Babcock Community Care Centre

The Canada Day Celebrations was a perfect time for everyone to pay tribute to this wonderful country. The Activity department distributed a variety of pins and flags to staff, residents and visitors that were generously donated by Steve Pinsonneault, M.P.P. for Lambton, Kent, Middlesex, and Lianne Rood, M.P. for Middlesex-London. Thanks for your help, we truly appreciate it. Residents, staff and visitors enjoyed the special assortment of Canada Day cupcakes topped with a little Canadian flag from Union Block Bakery in Dresden. They were delicious.

Residents boarded the bus for a scenic tour to Port Glasgow. The lake was beautiful and everyone appreciated the cold ice cream treats. We had a blast checking out the car cruise tour that graciously entered the parking area as they continued on to another town. Residents appreciated the ice cream cart loaded with cold black raspberry cheesecake as a treat. The Dads and Donuts gathering for Father’s Day was a heart-warming celebration of all the Dads and men in our community. The Strawberry Social was held outdoors in the evening. The strawberries and cake with whipped topping was delicious and everyone had a great time listening to the entertainment provided by Crystal St.Denis.

Jeremy Smith visited and entertained residents with his musical program. John Carter gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Happy Hour time had residents enjoying a strawberry, 7 up, or lime drink served in a fancy glass and colourful napkin. The fudge dessert party was a great success. The sparkling drinks added to the party as well as the fancy napkins featuring dogs or coconuts. One on one visits are very popular with residents. Residents always enjoy the beautiful music provided by the Faith Haven Choir. The monthly birthday party for June was held and Randy Grey provided the entertainment for the party and everyone thought the raspberry sponge cake was delicious.

Birthday wishes are extended to Ron Garrison, Doris Patterson and Margaret Gouin. Bingo was held several times during the week with several lucky winners. Residents played euchre, go fish, casino, word games, Wii bowling, dice games, hoya cards and floor picture games with the Mobii machine. Hand massages and manicures were appreciated by residents before they ventured outside with their iced coffee and fresh fruit dishes. The Cheese Day social had residents sampling a variety of cheeses along with crackers. The Nu-Step cross trainers are always busy with residents exercising. The physiotherapy was supervised by the Physiotherapist from the Four Counties Health Services. Residents enjoy their outdoor walks as weather permits.

They are anxiously waiting for the August 16th move to the new building across the road. The beautiful large wall murals in the hallways were applied last week and the art work from Parks Blueberries looks amazing. Thanks to volunteer Adam for helping his mother Annette set up supplies at the new building. Residents appreciate their outdoor walks around the village as weather permits. Manicures, hand massages, and foot care are given on a regular basis. The reading group gathered in the activity area to catch up on the local news or read their favourite book to everyone. Musical chairs had everyone throwing their arms up in the air when the music stopped. They really liked winning prizes as part of the fun.

Residents boarded the bus to travel to Wal-mart for their shopping trip. Lunch at McDonalds is always a treat. Thanks to volunteers for assisting during the trip. David Skipper gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen held worship services for those wanting to attend. Scenic drives are ongoing throughout the summer months. Skylar visited for the Music Connections program. Jeremy Smith visited and entertained residents with his musical program. Residents were looking forward to the ice cream truck visiting from Stoney Point.

Exciting News!

We are pleased to announce that the Ministry has completed its inspection of our new long-term care home and we have received confirmation that we will be approved to move into our beautiful new home as planned on August 16th!

Over the past two days, a team of five Ministry inspectors conducted a thorough review of the home. We expect to receive the official inspection report within the next week and will be completing a few minor revisions identified during the inspection process.

Reaching this milestone brings us one step closer to welcoming residents, families, staff, and volunteers into our new home and community.

We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to sharing more updates as we continue preparations for our move.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this project and helped make this vision a reality!

We received an unfortunate update from the Ministry that they will not be able to accommodate our revised move in date of July 12th. Their inspection of the new home will be occurring during the week of June 22 but they will require additional time to process the approval for occupancy.

We have now set a move date of August 16th. This date will allow enough time for the Ministry inspection process to be completed and allow us additional time to address any areas identified for correction in their report. Our moving company, Health Care Relocations, has also confirmed that this new date works with their schedule.

We will communicate the confirmed move-in date once it has been finalized with the Ministry and will continue to provide additional details about what to expect during this transition.

Thank you for your patience and support. We will keep you updated as progress continues.

Congratulations to the following staff members who are retiring or have recently retired. They will each receive a farewell gift and best wishes as they step gracefully in this new chapter of their life. We truly appreciate their dedication and caring attitude towards their jobs and the residents and their fellow workers. They include Barb Patton, John Kennedy and Bozena Bladek. We wish them all the best!

Residents enjoyed an afternoon social on the weekend. They were treated to a variety of cookies from Parks Blueberries along with refreshments. Residents continue to appreciate the outdoor roll or stroll program in this beautiful weather. Bingo was held three times during the week with many lucky winners. The Mad Science activity was great fun and had lots of new experiments to try. Bean Bag Toss, Family Feud, Hoya cards, Bola Ball dice games and Wheel of Fortune were a few of the games played during the week.

Don and Bonnie Cook visited and brought along their puppets. Everyone enjoyed their old-time singing and guitar music. The Get Fit activity had a great turnout. Trivia had residents getting their thinking caps on for some of the questions. Sybil and Remy dropped in for pet therapy. Everyone looks forward to their visit. Physiotherapy was supervised by the Physiotherapist from Four Counties Health Services. This is an ongoing program each week. The Nu-Step cross trainers are always busy with residents exercising and trying to improve on their overall health. The Heartbeat Club, dressed in their red shirts, gathered and exercised to the fast beat music provided. Laughter could be heard as they continued to exercise.

Wayne Gaudon visited and entertained residents with his musical talent. Residents appreciated having their manicures done in the activity area. There is a nice selection of nail polish available, should they prefer it. Music Connections with Jess had a nice crowd and everyone had a great time. During Craft time residents made a collage of flowers.

Babcock Community Care welcomes Marlene Steinman, Ditte McLachlan and Helga Von Der Recke as their newest residents. Deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of the late Constance Peterkin and Hilda Blackhall. Residents are looking forward to the annual strawberry social to be held in June.

Please click here for the June 2026 Activity Calendar

National Nursing Week was celebrated from May 11th to May 17th. The theme this year was “The Power of Nurses to Transform Health.” Nurses play a critical role in strengthening the health care systems. In Long-Term Care they strive to provide the very best in care possible for all our residents. We are very fortunate to have the Nursing staff we have, that continually strive to provide the best care possible. During this week we not only honoured the Nurses in our home, but also the Housekeeping, Dietary, Laundry, Activity, Administration and Maintenance departments. The Staff enjoyed pizza for lunch.

The new facility is looking amazing both inside and out. The staff have attended training sessions and are being familiarized with all the updated equipment and the new layout at the building. Our facility is all on one floor so easy access to the outside is another feature provided for the elderly. We have received lots of positive comments on the new building and residents are anxious to view the interior.

Tom and Craig are working on setting up the new gazebos on each outdoor patio. We have several private rooms as well as 2 bed standard bedrooms, separated by a wall, with a great view of the newly landscaped patios. Wall-mounted televisions are provided in each room. If you are considering, or are in need of long-term care, now is the time to place your name on our list. Refer to our website for further details.

Randy Grey visited and entertained the residents during the monthly birthday party. Celebrating their special day this month are Shirley Lumley, Elaine Conway, Lois Woolner, Hilda Blackhall and Don Gowanlock. Congratulations! The Mother’s Day Tea Social had families and friends visiting residents. Each lady resident was presented with a beautiful, fresh flower corsage. The vanilla cake treats were enjoyed along with a beverage. During Craft Day residents were given the opportunity to make a Mother’s day craft. Several chose to make a special card. The cards were very sparkly. We appreciate Kay Cowan donating her beautiful queen-size handmade quilt to the facility. We hope to raffle the exquisite quilt in the very near future with all proceeds going to Residents Council.

Residents boarded the bus once again and ventured off to Chatham for their shopping trip to Wal-Mart. Special thanks to all the volunteers and families who assisted the staff during this trip. Lunch at McDonalds had everyone getting together and showing what bargains they found. The Memorial day service was held in remembrance of the following residents; Maria Oliveira, John Kendall, Helen Drew, Ursula Redman, Stella Grochocinska, Kathlyn Poor and Margaret McCahon. Reverend Deb Dolbear-VanBilsen held worship services for everyone at the gathering. Family and friends attended the tribute.

Sybil and Remy visited during the pet therapy session. The Heartbeats Club gathered in the activity area where they exercised to fast beat music. Outdoor walks are ongoing as weather permits. John Carter gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Manicures are always popular and residents waited patiently for their turn. Bingo was held 3 times during the week with several lucky winners. Each winner received a large chocolate bar of their choice.

Happy Hour had Bev Close mixing up Brown Cow drinks in a fancy glass. The residents who didn’t choose to come had them delivered to their rooms. Great social time for everyone involved. The Babcock Line Chair Dancers gathered in the activity area to move to the YMCA song playing in the background. The Family Council held their monthly meeting. Mary Lou DePelsmaeker visited and gave Rosary to residents of the Catholic faith.

Residents always have a fun time playing a variety of games. They included the following: Wheel of Words, Game of 21, Casino games, Family Feud, Snakes and Ladders, Ladder Ball and Bola Ball Dice games. Blueberry Pie Day was enjoyed by everyone. Vikki picked up several large, delicious blueberry pies from Parks Blueberries. Wanda and friends visited and told bible stories by flannel graph while music played in background. Reading day had residents choosing what stories they wanted to read, local papers, magazines etc. The shortbread and chocolate chip cookies were enjoyed by residents during one of their gatherings. The lemonade day party was a great hit as well. The dining area was decorated and residents had a choice of other beverages.

Please click here for our May 2026 Activity Calendar.

National Volunteer Week runs from the 19th to the 25th of April. We wish to thank all our volunteers that assist in many ways at our home. We truly appreciate each and every one of you! Volunteers have faced many challenges during the Covid period but somehow have continued through it all and are eager to come when asked. Anyone interested in volunteering contact the Activity Director at 519-693-4415.

Residents are busy getting ready for their Casino night adventure. Decorations have been purchased especially for the event. Residents enjoyed the entertainment provided by Johnny Borton. They really liked the large cowboy hat he was wearing as he played the keyboard while singing. Balloon Toss was great fun and residents sure had lots of exercise while trying to hit the target. David Skipper visited and gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Trivia had a great group in attendance while others watched the Blue Jay game on the large screen television.

The wine and cheese party was held on Sunday. There was a large turnout of residents to sample the assortment of cheese and crackers along with a variety of fruit trays. The wine flavours were sparkling and tasty as well. David Smith visited and sang several songs. Residents joined in singing. Movie night had a good attendance. Residents watched a movie called “Magic Puppy.” They rated the movie a “B” but the popcorn and other snacks were definitely an “A”. Outdoor walks are enjoyed during this warm spell we have experienced for at least a couple days. Bingo was held three times during the week with several lucky winners.

When you start to see the cleaning crews working at the new building you realize it soon will be ready for occupancy. Everything is coming together in a timely manner. Keep in mind this new building is still considered a construction site. The general public is not allowed to enter the building at this time. When completed the community will be notified that we are able to allow visitors to safely enter to view the facility.

Physiotherapy is scheduled on a regular basis for those residents requiring treatment. Shelley Coad visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Joel Horvath visited and entertained residents with a musical program. The Babcock Chair dance group had a fun time dancing while sitting in their chairs. Great exercise for everyone! The Family Feud game was fun and residents could be heard giggling and laughing as they played. Others enjoyed their patio time during the warmer temperatures. The one-on-one program is a time when residents are visiting with an activity staff member and are given the opportunity to just sit and chat with each other, or they can complete a few chores they wish done in their own personal space, or perhaps help write a letter or card to a friend or family member.

A small group gathered for hoya cards. Manicures and foot care are provided on a regular basis. Randy Grey entertained residents at the monthly birthday party. Birthday cake and ice cream was served. Birthday greetings are extended to Connie Peterkin, Deanna Klauka, John Keskeny and Anita Kendall. The Wal-mart bus trip is scheduled for April 21st. Babcock Community Care welcomes Helga Von Der Recke as their newest resident.

Residents were anxiously waiting for the Easter Bunny to stop by with a huge basket of Easter Eggs to treat everyone on Easter weekend. The Easter Tea and Social was held on April 5^th at 1:30 pm. The Spring Equinox Social had a large group in attendance. They played Trivia that included how the Easter date was chosen and discussed how many other traditions and celebrations around the world happened. They planted bachelor button coloured seeds in wet paper towels to have them germinate in 7 to 12 days. Residents had been making Easter cards to pass around to family, staff and friends during the Easter celebration.

John Carter visited and gave Palm Sunday Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Residents had a great time playing several games over the month. They included Uno, Hoya Cards, Trouble, Jenga, Rummy, Bingo, Wheel of Words, Family Feud, Bola Ball, dice games and Bunny ring toss. Other residents enjoyed watching their favourite movie while eating popcorn along with a variety of other snacks. The three-in-one social time is a new program where residents are able to meet and chat with someone new and do something else of their preference, such as play a game. The chair dance club had a fun time in the activity area as they participated in yoga stretches. The crafters met to design their flower scenes with butterflies, lady bugs and flowers of all sizes on foil paper and brightly coloured plates.

The Nu-Step cross trainers are always occupied with residents exercising. They have a great view of the patio and all the birds, squirrels and sometimes the odd rabbit passing through. During the pet therapy program, Sybil and Remy visited residents. The Food Committee held their regular meeting and residents were able to voice any concerns they have. The Resident’s Council meeting followed and the April activity programs were discussed.

The Happy Hour Berry Freeze hour was enjoyed by several residents. They were served a blue raspberry drink, cherry, grape, or sparkling water in a wine glass. The mad science program drew a large crowd as residents had fun trying the different experiments. Rice Krispie squares were served along with refreshments. Get Fit was a great program for residents to move and get exercise. Physiotherapy is scheduled regularly for those residents needing the treatment. Wayne Gaudon visited and everyone enjoyed his musical entertainment. The Heartbeats group gathered in the activity area to exercise to a fast beat music. They always have a fun time. Wanda and friends visited and she depicted bible stories by flannel graph.

The residents are enjoying their outside walks when the weather cooperates. Deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of the late Margaret McCahon and Kathlyn Poor. Babcock Community Care welcomes Marlene Steinman as their newest resident. 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! May your hearts be light and your days be bright. Residents celebrated the occasion with a party. They indulged in a variety of green drinks including near beer. Everyone enjoyed the nicely decorated cupcakes all topped with a green butter cream icing. Last week during craft time residents had great time making lucky green four leaf clovers, as well as Leprechaun hats displaying a special quote.

The chair dance club gathered in the activity area and watched the words come up on the screen to a variety of well-known songs. They sang and moved their bodies to the music playing. Movie nights are always popular where residents are given the chance to watch one of their favourite movies. One-on-one visits are scheduled regularly and each resident appreciates the time spent with them. The Bacon Treat Social was lots of fun and the special treats were delicious. Everyone loves bacon! Mary Lou DePelsmaeker visited and gave Rosary to residents of the Catholic faith. Bingo was played several times this week with the winners choosing a large chocolate bar for their prize.

Randy Grey entertained at the monthly March birthday party. Happy birthday wishes are extended to Bill Harper, Doreen Getty, Margaret McCahon and Yvon Blais. Birthday cake and ice cream and refreshments were served. Music Connections with Skylar had a large group. Happy hour on Friday was an enjoyable time where residents were able to socialize and try a few of the dragon fruit spritzers prepared by the activity staff. The drinks were served in clear wine glasses.

The Bola Ball game had a nice turnout and there was lots of laughter and smiles. The tuck cart wandering around the halls catches everyone’s attention. It is stocked with a nice variety of cards, snacks, bookmarks and several other items. The reading activity is a great social time for everyone to catch up on the daily local news and hear what is happening in the world news. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen visited and held worship services for those residents wanting to attend.

Hoya Cards had a few interested players. Wii Bowling, Family Feud, Fun with Names and Shuffleboard are a few of the games everyone played. Shelley Coad visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Jeremy Smith entertained residents with a variety of Irish songs just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Residents gathered in the activity area for a great discussion about the 1929 to 1962 cars while showing pictures of each vehicle. A resident that used to live in the Bothwell area and had attended the yearly car show held there for years recognized several of the vehicles. Manicures are given routinely and the activity department has a great assortment of nail polishes available for residents use. Residents always enjoy their visits from the Amish youth choir. They have the most beautiful singing voices.

Physiotherapy was scheduled with the Physiotherapist from the local hospital for those residents requiring the treatments. The excitement is growing in anticipation of the new Babcock Community Care Facility opening! Everything is looking fantastic inside the new building as the moving date is fast approaching.