Babcock Community Care Centre

Residents enjoyed the Friday night entertainment program provided by Joe Horvath. Table hockey players formed teams of two and switched off and on during the fast paced game, so that everyone had a turn. The residents and staff worked at decorating the home for Christmas. The tree is up and decorated and residents wanting to decorate their rooms and personal space were grateful for the help.

Bingo was played three times during the week with a great game of Big Buck Bingo. Congratulations to the winners. Remi, the pet therapy dog, was a big hit with everyone. Several pictures were taken and you could see the huge smiles on resident faces when he approached them. They can hardly wait for his next visit.

Seven residents participated in a game called word surf. The magnetic dart board is a great hit even for residents who do not wish to leave their rooms to play. The board is taken to them on wheels and they are given a specific coloured dart showing what team they are on. They have 4 throws. The red team scored 4030 points while the yellow team had 3850 points. It was a very close game with great players. Drumfit is another fun activity everyone enjoys playing.

Sharon from the Activity department and Adam, our co-op student, worked on setting up a list of phrases in the hallway in Portuguese. We find this helps everyone communicate with our residents who speak Portuguese. Catholic communion was given to residents of the Catholic faith and visitation followed with refreshments. The tuck cart is a favourite with residents and they can use their Bingo winnings to purchase items they want or need.

Otis the St. Bernard dog visited with his owner and residents noticed how gentle he was with everyone. Bev Close, along with a few residents, turned the activity area into a small bakery and the aroma of fresh baked bread and cinnamon buns filled the hallways. Everyone enjoyed the treat. Music connections had a great crowd. They joined in singing many favourite Christmas carols. Mary Wootton held worship services for those residents wanting to attend. They were served Christmas treats after the service and everyone had a fun time. Cam Denomme entertained residents with his musical program and Christmas tunes were at the top of the list. The nu-step cross trainers were busy with residents exercising as they checked out the patio area and watched the birds flying around.

During theme Bingo a butterfly wall was created. There was 4 prize bags and Christmas lights were lit up. The display table had a white Christmas moose and a 4 foot Christmas doll wearing a green dress that belonged to Ida. One on one visits are appreciated by residents. Residents are looking forward to the Magic lights tour scheduled for Friday. They will board a bus and head over to the conservation area near Melbourne.

Residents enjoy having their hand massages and foot care treatments. The Physiotherapist from Four Counties Health Services visited several times during the week and provided physiotherapy treatments for residents. Eli, a young boy, along with his family visited today with his cat, Pumpkin.

The magazine order arrived and a variety of magazines were handed out to residents. The Java Music Club gathered in the activity area. The topics they chose were fall time and making amends. They had a very good meeting with lots of sharing. Butterfly trivia had a good group who were interested in learning about butterflies. Prizes were given for correct answers.

The outdoor Christmas decorations are in place and residents, families, and visitors have been commenting on how pretty they are. Word puzzles are always a favourite with many. Movie night was about a story of love in the war and called “the Boy.” Mary Lou DePelsmaeker gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. A social time followed where Mary Wootton played Christmas tunes and everyone participated in a sing song. Christmas blessing was another movie watched by several residents. Residents have been enjoying shortbread cookies and Christmas cake from Parks.

Please click here for the December 2023 Activity Calendar

The monthly birthday party was held for residents celebrating their birthdays in November. Best wishes are extended to Lois Cornwall and Karen Leitch. Randy Grey provided the entertainment at the party and everyone enjoyed cake, ice cream and refreshments. Residents along with staff, volunteers and family members travelled to the Chatham Wal-Mart to start their Christmas shopping early and pick up a few items they themselves wanted to purchase. Each resident was accompanied by a helper and was able to shop at their leisure. Everyone came together at the McDonalds for lunch.

The Remembrance Day ceremony was officiated with members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 583 from Newbury. Residents later watched the ceremony from Ottawa on the television. The Drumfit activity had residents using the musical equipment provided and everyone had a great time beating the huge balls with the drumsticks. Bingo was held three times during the week with several lucky winners. Congratulations and thanks to Ida Russell for donating cash to the Bingo.

Residents appreciated the varieties of hot chocolate in the afternoon topped with marshmallows. A small group of residents gathered for a game of Hoya cards. Others played a game of witch hat ring toss.  The Faith Haven choir visited and sang many beautiful favourite hymns. They also brought along many preschool children which were such a delight to visit with.

Halloween was great fun for everyone as residents sat at the entrance passing out candy bags to approximately 50 kids.  Thanks to Adam, our co-op student, for assisting during the celebration. Residents and staff had a great day dressing up in a variety of costumes during the afternoon events.   

The men’s club gathered in the activity area and discussions about whatever came to mind happened. They told jokes, one being “why was the skeleton afraid to cross the road” and the answer was “No Guts.” They read items of their choice from the coffee time news paper. They also voted on the theme for the upcoming night bingo.

Residents once again travelled from their armchairs for the 82 hour train/truck adventure across Australia. They were shown animal and scenery views from a drone in the sky and learned a great deal about Australia. Next month they will learn about Portugal. We have 2 residents from Portugal and some residents would like to be taught a few words in the Portuguese language.

Residents appreciate having the Tuck Cart visit their rooms for any purchases they wanted to make.  They also enjoy one-on-one visits. The Christmas decorations are starting to appear inside and outside the home as volunteers, residents, activity staff and maintenance begin to place the many lights and decorations in their specific places.

Mary Lou DePelsmaeker visited and offered Rosary to residents of the Catholic faith. The memorial service was held on November 7^th to celebrate the lives of Fitzroy Clarke, Margaret Therrien, Ruby Klassen, Helen Cuthbert, Vera Taplin, Clara Aulis, and Phyliss Munro. Families and friends attended the ceremony. Frances Bell was the banker for the Monopoly game and a small group had a great time playing the popular game. The Java Music club gathered in the activity area where each resident shared a great story taken from their younger years. Snacks and refreshments were served. David Skipper offered communion to residents of the Catholic faith.

The new generator has been set in place and will be hooked up by Union Gas this week. This will be a great asset during the hydro outages we have been experiencing. The Nu-Step cross trainers are always busy with residents completing their daily exercise routines. Physiotherapy is scheduled several times a week for those residents requiring the treatments. Residents are looking forward to the bus trips to the upcoming Magic of Lights display on Longwoods road at the conservation area.

Please click here for the November 2023 Activity Calendar

The wine and cheese party set up in the main dining area was enjoyed by residents, staff, families and friends. They were delighted with the variety of cheese, salami, pepperoni, crackers and refreshments served to everyone. The buffet table looked amazing. Residents Council, followed by the Food Committee, held their regular meetings and expressed how much they appreciated the decorations both inside and outside the home for the various occasions. They mentioned how lucky they were to have a home like this to reside at, plenty to eat, always something to do if you choose to do so, caring staff and a lovely, clean home. Further discussions included what was happening in the upcoming month of November and what special foods they preferred to have if available.

Bingo was played three times over the past week with several lucky winners. Thank you to Joe Aulis for his cash donation to the Bingo. A table was set up in the activity area so residents could shop for some of their most wanted items. One resident purchased a children’s book for his soon to be born grand baby. The Wild West movie and ultimate cowboy trivia proved very challenging for residents participating. They formed two teams, but the men’s team seemed to know more about cowboys than the ladies group. Residents had fun setting up a wall display on their selected country, Australia. Suggestions for the display included snakes, kangaroos, recreation, foods, and the population of the country itself.

The Nu-Step cross trainers were very busy with residents using them to do their daily exercises. Physiotherapy was given 3 times during the week by the Physiotherapist from the local hospital. Residents gathered for movie night and enjoyed the movie starring the Adams family. The Java music club gathered in the activity area and their theme for the meeting was Autumn. Each person was given a chance to share one of their favourite stories with everyone.

The famous Monopoly game is becoming a favourite for a small group of residents. Lois Cornwall was the Banker and Maria Baptista definitely had shopping skills and ended up the winner of the game. Don Earhart and Alan Gooding acquired a lot of wealth as well! Everyone is looking forward to another game in November.

Halloween was the topic for last week’s activities. Costumes were being decided for residents and staff joined in as well. Everyone was looking forward to the 6 pm to 8 pm time period where all the fun work of bagging up a variety of candies for the children will pay off. Everyone was excited to see the children dressed in their favourite characters for Halloween. If you have been visiting the home lately you will have noticed the pumpkins lining the entryway. Residents had a great time decorating the pumpkins. During the craft activity cats both large and small, was made and will decorate the windows across from the table holding all the candy bags.  A Halloween party was held during the day with Jeremy Smith providing the entertainment.  Mary Wooton had everyone singing along when she played some old time favourite songs. Another group of residents joined in a challenging game of Hoya cards.

Don and Bonnie Cook entertained residents with their stroll down memory lane with several favourite songs. Everyone had a great afternoon. During the magazine search 15 different ideas for crafts were found and residents are looking forward to making some of them. Joel Horvath entertained residents with his musical program. Everyone enjoyed his visit. One on one visits are always appreciated by residents. The cosmetic bag has been restocked just in time for the upcoming celebrations and Christmas. A great updated variety of lipstick colours, nail polishes and creams make everyone feel great. Connect 4, checkers and tic tac toe were offered to those residents wanting to play. Residents and their family members participated in a game of charades. Viking chess had residents tossing bean bags. Others watched a show called Roman holiday. 

Please take a moment on November 11^th to remember all the men and women who have served our country in times of war, and conflict and peace. Wear a poppy! 

The following residents celebrated their birthdays in the month of October: Gordon Doyle, Esther Giroux, Barbara Driscoll, Frances Bell, Nancy McEachren, Brenda Allen, Sandra Rivard and Helen Johnson. Randy Grey provided the entertainment at the birthday party. Everyone enjoyed cake and ice cream and refreshments.

A special presentation was given to staff member, Joanne McGahan, who has been employed within the home for 15 years, and also to Chris Gray, who has been there 35 years. They were presented with a framed plaque for their years of caring, dedication and service, along with 2 dozen beautiful roses. The staff appreciation luncheon followed and everyone was treated to a sub from the local Subway.  A draw was made for a variety of prizes as well as several Tim Horton gift certificates.

The Dietary department served up a delicious dinner for Thanksgiving. Residents enjoyed the meal and a large variety of squares served at the Thanksgiving tea social. Twenty youth members from the Faith Haven Choir visited and sang several favourite hymns. Everyone enjoyed their visit. Residents are busy packing candy bags with lots of chocolate and candies for the upcoming Halloween celebration. They will be patiently waiting at the activity room entrance from 6 pm to 8pm on October 31^st for the trick or treaters to arrive. They have been busy trying to decide how they would decorate the candy display table for the children. Residents and staff will be in costumes to celebrate the occasion earlier in the day before the arrival of the children in the evening. Jeremy Smith will be providing the entertainment for the party. Poke a Pumpkin is a fun game and is scheduled during the day.

Mary Wootton led everyone in a sing-song playing many of their old time favourite tunes. Hands were clapping and feet were tapping to the music. The Java music club met in the activity area and autumn weather was the theme at the meeting. Bingo was held three times during the week with several lucky winners. Congratulations!

Adam, our co-op student, has been very helpful with the activity events. Great job Adam!  Big Buck Bingo is one of the most popular Bingo games played. Karaoke had a few brave souls willing to sing. Residents and staff cheered on J.D. O’Hara, Gordon Gregory, Esther Giroux and  Edna Abbott as they took the microphone and sang a  few of their favourite songs. They were accompanied by quite a few background singers as well. Cam Denomme visited and entertained residents with his musical program. Residents really enjoyed his music while they danced and sang along to many old time favourite tunes.  Richard Bliskis joined him playing his harmonica.

“Win it in a minute” is a game played by residents where they race against time to complete their activity within the minute. Word puzzles were another challenging game and the topic was a list of feathered friends. Virtual painting had residents using either paint brushes or noodles and this kept everyone entertained for over an hour. Reverend Deb Dolbear-VanBilsen held worship services for those residents wanting to attend.

The tuck shop cart set up in the activity area is appreciated by residents as a means of purchasing items they require or want without leaving the facility. Cowgirl trivia had 2 teams of residents choosing a topic related to cowboy trivia and the Wild West. Their choices were songs, television shows, movies, hats, and cowgirl pictures. The captains were Frances Bell and Doreen Getty. Ruth Gibson knew her cowgirl trivia and had 7 correct answers.

The Nu-Step cross trainers are busy on a daily basis with residents trying to improve their fitness levels. Group exercises help to achieve their goals as well.  YouTube fun had residents laughing at some of the videos. The Men’s Club had a great time playing “roll it, play it,” a dice game. Richard Bliskis was the winner. At their next meeting they requested they play indoor lawn darts or croquette.

Everyone is looking forward to pizza and wing night on October 30^th. The wine and cheese party was scheduled for October 22^nd. Christmas card writing is scheduled to happen on November 16^th.  Yes it is that time of year again and the Activity staff are planning a Scottish shortbread social and several other fun programs. Babcock Community welcomes Esther Giroux, Maria Baptista and Buffy Carroll as their newest residents.

Residents had a great time riding virtually on the magic train rides which is one of Amtrak’s most scenic trains called the Zephyr. A Guide explained all the beautiful sights and places along the way. A great way to travel from your very own chair! Bingo was held three times during the week. Theme Bingo is becoming very popular with everyone and is a pleasant change for the Bingo players. Congratulations to all the winners. Special thanks to Ida Russell for her bingo donation.

The Nu-Step cross trainer exercise equipment is being used daily by residents. They are able to achieve their fitness goals while watching the many species of birds, rabbits, squirrels and the odd cat wandering by on the patio area. Parachute play is a great exercise for both the residents and staff playing and is lots of fun.

Residents had a great time during the toys and trinkets program. Three stations were set up, the first one was a container of mints and you had to guess how many were in the container. J.D. O’Hara was closest with a guess of 58, Anne Douglas placed 2nd with her guess of 70 and Nancy McEachren was third with her guess of 77. The actual amount in the container was 63. Well done! They continued on to the 2nd station of pop-up game books. The 3rd station was a word surf game using the word “Broadway.” Everyone had a great time.

Physiotherapy was scheduled three times over the week with the local physiotherapist from our local hospital. Wii Bowling was set up and residents had a great evening of bowling. The new Omni media machine is being kept very busy these days as the cooler weather approaches. One of their favourite games on it is called Bullseye. The colours and shapes reflected on the floor area say it all. While some residents played others watched and were fascinated by what they saw.

Two family members joined in on the fun during the Drumfit program. Sixteen drums with sticks were used while residents kept up the beat listening to some of their old time favourite tunes. Residents joined in singing as well. Student co-op Adam joined the Activity department today and was helping with crafts, playing games and Bingo. Crafts being made this month are Halloween cats. Residents will be preparing candy bags during one of their activities in anticipation of the upcoming Halloween party. Last year well over 100 bags were passed out to trick or treaters.

Hoya cards are always fun and 8 residents joined in the game. During the morning a game of Sorry was played. Gordon Gregory and Alan Gooding were on the winning team. A large group of residents attended Bible study. Everyone enjoyed the music and afterwards strip madness, Chicago style, was served along with cola drinks. Joel Horvath provided musical entertainment for everyone. He had residents singing along, clapping and dancing in their chairs. What a great performance!

The men’s club gathered and played a game of charades. Alan Gooding and his family joined in on the fun. Everyone had a fun time. Residents appreciate having their spectacles cleaned by staff as they travel around the building with the tuck cart. The Fall Fair Social was supervised by Bev Close. She had cotton candy, caramel corn and apples with a caramel sauce. This brought many great old memories of going to the local fairs for several residents.

On September 30th everyone was asked to wear orange in honour of the “Every Child Matters” national day for truth and reconciliation. Residents will be making a special craft to honour the children who survived Indian residential schools and remember those who did not. Canadians across the country will be wearing an orange shirt. Deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of the late Phyllis Munro.

Please click below for our updated Visiting Guidelines as of October 13, 2023

Visiting Guidelines – October 13, 2023

With the respiratory virus season returning, we are implementing some precautionary masking protocols as per the guidelines below:

Staff and Service Providers:

Medical Masks are now required for all staff and service providers to wear while caring for/assisting residents.  To clarify, medical masks are required to be worn in all resident accessible areas of the home.   Once you pass the kitchen entrance, please ensure you have a mask on.  Masks are not required to be worn while in the kitchen, staff room, laundry room or offices except when a resident enters the office area. 

Visitors and Essential Caregivers:

Masks are strongly recommended but not mandatory for general visitors and caregivers when visiting residents that are not in isolation.  Masks are available at the front entrance.

Outbreak / Isolation:

In outbreak situations, or if a resident is on Additional Precautions, all individuals are required to comply with masking and other personal protective equipment requirements as directed by the outbreak management team and the local public health unit.

If you are feeling unwell and/or are experiencing respiratory symptoms, please do not visit the home until your symptoms subside.   It is recommended that you wait 10 days after the onset of your symptoms before entering any long term care home.   Thank you for your understanding and help in trying to keep our residents and staff virus free.

Residents, staff and volunteers boarded the bus and headed to London for a delicious Swiss Chalet dinner. Activity staff organized one-on-one assistance for each resident travelling to the city. Everyone had a great time and a wonderful dinner of their choice. Pictures are posted on FaceBook of the trip if anyone is interested in viewing them.

Birthday wishes are extended to J.D. O’Hara and Anne Douglas, both of whom celebrate their special day in September. The monthly birthday party was held on September 7th with Randy Grey providing the entertainment. Birthday cake and ice cream was served to everyone.

The cooking club residents gathered in the activity with gloves on and their hair nets to whip up a batch of Brownie treats. Drum Fit had 12 residents enjoying the music while trying to keep up the beat on the drums. This program was fun and great exercise as well. The Nu-Step cross-trainers are always busy with residents trying to improve their fitness levels. The view is great looking out on the patio as they exercise.

The flowers are starting to fade and some have been removed for the year. Decorations for Thanksgiving then Halloween will be soon started. The men gathered for a game of table hockey. They formed 3 teams and played for 15 minutes. The outdoor roll and stroll program is greatly appreciated. Residents are assisted by staff to venture around the streets in the village and stop and visit if they happen to notice local residents outside. It is finally great to be able to walk on the new sidewalks provided by Southwest Middlesex. Residents and locals are now able to enjoy a safe, flat surface to walk on.

Bingo was held three times over the week with a few changes on how it is played. Residents have a great time winning their quarters and are able to use the winnings to purchase items they want on the Tuck shop table. Thank you to Ida Russell for her donation to the Bingo. The Men’s club gathered and played an Eco climate game. Everyone had great time and a discussion followed on what they would like to do at the next meeting. Wishing well craft boards were decorated by residents and posted on the wall outside the dining area for everyone to share.

We would like to welcome the new Nurse Practitioner, Jaqueline Watkinson, to our health care team. Monopoly has become very popular with some of our residents. Doreen Getty won the game having the most dollars and properties. We are looking into purchasing a floor size game mat so as more residents can join in on the fun. The java music club gathered and the topic was “Getting to know you.” Everyone had to choose a particular song they enjoyed and the group sang each one.

Apple Cider milkshakes were a big hit with residents. Storyteller, Wanda Hazelwood, depicted bible stories with on a flannel graph. Grandparent’s day was celebrated with several visitors coming in to see their loved ones. Chocolate and vanilla decorated cupcakes and refreshments were served to everyone. Dan Davidson provided the entertainment and everyone was pleased when he took their request for their favourite songs.

The Wal Mart shopping trip was well organized and residents, staff and volunteers boarded the bus for a day of shopping in Chatham. They enjoyed their lunch at McDonalds. The cooking club gathered in the activity area to whip up a mandarin dream dessert. Of course they shared what they made with others. It was delicious!

Everyone appreciates activity staff going around the building with the local papers and London Free Press. Anyone wishing to be told the news instead of reading it was given the option. Groups of eight gathered to join in the virtual painting class shown through the new Omni Vista machine.

The Hawaiian Luau event was a fun time for everyone. Preparation for this event started earlier in the month with specific decorations being used. Residents enjoyed the variety of music along with instruments used to create the Hawaiian atmosphere and dancing. There were costumes related to Hawaii complete with a variety of colourful leis. A great assortment of Hawaiian fruit dishes were served as well.

Movie night is always popular along with popcorn and refreshments. Ten residents participated in a game of darts. They formed two teams and everyone had such a great time. Babcock Community Care welcomes Belmira Machado as their newest resident.