Our long-term care home, Golden Birches Terrace, is a part of the North Shore Health Network (NSHN), which is located in rural Northern Ontario along the shores of Lake Huron in Blind River.
As a small home located in a small community, we have very close relationships with our residents, their families, our stakeholders, and team members. These close relationships drive our passion to provide excellent care and service.
"The Birches" is a 42 bed long-term care home and consists of:
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22 LTC beds
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10 ELDCAP beds
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10 Complex Continuing Care (CCC) beds
We are connected to the hospital at our Blind River Site. We work in partnership with the NSHN Geriatric Team to provide Rehabilitation Services to our residents in CCC.
As an organization, NSHN prides itself on the delivery of safe, quality, person-centred care. In line with this, Golden Birches Terrace seeks to provide high quality, resident- and family-centred care.
Accomodations
Our home offers three types of accommodations:
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Standard: Two (2) beds in one room with one (1) bathroom
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Semi-Private: A single room with a shared bathroom
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Private: A single room with a private bathroom
Each resident is provided with:
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an electric bed
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air conditioning
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bedside table
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chair
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wardrobe or built-in closet
Telephones are available in each room at no charge.
Residents are encouraged to bring the following items to make their room homelike and comfortable:
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a comforter
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favourite chair or small piece of furniture
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pictures
Residents are welcome to bring in their own television for their room.
Health &
Personal Care
The Administrator/Director of Care (Admin/DOC) is frequently the first point of contact with potential future residents of Golden Birches Terrace, as they manage the waiting list. This provides an early opportunity to:
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become familiar with each resident,
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assess individual needs, and
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contribute to the care team's efforts to assist residents in their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
The Admin/DOC is available to meet with current residents upon request, as well as to provide support and help in accessing the appropriate resources.
Regular care meetings are scheduled where we review each resident's care plan and ensure current and effective treatment. Nursing and Personal Support Worker care is available to every resident 24-hours a day to assist with ADLs (i.e. bathing, grooming). Registered Nursing staff provide:
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assessments
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medication administration
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prescribed treatments
A resident’s personal Physician provides ongoing medical care, and The Birches has a Provider on-call on a 24-hour basis.
If the need arises, hospitalization arrangements are made with our Acute Care Unit at our Blind River site, or with another facility.
Visiting Residents at The Birches
Relatives, loved ones, and friends are encouraged to visit our residents. Visiting a loved one in long-term care can feel unexpectedly challenging in the early days of their move. The transition itself is often emotional; residents may be adjusting to unfamiliar routines, new caregivers, and the loss of their previous home environment.
Family members and loved ones may grapple with feelings of guilt, uncertainty, or worry about whether their loved one is settling in. Visits can sometimes feel awkward or emotional as everyone learns how to navigate this new chapter, communicate within a new setting, and trust in the care team.
We kindly ask that when having visits in a resident's room, that visitors are conscious of not disturbing other residents within the room and other residents at The Birches.
There are several "common areas" at The Birches where families and loved ones can sit comfortably with residents during their visits:
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Dining Room
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Living Rooms
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Activity Room
Visiting During an Outbreak
You may be asked not to visit The Birches during an infectious disease outbreak.
The purpose is to protect you and your family from the illness, and to limit the spread of the illness.
NOTE: Visitors should not visit if they are experiencing symptoms of a cold/flu/COVID-19 including:
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fever
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persistent cough
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persistent, unexplained headache
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congestion
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vomiting and diarrhea
Children exposed to chickenpox are kindly asked to delay their visit, as residents are vulnerable to these types of viruses.
Making the
most of your visit
Find a quite place for the visit, so that you can be easily heard and there are fewer distrations.
Bring in a thermos of juice or tea and some cookies or treats and have a "picnic" in a quiet place.
Keep the conversation light
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funny stories
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favourite songs
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traveling and trips
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favourite activities and hobbies
Sometimes, your loved one may focus on "going home". These can be difficult conversations.
It's okay to talk about memories of home and continue the conversation based on positive memories. Perhaps your loved one simply wants to be reassured that home did exist and that their memories are valid. This kind of remembering provides reassurance and contentment.
Bring a labelled photo album and go through the pictures with your loved one.
Try visiting at a mealtime in our Dining Room.
Read recent letters, cards and/or newspapers or help your loved one write a letter or a note.
Manicure fingernails, give a back rub, or assist with grooming (i.e. curl hair.)
Recreation at The Birches
The Birches Recreation Team strives to provide high-quality programs to meet the social, physical, cognitive, cultural, and spiritual needs of our residents. All residents are encouraged to participate in the programs of their choice and family members are always welcome to join.
Programs are offered at times convenient to residents and in many different forms - from one-on-one activities to larger group programs, both within the facility and in the surrounding community.
Recreational events include;
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beauty day
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exercises
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baking
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movies
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themed activities for holiday celebrations
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the ever popular Bingo.
For details on our activities and programs, calendars are posted in the Activity Room and are available online, here.
