to do it again next year!
Marco Sanfilippo – Marketing Specialist/Recreation Assistant
Bay Haven Staff Members Ready To Participate In Their Adopt-A-Road Program.
What exactly is the Adopt-A-Road Program? The Town of Collingwood Adopt-a-Road Program is a private/public partnership program where environmental conscious citizens, community organizations, businesses, and other industries make a personal contribution to a cleaner and more beautiful roads in Collingwood. Garbage and other roadside litter can be very unappealing to every Collingwood resident and tourist. Not only that, roadside garbage is harmful to the environment, creates pollution, and completely takes away from Collingwood’s beautiful outdoor scenery. In order to change this, Bay Haven Care Community participates in the Adopt-A-Road Program.
The Adopt-A-Road Program is a public service program for volunteers to pick up litter along certain roads in Collingwood. Every volunteer or organization is assigned a road that they attend twice a year to pick up all garbage found on that road. Bay Haven Care Community’s assigned road is the Pretty Rive Parkway. Bay Haven staff members gather together at the end of their workday to help and clean up the road. Since Pretty River Parkway is one of the larger roads in Collingwood, Bay Haven staff members gather for dinner at a local Collingwood restaurant after their hard work. We are very fortunate enough to live in a Town that offers a program like this that aims to make Collingwood, and the world, a better place to live in. The Adopt-A-Road Program is a great way to help clean up your community, and these days, it is essential that we keep our environment as clean and healthy as possible for our future.
Bay Haven staff and volunteers taking residents on an excursion to Sunset Point.
Excursions are an important part of Bay Haven’s culture and programs. The Bay Haven Excursions Committee Members organizes excursions with residents in order to provide the best outing for them throughout the entire year. The Bay Haven Excursions Committee is comprised with the Chairman – Scott Strandholt, the Treasurer/Secretary – Cynthia Landriault, the Recreation Manager – April Lawson, and a mix of three volunteer Bay Haven resident representatives from the Retirement Home and the Nursing Home side.
The Excursion Committee meet every six months. Sometimes the committee meets more often, depending on the Chairs request. At these meetings, the committee members gather in the Bay Haven conference room and discuss and review all the excursions that have occurred, the ones that are upcoming, those that have been suggested, and then proceed to discuss all of the excursion related questions as they arise during the meeting. In the latest meeting, some of the residents suggested different possible outing ideas, such as attending vineyards, local breweries, apple orchards, strawberry picking, and more. It is great to be able to discuss these topics and ideas with our residents at these meetings since they provide us with great ideas for future outings. The Treasurer also gives out an updated report of the budget and funding that is provided for these excursions. Everyone’s role in the committee is important, and their hard work and commitment in keeping the Bay Haven excursions strong is great for the future for Bay Haven.
The Excursion Committee are kindly encouraging people to make donations to ensure that residents continue to enjoy our monthly outings. The money that will be donated will go towards everything related to our excursions, including the funds needed to pay for the Red Cross Bus to transport our residents to their destination. To donate, visit our website and click the Donation tab to see how to donate.
With your help, we will be able to continue our excursion programs with our residents in the future.
Let’s go on an excursion!
Marco Sanfilippo – Marketing Specialist/Recreation Assistant.
Isobel McKinnon during her 104th Birthday Celebration.
Today, Bay Haven’s Isobel McKinnon turned 104 years old! Born in 1915, Isobel was born in Toronto, Ontario. There, she raised three kids and worked as a nurse. Growing up in Toronto, Isobel and her husband had a cottage in Wasaga Beach that they loved to visit frequently. Today, Isobel has seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, one which was born a few days ago! For her birthday celebration, Bay Haven staff got her a cake, made her a birthday sign, and even called the local radio station to mention her birthday over the radio! Isobel had a lot of fun today, and we are so grateful to have her with us here at Bay Haven! From everyone at Bay Haven Care Community, we would love to wish Isobel an incredible 104th birthday celebration, and we are looking forward to celebrating her 105th next year! Happy Birthday Isobel!
The Ontario Medical Association was founded in 1880 by physicians in Ontario who wanted to form a provincial medical association. At the beginning, the council only had 270 physicians from across Ontario who came from eleven different districts and six different medical school. These early physicians largely contributed to the phenomenal Health Care system that Canada has today. In 2019, the number of memberships for the OMA is more than 39,000. This number comprises of all physicians and medical students across Ontario because now, all practicing physicians in Ontario are authorized by law to be part of the Ontario Medical Association. What exactly does the Ontario Medical Association do? The OMA is a membership organization that contains practicing physicians and medical students that run programs to encourage healthy living and illness prevention around Ontario.
Introducing Dr. Sohail Gandhi
As of May 5th, 2019, Dr. Sohail Gandhi from Stayner, Ontario will become the new President of the Ontario Medical Association. Dr. Gandhi is a family physician who practices at the Stayner Medical Clinic and become the very first Ontario Medical Association president from the Georgian Triangle. During his one year of presidency, Dr. Gandhi will be traveling across the province to visit other doctors and medical facilities, and then document all the success and challenges that come out of those facilities. This is a tremendous opportunity for Dr. Gandhi to be able to observe the entire Ontario medical association and gain knowledge about all Ontario physicians. “I am truly inspired by the group that we have, and I am truly inspired by our membership. It is their hard work, their dedication, and their commitment to their patients that have got us to where we are today” Gandhi said during his acceptance speech, “I also believe that if we stay united, we are starting to gain the influence, not just with the Government, but with the general public.” Dr. Sohail Gandhi is a very dedicated physician who loves his job, and he will do anything to keep every Ontario physician fully prepared for their patients. Here at Bay Haven Care Community, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Sohail Gandhi for becoming the first President of the Ontario Medical Association from our area. Congratulations Dr. Gandhi, you will do a phenomenal job!
A Mother Mallard Duck with her Ducklings at the Bay Haven Care Community Courtyard.
For the past three years, a mother Mallard Duck chooses to lay her eggs in Bay Haven’s central courtyard. The courtyard contains a gazebo, a pound, and a beautiful garden. With such a beautiful environment, we understand why she choose this spot to lay her eggs and raise her children. Bay Haven residents are very fortunate to be able to watch her ducklings roam the courtyard from their bedrooms. Bay Haven likes to consider this mother Mallard duck their official mascot, since she and her family bring so much joy to the staff and residents at Bay Haven.
Since we see these ducks daily, I wanted to do more research and find out more about them.
What is a Mallard Duck?
The Mallard is a common duck mostly found in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Mallard Duck is also found in Central America, Australia, and New Zealand. Mallard Ducks enjoy the water and usually are found near rivers, lakes, and ponds.
What do they look like?
Mallard Ducks will grow to about two feet long and weigh around 2 ½ pounds. The female Mallard has tan coloured feathers, which is the one that we currently have in our courtyard. They are a beautiful looking duck, and we are fortunate enough to watch her every day.
What do they eat?
Mallard Ducks are omnivores. This means they eat both plants and animals. They mostly feed off the surface of water in a lake or pond. They eat all kinds of seeds, small fish, insects, and fish eggs. They also enjoy eating some human foods as well, often eating grain from human crops, bread, or even French Fries.
Migration
These ducks join flocks and migrate from the north to the south for the winter and then back north for the summer. This way they are always where it is warm and where there is food available. These ducks are adaptable in other ways as well. They do well even when their natural habitats are taken over by humans. So far, they have not become endangered by human development over the years. Please do NOT destroy their habitat!
The Ducklings
Baby Mallards are called ducklings. A mother Mallard Duck will usually lay around 10 or more eggs. She tends the eggs by herself in a nest. Shortly after the ducklings hatch out of the eggs, the mother duck will lead them to the water. From that point on, they usually do not return to the nest. Baby ducklings are ready to go within a few hours after they hatch. They can swim, waddle, feed themselves, and find food right away. Their mother will watch over them and help protect them for the next few months. After around two months, the ducklings can fly and will become independent.
Witnessing the Mallard Ducks at Bay Haven Care Community made me realize how independent and protective a mother duck can be. She is responsible for the lives and safety of her ducklings. Her job is to protect and make sure her ducklings grow up healthy and safe. We are truly excited to see if this particular mother Mallard duck will come back to lay her eggs in our courtyard for a fourth year in 2020.
