Category: News

Please click here for the July 2025 Activity Calendar

Babcock Community Care celebrated their 50th year anniversary in business serving in long-term care. The weather was great for the outdoor event. There was a display board set up in the hallway showing some of the events and fundraisers, along with photos of past and present residents, staff and volunteers. The 50th year posters and balloons throughout the building marked the occasion. The posters are on display in the main hallway and can be viewed throughout the year. Crystal St. Denis kept the audience entertained and staff made sure everyone was offered a treat of fresh strawberries and cake topped with whipped cream. We have gone through many changes over the years in long-term care, but our overall goal of providing the best of care in a safe home-like atmosphere for residents remains the same. Staff members along with the Babcock family understand what family members are going through when they are faced with having one of their own family or friends admitted into long-term care. We wish to thank volunteers and staff for making the day so special for everyone.

Canada Day is fast approaching and celebrations are in the works for the residents at the home. We wish to thank Lianne Rood, M.P. and her staff for providing flags and pins for the occasion. Wanda and Friends visited and showed residents her bible stories depicted by flannel graph while music played in the background. The crafters gathered in the activity area and beautiful, colourful flowers were made from paper plates. They also had a great afternoon designing a coffee filter flower by dipping the filter into coloured water.

National Doughnut day was for everyone with a sweet tooth. A variety of doughnuts and Timbits were served and enjoyed. The Faith Haven choir visited and entertained residents with their beautiful singing voices. Residents look forward to their visit. Sybil and Remy came by to see everyone during pet therapy. Wendy and Tigger the service dog plan on visiting each Friday after he completes his training program. Rosary was given by Trish Welch for residents of the Catholic faith. After dinner a small group of residents arm chair-travelled to Italy. They listened to facts about the country and participated in trivia about Europe. A social hour followed and everyone was served special treats and refreshments.

Randy Grey visited and entertained residents during the monthly birthday party. Ron Garrison celebrated his birthday in June. Bingo was played three times during the week with several lucky winners. Residents had fun playing other games as well such as Connect Four, Wheel of Words, Music Connections, Snakes and Ladders, Cups games, Ladder Golf, Hoya cards and Euchre. Communion was served by John and Joanne Carter for residents of the Catholic faith. The ladies enjoyed having an afternoon of manicures. A social hour followed.

Other residents have started a daily ritual of watching a movie in the afternoon together. They enjoy each other and have a great time chatting. Everyone had a great time on the patio during the popsicle party. The walking program outside around the village streets is not being offered during this heatwave. The air conditioning provided in the facility is a great relief from the heat outdoors. The drumfit program is great fun for everyone. The tuck cart is always a welcome sight for everyone as they tour around the halls.

Residents really enjoyed trying a new dish from Jjets Food truck located in downtown Wardsville. Some had never tasted the delicious panzerotti with sauce dish. The guys at Jjets made an easy soft crust type dish especially for seniors. We thank them for that!

Bonnie and Don visited and entertained everyone with guitar music and a puppet. Everyone enjoyed their performance. The magic train ride activity showed residents how in the Philippines they travel in the smallest tricycle trains. There is a bench seat and someone pushes with their foot. They have a larger version of a train that can carry 10 people. It uses a motorcycle-sized motor to do this. Patio slushies cooled everyone down while on the patio. The current events program caught everyone up on the local and national news. The Get Fit activity had everyone moving to music and laughter could be heard as everyone had a fun time.

Father’s Day was special for all the men. They participated in the Sporty Sports Car day activity. Several knew about car racing and talked about the history of cars. The program brought back many old memories. Each of the men received a flower boutonniere to celebrate the occasion. Residents are excited about a new program called Travelogue. Each resident will receive their very own passport and will travel to various locations around the world. They will receive a stamp for each time they travel. This month the destination was the Great Lakes where they learned many interesting facts. They are all ready looking forward to the next trip.

Babcock Community Care extends our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the late Nancy McEachern. Welcome to new residents Jim McFarlane, Yvon Blais, and Margaret Watts.

Things are progressing nicely on the build of our new facility.

Mother’s Day was a great day for everyone. All the ladies received a beautiful flower corsage and appreciated the surprise gift. Visitors were welcome to join in the bingo games or play Hoya Cards. The ladies enjoyed the hand massages and manicures earlier in the day for the special occasion.

The Mother’s Day social was well attended. Everyone was served tea in the nostalgic fine china cups. This brought old memories back for several. The bus trip to Chatham was loads of fun for everyone. They headed to Wal-Mart where they had great time spending their bingo winnings on whatever they wished. They all gathered at McDonalds for lunch. Thank you to all the volunteers who assisted the staff with this trip.

The Memorial service was held in memory of past residents. They included Barbara Driscoll, Berdina Postman, Ida Russell, J.D. O’Hara, Sandra Rivard, Albertine Letourneau, Wilfred Driver, Geoff Ewing and Richard Bliskis. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen officiated at the service and spoke of each resident. Family members were in attendance, as well as friends of the above former residents.

Games have become very popular with residents within the home. Some of the games played are Table hockey, Tricky trivia, Elephant ring toss, Nuts and Bolts, Cup Pong, Fisherman’s knot, Horse shoes, Bean Bag Toss, Wheel of words, Virtual trivia, Name that tune, Ladder ball, Shuffleboard, Reverse Charades, Snakes and Ladders, Bingo and the Jelly bean game. Kit Kat ice cream bars on a stick were enjoyed as a treat.

The Book club gathered in the activity area and read stories from several interesting books. The pizza and wings dinner was enjoyed by residents. John Carter gave communion to residents of the Catholic faith. Residents are looking forward to the barbecue lunches beginning soon. Happy Birthday wishes are extended to Ron Garrison who celebrates his birthday this month. The monthly birthday party will be held on June 5^th with Randy Grey providing the entertainment.

Join us for the Strawberry Social to be held on June 17^th between 2 and 4 pm. We are celebrating our 50^th Anniversary of Babcock Community Care providing long-term care to residents of Middlesex, Lambton, Kent and Elgin Counties. Crystal St. Denis will be providing the entertainment on the outdoor patio area.

Residents really enjoyed the musical program provided by Johnny Borton. The Music Therapist had residents playing instruments and singing during her program. The Coffee and Chat program stirred up a great conversation about who they thought may win the Stanley cup. Of course, local news was also of great interest. Residents appreciate their outdoor roll and stroll program. They venture around the village streets with assistance and are amazed to see how quickly the new facility is being built. One-on-one visits are really appreciated on a regular basis.

The Women’s club gathered and had a great meal of smashed waffle potatoes along with conversation. They had a choice of salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese and tomatoes to add to the lunch. The Men’s Club met as well and enjoyed the exact same lunch. Catholic Communion was given to a small group of Catholic ladies. Residents Council treated the staff, families and residents at the home by having Beau’s Treat Trailer setup outside. They had 9 varieties of ice cream cones. This also was a great way to start the Nursing Best Practice Spotlight Organization journey.

The patio is now setup with hanging flower baskets and ferns, as well as a few new ornamental items for everyone to enjoy. Residents appreciate being able to view the patio area as they exercise daily on the Nu-Step cross trainers and other equipment. Another scenic drive is scheduled for June 23^rd. Babcock Community Care extends their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the late Tom Moorby and Alan Gooding.  

Please click before for a bulletin from the Ministry of Long-Term Care regarding Long-Term Care Home Accommodation Charges.

Notice of Changes To Accommodation Charges

Please click here for the June 2025 Activity Calendar

National Nurses week is being celebrated May 12th to May 18th this year. Thank you to our amazing nurses, your kindness and empathy has touched the lives of so many of our residents. 

Everyone really enjoyed the musical program presented by Don and Bonnie Cook. Residents sang along while Don played his guitar and sang many of their favourite songs. The red cup balance game proved very challenging for many but everyone laughed and had a great time. Sybil and Remy visited during the pet therapy session. One-on-one visits are appreciated by residents throughout the week. The Music Connections program had a large crowd in attendance. Jess Dickie provides the musical instruments and everyone had a fun time. Bingo was held three times over the week with many lucky winners. Krispy Creme doughnuts were served as a treat after the Bingo. Joel Horvath entertained residents with his keyboard playing. Residents sang along as he sang a variety of songs. 

The Virtual Quiz Trivia, supervised by Ursula, tested the resident’s knowledge. Everyone did very well answering the questions. Hoya cards are always popular with the card players. The Nu-Step cross trainers are occupied with residents wanting to get in their exercise for the day. They enjoy watching the many variety of birds and the odd rabbit or squirrel running by outdoors. Wii bowling is always a fun game to play. Play money was used while playing the Wheel of Words game. Two teams were formed, one called the Dodge Rams, the other the Jolly Jelly Beans. The interactive games projected on the floor are a great past time for residents. They particularly like the popping of the balloons displayed on the floor. Chicken Soup for the Soul stories were read to residents. The Connect 4 game is a fun game for everyone to play. The Socrates Cafe group gathered in the activity area where Frances Bell read an inspirational story.

Silk Scarfs is a very popular craft where residents design and paint their very own scarf to either keep or give as a gift. Hot cross buns were served as a treat. Reverend Deb Dolbear-Van Bilsen visited and provided an Easter worship service for those residents wanting to attend. Easter was a very busy time with many family members and friends coming in to visit. Foot care and Physiotherapy is provided on a regular basis. The Residents Council held their regular meeting and the Food Committee meeting followed. Everyone commented on how they appreciated the Elegant Dinner event and menu. They mentioned how excited they are for the upcoming pizza and wing night as well as the ice cream truck scheduled in May. They were told about the upcoming 50th Anniversary being celebrated at the strawberry social in June. Everyone is welcome to drop in between 2 and 4 pm for a delicious dish of strawberries with all the toppings. It will be held outdoors and Crystal St. Denis will be providing the entertainment.

The Magic Virtual Train Ride took a ride on the Colorado train to the most scenic place in America. They viewed bike paths with a helicopter ride half way through the trip, as well as several other transportation methods. Camping stories were told as well during the trip. Arm chair travelling is almost as great as the real deal. The Faith Haven Group visited and sang several favourite hymns. Residents always enjoy their beautiful singing voices and their visits. A small group of residents gathered for a game of charades. Kit Kat ice cream bars were served afterwards.

The new nursing home building is progressing very quickly and everyone is checking it out as they pass by either on foot or by car. It will house 64 residents.  

The Elegant Dinner event was finally held a few days later than originally planned. Everyone, including family members and volunteers, had a terrific time. The Activity department started with their usual primping and pampering of the residents, special hair-styling by Vance, then followed make-up, nails and hand massages. The Dietary department served hors d’oeuvres like pigs in a blanket, stuffed mushrooms and skewers of tomato, basil and cheese. The dining area was decorated with coloured table cloths, balloons, special decorative plates with matching napkins and silverware. Sparkling wine (non-alcoholic) was served in disposable wine glasses. The main meal was delicious with Chicken Cordon Bleu, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

The votes were counted for the King and Queen of Hearts. Everyone had a chance earlier in the month to vote on who they felt should win. Norman Courts was crowned King and Kay Cowan was crowned the Queen. Crystal St. Denis entertained residents with background music throughout the day. Thanks to everyone for helping make this day very special.

Wanda Hazelwood and friends visited and provided entertainment for everyone. Residents enjoy the music as well as Wanda depicting bible stories by using a flannel graph. Bingo was held three times during the week with several lucky winners. Residents had a great time when the Activity department set up a table of pictures to choose and colour. Once finished they hung the finished pictures on the bulletin board. The wheel of words game had two teams, one called the “Birds and Bees” and the other “The Daffodils.” Captains Iona and Karen cheered on their teams and the Birds and Bees won by a few points. Catholic Communion was given to residents of the Catholic faith.  One-on –one visits were appreciated by residents. They were offered nail maintenance, eye glass cleaning, reading and just visiting and chatting. They all enjoyed the soft baked cookies as a treat along with hot chocolate.  

Residents gathered for game time, over the week they played snakes and ladders, solitaire, scrabble, Connect Four, bingo, shuffleboard, and Wheel of Words. The tuck cart filled with a variety of items toured around the building. Everyone enjoyed pet therapy with Sybil and Remy during their visit. Craft time had residents making spring flowers. Everyone had their guard up for April Fools’ day. Eric Lunn provided musical entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Music Connections with Jess Dickie gathered a large group of residents playing the drums and shakers. A sing-song followed.

Easter is fast approaching. Delicious lemon and chocolate-decorated cupcakes will be served at the social on Easter Sunday. An Easter egg hunt is scheduled as well. Physiotherapy is provided on a regular basis for those residents in need. The Nu-Step cross trainers are very busy with residents exercising. Right now the birds are providing the entertainment around the patio area. They are very busy building their nests in the shelter of the shrubs. Residents really enjoyed the musical entertainment program provided by Johnny Borton.

National Volunteer week is fast approaching April 27^th to May 3^rd. We would like to express our appreciation to all the wonderful, caring people who have helped make our home a great place to reside. We truly value your commitment and dedication. Birthday wishes are extended to Connie Peterkin, John Keskeny and Anita Kendall. They all celebrate their special day in April. The birthday party was held on April 3^rd with Randy Grey providing the entertainment.

Residents are once again heading to Walmart on April 22^nd. If you wish to volunteer please contact the Activity department. Babcock Community Care welcomes Elaine Conway, Bill Harper and Don Gowanlock as their newest residents. We are watching the new long-term care facility building take shape as a large section of the roof is now in place.

Construction is continuing. Thanks to John Oliveira for these drone shots.