A Day at AB Smith Homestead House
Person‑centred daily routines shaped around comfort, choice, and individual preferences.
Morning Routine
We strive to keep individuals as close as possible to their morning routine at home. We let patients wake up naturally. We do not wake up our patients in the morning for medications. We allow them to sleep, and we try our best to keep the hallways quiet so they can sleep peacefully. Medications are administered at a mutually agreeable time.
Once awake, staff and volunteers will come around to see what the patient would like for breakfast. Breakfast includes a selection of hot or cold cereal, the muffin of the day or toast, eggs, yogurt or cheese, fruit, juice, milk, coffee, or tea. Staff will deliver trays to the patient’s room.
Care partners have full access to the Pantry at any time, which is equipped with a microwave, coffee maker, kettle, toaster, utensils, and pantry space for personal ingredients. Toast, muffins, soup, sandwiches, frozen entrées, juice, coffee, and tea are available throughout the day.
In the morning and throughout the day, staff will offer the patient personal care, showers, bed baths, turning and repositioning, and bedding changes. Toileting, including wheeled commode to the bathroom, toileting via bedside commode, or bedpans will be offered.
Lunch
Volunteers or staff will come around in the morning and ask what patients would like for lunch. If the patient is sleeping, they will return later to bring them something. The lunch menu offers a variety of options, including Chef’s Choice meals selected with personal preferences in mind. If an alternate meal is desired, choices include various soups, sandwiches, salad, and various desserts.
In addition to access to Pantry items, care partners are also welcome to prepare meals or heat up food in the Pantry and Family-Style Kitchen. Access to the Family-Style Kitchen is limited during meal preparation, but at other times, care partners may use the space. Please ask staff or volunteers for assistance if you wish to use the stove.
Dinner
Volunteers or staff will come around in the afternoon and ask what patients would like for dinner. Staff will deliver trays to the patient’s room. The dinner menu offers a variety of options, including Chef’s Choice meals selected with personal preferences in mind. If an alternate meal is desired, choices include various soups, sandwiches, salad, and desserts.
Care partners can choose options from the Pantry or prepare meals or heat up food in the Pantry and Family-Style Kitchen (outside of meal service time). Please ask staff or volunteers for assistance if you wish to use the stove.
Bedtime
If the patient has a bedtime preference, please let the staff know, and we will do our best to accommodate bedtime care at that time. Staff will come around to offer care and medications before bed and check on patients throughout the night to ensure their needs are met.
Throughout the Day
Throughout the day, staff and volunteers will visit patients and care partners to offer opportunities for movement, including access to outdoor spaces. Outside of this, if you need staff assistance, please utilize the call bell instead of leaving the room to find staff members. This will ensure the most efficient response time.
We try to keep the routine as home-like as possible. Please notify staff of anything that we can do to make your stay or your room more familiar.
At any point throughout the day, the patient may call to ask for food, drink, toileting, or personal care in addition to what is offered when staff and volunteers come around to visit.
