Babcock Community Care Centre

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. 

Please click here for the April 2026 Activity Calender

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.

February is now over and it looks like Wiarton Willy’s prediction on February 2nd, saying 6 more weeks of winter and cold temperatures came true. This did not deter the residents from celebrating their February Birthdays! Don Earhart, IIona Freeman, Ruth Mach, Marg Watts, Bethelene Carroll, Doreen Browe and Bill Hanenburg, along with other residents, gathered in the dining area and enjoyed birthday cake and ice cream. Randy Grey provided the entertainment for the party.

The Family Day social was celebrated and everyone had a great time visiting with family and friends. The Elegant Dinner was a great day for residents who were pampered with manicures, hair and makeup and helped choose the special outfit for the dinner. The entertainment was provided by Crystal Gage and she kept the party hopping as everyone always enjoys her music. The King and Queen of Hearts was crowned and presented with a bouquet of lovely flowers as they proudly showed off their crowns.

Everyone cast their votes for King and Queen, Bob Phillips and Austin Bauer. Congratulations to each one! The meal consisted of Beef Wellington, braised carrots, potatoes, and skewers of vegetables, along with shrimp, a variety of pastries and strawberry shortcake for dessert. The photo shoot was very popular with an amazing background and each resident wanting their pictures had a big smile! The fruit plate social held on Sunday was enjoyed by everyone. One-on-one visits are regularly scheduled for all residents. Sybil and Remy visited during the pet therapy program.

During happy hour residents were served a variety of delicious spritzers. There was a variety of flavours including pineapple, strawberry, lemon, or green tea mixed with soda. Table games are always popular. The cheesie and onion ring social was held with lots of conversation. Mary Lou DePelsmaeker gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Johnny Borton visited and entertained residents. Rick’s Holiday Magic involved residents and staff throughout the entire show as he performed his magical tricks. He had a white dove called “Gwendolyn.” Residents had their photo taken and were allowed to pet the bird. One-on-one visits are appreciated by residents.

Residents boarded the magic train for a tour of Switzerland to Italy, where the Olympics are being held. Everyone cheered on the Canadian teams during the Olympics broadcast over the television. Wanda and friends visited and she depicted bible stories by way of a flannel graph. The Heartbeats Club gathered in the activity room to exercise to the fast beat music provided. Everyone had a great workout and lots of laughter. Bingo was held several times during the week with many lucky winners. Craft day was a day where each resident created a leaf for the giant family tree project. The old time sing along had everyone singing plus they did a little dancing as well. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen held church services and communion for those residents wanting to attend. Strawberry shortbread or chocolate in a cone was served with a few toppings added. Trivia had a great crowd in attendance and everyone enjoyed the apple crisp with ice-cream. Hoya cards, Family Feud, bola ball, board games are only a few of the games residents participated in.

Physiotherapy is provided on a regular basis from the local hospital for any resident requiring the treatment. Music Connections visited and provided a large variety of musical instruments for residents to try. Residents are always on the Nu-Step cross trainers located in the activity area keeping up their daily exercise routines. The next special occasion party will be held on March 17th in celebration of St. Patrick’s day. Do not forget to wear your green!

Below are some of the latest pics of the progress on our new home. We can’t wait to move in!

Our new home build is progressing nicely. Here are some of the latest pictures.

The Heartbeat group, dressed in their red shirts, gathered in the activity area to exercise to the fast beat music provided in the background. There was a lot of laughter and everyone had a fun time. Residents participated in using the Nu-step cross trainers for daily exercise.

Reverend Deb Dolbear-VanBilsen visited and held worship service for those residents wanting to attend. Dotsy the Clown entertained the residents with her amazing balloon animal creations. Each resident was given a balloon animal of their choice and face painting was also offered. There was lots of magic happening and everyone thought she was wonderful.

Sybil and Remy dropped by during Pet Therapy. Everyone is excited when one of their favourite pets arrive for a visit. The Drumfit program had a nice turnout. Beating on the huge balls with drum sticks is a great exercise as well. Bev Close supervised the activity.

Everyone really enjoyed the chocolate-covered strawberries on a cold Sunday afternoon. Residents appreciate their one-on-one visits on a regular basis. Bingo was held several times during the week with some very lucky winners. The Bingo winners were given a large chocolate bar of their choice. John Carter visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith.

The Old News Auto club gathered in the activity area to discuss topics of interest. Residents enjoy being updated on the local news from this area. Manicures are appreciated by residents. We have a special beauty case where we carry a variety of the new up to date nail polishes and other beauty products.

Wii Bowling is very popular for those residents wanting to bowl without leaving the building. 13 residents tried their luck at playing the game and obtaining the highest score. Balloon Toss and Family Feud are very popular and had a great turnout. The ginger bread cookie treats and social drew a large hungry group. The aroma of gingerbread cookies is very hard to resist. Residents attended physiotherapy three times during the week under the supervision of the Physiotherapist from the local hospital.

The Keurig club enjoy their assortment of coffee in the activity area each morning. Residents gathered in the activity area for movie night. Treats and refreshments were served. Randy Grey will be entertaining at the monthly birthday party being held on January 22^nd. Rick’s Holiday Social Magic Show had to be cancelled due to the recent snow storm.  We hope to reschedule the magic act in the near future.

The new building is progressing along very nicely. The wooden decorator pieces have been added to the wall behind the bed in the resident bedrooms, and soon will be completed after the addition of the trim. The walls and ceiling features at the entrance have been carefully planned to give the facility a designer’s touch and home-like atmosphere. Babcock Community Care welcomes Margaret McCahon as their newest resident.  

December 2025 has come to an end and the New Year 2026 is here all ready!  Happy New Year! We have had a very busy year in 2025. We are looking forward to the move into the new building during the early part of this year. There is so much planning and preparation going on now related to the move.  Several residents viewed the video of the interior and everyone had positive comments on it. They particularly thought the large, tall windows in both the bedrooms and other areas were fantastic. The beautiful wooden entrance to the building had everyone talking. There were many other features they liked as well.

Residents had a wonderful December with all the scheduled entertainment groups and activities. Friends and family, and of course, the jolly, old guy in red, along with his helpers, dropped in for a visit.   Residents sent their letters to Santa at the North Pole earlier on in December. Wanda Hazelwood and friends visited and told a Christmas story along with their musical program. The Christmas Bingo drew a large crowd with many lucky winners. Crystal Gage entertained everyone with a great variety of tunes.

The Wal-Mart outing had everyone in the Christmas spirit. Thanks to staff and volunteers for making the bus trip a fun outing for residents. The Cooking Club group whipped up a batch of Oreo cheesecake ball cookies. Johnny Borton entertained residents earlier in the day with his musical program. John Carter visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. The Music Connections group had a fun time during their musical activity. Pizza and wing night had a great group. The feast was a huge success as there were many smiling faces. They all enjoyed the social hour. The fireplace channel on the large screen television crackling in the background is always a warm touch during the activities. Residents always enjoy the pet therapy program where Sybil and Remy visit.

Birthday greetings are extended to Austin Bauer, Florence Oake and Bessie Pinsonneault. They are celebrating their special day in January. The birthday party will be held on January 22^nd with Randy Grey providing the entertainment. David Skipper visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Residents had their manicures and make up done for the festive activities. They watched several Christmas movies throughout the month. Christmas crafts were very popular with residents showing off their special decorating talents. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen held worship services for those residents wanting to attend. Wii Bowling had a small group playing one of their favourite games.  Everyone had fun. Residents and staff joined in the Holiday Dress up day activity. It ran from December 22^nd to December 26^th. Each day was different. Monday they wore an ugly sweater, Tuesday they dressed as a reindeer, Wednesday they dressed as an Elf, Thursday they wore a Santa Claus hat, Friday they wore anything red and green. Each resident was given a Christmas gift and wished a Merry Christmas. Later in the afternoon a Christmas tea social was held.

Special thanks Barb Cowan for painting and donating all the nut-cracker soldier supplies and for attending the Santa’s workshop craft day to help residents decorate each one. Residents showed their appreciation by giving a small gift and card to her. The Christmas tea and shortbread social was set up in the dining area. The dining area was decorated in green and gold. Earlier in the morning a game of Wheel of Words was played. Everyone had a great time. One-on-one visits are always appreciated by residents. The Nu-Step cross trainers are very busy with residents exercising usually in the morning hours.

December 31^st brought in the New Year with a wine and cheese party. Don and Bonnie Cook provided the entertainment for the party. There was a large variety of foods including shrimp, cheese platters, dips, garlic sausage, pepperoni, fruit trays and a delicious cheesecake pie purchased from Parks. Residents were dressed in New Year’s Eve attire, complete with noise makers and horns. The countdown began! They really had great time watching themselves in a video showing on the large television screen. The New Year photo shoot was set up with props and pictures. Residents were given the opportunity to have their photo done. Babcock Community Care welcomes Deanna Klauka and Shirley Kennedy as their newest residents. Deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of the late Helen Drew, Stella Grochocinska and Ursula Redman.  

Activity staff and residents are busy this week decorating the home inside for Christmas. This is a very busy time of the year for everyone as the December calendar is full. Craft time had residents making Nutcracker ornaments. They followed up with a social hour with snacks and refreshments. They have had a great time playing various games throughout the month. They included Bingo, Wheel of Words, Mad Science, Shuffleboard, Block Buster Game, Trivia, Karaoke, Cue Card Quiz, Skee Ball, Wii Bowling, Snakes and Ladders, Cheesie Game, Bean Bag Toss and Name That Tune.

A small group of residents, along with staff and volunteers, boarded the bus for their Christmas shopping trip to Chatham. Everyone had a great time browsing through the store and stopping for lunch at McDonalds. Don Cantwell visited and entertained residents with his musical program. Residents gathered in the activity area to watch a Christmas movie. They were given a choice of a variety of small bags of snacks during the show along with refreshments. Shelley Coad gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. The Baptist Church in Bothwell had a live stream worship service for those residents wanting to attend.

The Lindor Chocolate party was a huge success. Lindor Chocolates were purchased at the Lindor store in London. The selection was amazing and included chocolates for diabetics. Fruit juice was served with the treats.

Residents Council had their regular meeting and the Food Committee meeting followed.  Everyone was pleased with all the upcoming holiday activities and events. Mary Lou DePelsmaeker visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Residents enjoyed the fresh baked cinnamon buns during social hour. Others appreciate the hot chocolate cart especially during the cold spells we have been experiencing. The Nu-Step cross trainers have residents lined up ready to exercise. The Physiotherapist visits from the local hospital on a regular basis to provide physiotherapy as needed.

Residents have been busy with their Christmas card writing list. Several have sent cards to the King of England, King Charles. Join in the fun during the holiday dress up days being held on December 22^nd to Friday December 26^th. Santa Claus will be visiting on December 10^th with Mrs. Claus as well. Residents appreciate their one-on-one visits.    

Everyone boarded the magic train ride travelling to Cuba. Jeremy Smith visited and provided a musical program much to everyone’s delight. Music Connections from London visited and Jess Dickie played guitar while residents used hand shakers. A small group tried Hand Tai Chi and really liked it. They were given a sheet showing the various hand movements. Wanda and friends visited and held a worship service using a flannel graph. They enjoyed the mandolin and guitar playing and their beautiful singing voices.

Sybil and Remy visited during pet therapy. Dave Skipper visited and gave Communion to residents of the Catholic faith. The monthly birthday party will be held on December 4^th with Randy Grey providing the entertainment. Birthday wishes are extended to Jimmy Every, Norman Fenn, Darlene MCGall and Ann George.  We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the late Maria Oliveira and John Kendall. Babcock Community Care welcomes Ursula Redman and Florence Oake as their newest residents.

The contractors are working away on the new long-term care home. Flooring installation and wall preparation in several areas are beginning to take place. Residents will be viewing a video soon of all the finished details showing the interior of the new Home.