How we help enrich lives
If we are going to help our residents live better, then it is our responsibility to offer them every opportunity to be actively engaged and involved. At Extendicare Mississauga, we provide social and recreational services seven days a week - including holidays. These services are designed to meet the physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of our residents. All activities are developed, organized and led by qualified staff and we offer both group and individualized services to meet residents’ unique needs and circumstances. Examples of our recreational services and activities include:
- Snozelen Room: Our Snozelen Room is a sensory stimulation environment full of lights, smells, tactile surfaces and sounds for residents with dementia. The one-on-one sessions are 15 to 20 minutes long and lead by a member of our Behavioural Support Team. Sights, smells and sounds are geared to the resident’s personal history and it is very effective in calming agitated residents and creating positive responses.
- Montessori Program: Our Montessori Program helps residents living with dementia connect with things and activities from their past. The Behavioural Support Team learns as much as they can about the residents past from friends and family and then tailors activities to their past history. It helps them to feel needed or useful and can help reduce and control responsive behaviours.
- Art Therapy: Every two weeks, an Art Therapist from the Peel Art Gallery Museum comes to our home to meet with residents and discuss the history of our area as well as art and local artists. We also display artwork from the museum in our home.
- Music Therapy: A Registered Music Therapist comes to our home once a week to reminisce through music and song with residents. She plays her guitar and leads a sing-a-long with residents. Afterwards they talk about the songs and discuss their feelings and memories associated with the music.
- Music and Memory: Through our Music and Memory program, residents living with dementia can have their own personal playlist loaded on an iPod and listen with earphones to their favourite music.
- Pet Therapy: Through the St. John’s Ambulance Pet Therapy program, therapy dogs are brought into the home weekly for visits with residents.
- Bella the Dog: We also have our own in-house dog, Bella, who is somewhat of a local celebrity having been “interviewed” by local news outlets.
- Country Kitchen: There’s always something cooking or baking as residents prepare their favourite dishes in our activity room Country Kitchen.
- Celebration Room: Our Celebration Room is reserved for residents and family members to enjoy a private dinner. The room must be reserved in advance.
- Cultural Celebrations: Our Hindu residents celebrate Dwali and other festivals and traditions of their faith.
- Gardening Program: Residents with green thumbs enjoy our Gardening Program and tending to potted plants on balconies and throughout our building.
- Intergenerational Program: In our Intergenerational Program, elementary students from a nearby school come to the home to play games, sign songs read books and more with residents. Even the most reclusive residents enjoy being able to interact with children.
- Live Entertainment: Local performers provide weekly live entertainment for the residents.
We also offer a wide range of physiotherapy, cognitive, speech and occupational therapies according to the needs of our residents. Currently we offer:
- Certified Music Therapist
- Certified Art Therapist
- Registered Respiratory Therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech Therapist