If you ask Providence Care’s Adult Day Program staff or clients what they think of their new space at 340 Union St., you’ll only hear positive things. Things like more natural light to enjoy, separate spaces for additional programming, secure locks ensuring safety, and of course the joy of reuniting the program with their beloved billiards table. After two months in their new space located on the main level of Providence Transitional Care Centre, Adult Day Program Coordinator Beth Bruce says the entire team is relaxed, comfortable and excited to support clients and their families in a larger capacity the new space allows for.
“Families are very happy about the accessibility here, it’s easy to find, it’s easy to drive in and park,” explains Beth. “We’ve also been able to reinstate our Enhanced program, a smaller group program for adults in later stages of dementia, which has been really great. The new space is working really well.”
Providence Care’s Adult Day Program, often referred to as the Hildegarde Centre, serves people living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and physical disabilities. Clients participate in social and recreational programming while caregivers receive respite to run errands, attend work, or simply recharge.
“It’s amazing to be able to offer our clients additional days of care, welcome new clients and get our numbers back to where they were before the pandemic,” says Beth. “We’re also starting to offer our extended hours of care, which for caregivers who still work is tremendously helpful.”
The Adult Day Program moved out of Providence Manor, Providence Care’s long-term care home during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and into a temporary location at one of Providence Care’s community sites located at 525 Montreal St. For the next four years the Adult Day Program team worked with Providence Care’s Planning and Redevelopment department to identify a new, suitable space. Several locations were considered, but due to the large footprint required to operate the program, it was a challenge.
“Funding wasn’t included for our Adult Day Program or our Attendant Care Outreach Program to have a space in the newly developed Providence Manor, so we’ve always needed to find them a new space,” explains Regional Director of Community Support Programs Ben Gooch. “This has been something I’ve been working on since I became Director six years ago. So when this space [340 Union St.] was identified by our CEO Cathy Szabo and Vice President Krista Wells-Pearce, it was a huge team effort to make the move happen. There were a lot of points along the way where this looked like it couldn’t happen financially, but team Providence Care made it happen.”
The new Adult Day Program space is expansive with partition walls that create separate rooms. There are many accessible washrooms located within the space, lots of windows, and an adjoining outdoor patio. Originally, the space was renovated as a field hospital to treat patients with COVID-19. Fortunately, it was never utilized. Other than installing secure maglocks (electrified locking devices that use low-voltage power to keep an entrance secure) to ensure safety for clients who exit seek, no space alterations were required.
“The pandemic took space away from our Adult Day Program and Attendant Care Outreach Program but in a strange way it also gave space back,” explains Ben. “Everything has come full circle and it’s amazing to see how the program is utilizing the space now.”
With the program in its new space, it has now reinstated programs, extended its hours and will soon reach its pre-pandemic capacity of up to 30 clients per day, more than doubling its capacity from Montreal St. Through all the change, Adult Day program Manager JoAnn Shotton says staff have been flexible, accommodating and welcoming.
“My experience with the move was amazing and this building is incredible,” explains JoAnn. “Our own staff have been supportive and flexible, and staff have been welcoming. The facilities staff have been so supportive and patient as we work out the growing pains of getting everything established in the new space. From the centres I’ve toured, this is a much bigger space and we’re so grateful to be here and excited to increase our capacity.
The move of both the Adult Day Program and the Attendant Care Outreach Program is one of Ben’s final projects as Director of Community Support Programs. He has accepted a new role as CEO with Kingston Community Health Centres after a 15-year career with Providence Care.
“I’m really happy we were able to find the Adult Day program a new home. It’s not goodbye, but I feel good that the program is in a good spot as I leave. The Adult Day program and Attendant Care Outreach program teams have remained steadfastly positive and optimistic. They’ve shown strength of character through challenging times and I’m grateful for the use of this new space to best serve the needs of our clients.”
As the Adult Day Program continues to settle into its new home, there is excitement for the future. The move marks the start of a new chapter—one filled with opportunity and the continued commitment to helping clients live their best lives. As the team embraces the change, they look forward to creating more moments of connection, care, and joy in their expanded, secure and welcoming space.
