The fiscal year for Whalley & District Senior Citizens Housing Society ended on March 31st, 2021 and our financials are in good shape. Our external audit is scheduled for early May and the Society’s 45th Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 23rd. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the AGM will once again be held virtually via Zoom and we hope our Society members, Elders, families, volunteers and staff are able to attend. At the meeting, we will share the audited financial statements, our annual indicator report card and an update on COVID-19 and how it has impacted the Elders and staff at KL. There will also be a status report on the two separate surveys being conducted by the Office of the Seniors Advocate and Fraser Health Authority. FHA’s Executive Director of Integrated Long Term Care & Assisted Living has specifically asked for input from stakeholders as they update their strategic plan to incorporate this feedback into future planning for LTC. I extend my thanks to the Elders, families and staff who have already completed the surveys.
April was Volunteer Month and while current safety protocols still do not allow volunteers onsite, please know we miss you and your valued contribution to Eldercare. In previous years, our volunteers have contributed over 12,500 volunteer hours to enhance the quality of life for our Elders. We miss our volunteers having one-on-one visits, facilitating the Java Music Club, maintaining the garden, managing the Shoppe and helping with our VIP’s or “Very Important Pets”.
KL is participating in some exciting quality improvement initiatives. We have partnered with UBC on their “High Risk One Site Policy” research project and are also working with the Canadian Foundation of Dietetic Research to study “Constipation and Malnutrition in the Elderly in Long Term Care Facilities”. Both studies align with our upcoming Accreditation Canada survey due in September 2022. Accreditation Canada will measure our current practices through independent assessments against global standards. As always, we strive to deliver quality care at the highest level possible to our community. Be on the lookout for updates on how you can help us maintain our Accreditation of Exemplary Standing!
Safety is always a focus for KL and recently our Elders and staff produced a submission for SafeCare BC’s “Safety Den” competition. Although our “Wash it Off” video did not win, we did have a lot of fun in the making. Stay tuned for a glimpse of our hit production on our social media channels.
We are once again hosting the annual competition to decorate the balconies and garden. Staff are busy planning and buying plants to beautify each neighbourhood and judging will occur in a few weeks’ time. As the weather begins to warm up, we hope everyone will take time to enjoy the endless beauty of nature.
Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, foster mothers, step mothers, surrogate mothers, mother figures, mothers-to-be, and also to the men out there who are both the mother and father for their families too! Know you are all loved!