Sunnyside Home Long-Term Care
An outbreak of an acute respiratory illness (ARI) has been declared for the Shantz Hill home area at Sunnyside Home. Please see below for details
Please subscribe to our webpage to stay informed.
Not sure who to contact at Sunnyside? Please call the Sunnyside Hotline at 519-893-8494 extension 6868.
An outbreak of an acute respiratory illness (ARI) has been declared for the Shantz Hill home area at Sunnyside Home. Residents who develop symptoms will be isolated.
The following outbreak measures are in place for the Shantz Hill home area:
- Masks are required to be worn by all staff and visitors while on the outbreak home area. Masks are provided at the main entrance and at the entrance to Shantz Hill.
- Visitors may continue to visit one at a time in the resident’s room.
- Shantz Hill residents are asked to stay on the home area. If a resident needs to leave for an urgent reason, they should wear a mask if it can be tolerated.
- If visiting with a resident in isolation, you must wear a mask, goggles, gloves and a gown.
- Small group programs will continue on the outbreak home area
- Staff who work on an outbreak home areas are being co-horted to work only on that area
If you are visiting Sunnyside Home, please monitor yourself for symptoms and do not visit if you are feeling unwell. If the person you are visiting is experiencing symptoms, please report them to registered staff immediately.
Our infection control team will work with Public Health to work towards ending this outbreak as soon as possible. We will continue to provide updates to the outbreak and measures in place to support it. If you have questions about this information, please email Sunnyside@regionofwaterloo.ca, call 519-893-8494 extension 6868 or speak to the team leader.
Sunnyside Home
When you are no longer able to live at home, Sunnyside Home offers a warm, friendly atmosphere, modern amenities and quality care. Making sure you have the best quality of life is important to us. We look forward to getting to know you and helping you feel at home.
Sunnyside Home is a long-term care home owned by the Region of Waterloo in the Stanley Park area of Kitchener. Our 263 residents are part of a vibrant community in a park-like setting on a campus of services for older adults. Our grounds have gardens, walkways and courtyards to enjoy. There are also many opportunities to get involved so you can continue doing things that make you happy or try something new.
This video will give you a glimpse into what life is like at Sunnyside.
Vision, Mission, and Core Value
Do You Have Questions About Moving to Long-Term Care?
Infection Control at Sunnyside
RAVE: A Great Way to Show Your Appreciation for Sunnyside Staff
Policies, Plans, and Other Information
Vision, Mission, and Core Value
Sunnyside Home is part of Seniors' Services, a division of the Region of Waterloo.
Vision |
A compassionate community that cares for all people, stewards the land for future generations and where everyone has the opportunity to live a good life. |
Mission |
Providing essential services that support quality of life for each and every person in Waterloo Region. |
Core Value |
Care for people and the land we share. |
How to Apply
To apply for Sunnyside Home, visit the Ontario Health atHome website or call 519-748-2222.
Ontario Health atHome can help you determine if you need long term care, or if you are able to stay in the community with care and support in your home. If it becomes too difficult for you to live on your own, they can offer long-term care options.
Please do not submit any personal or health-related information about yourself or family members through the "contact us" link at the bottom of this page.
Sunnyside Home offers many services and amenities that make you feel safe and comfortable while living here.
Room types and rates | ||||||||||
View rates (set by the province of Ontario). For more information on rates, eligibility, and to apply for Sunnyside Home, visit the Ontario Health atHome website or call 519-748-2222. Home and Community Care Support Services can help you determine if you need long term care, or if you are able to stay in the community with care and support in your home. If it becomes too difficult for you to live on your own, they can offer long-term care options. |
||||||||||
Services included | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Services at an additional cost | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Butterfly Approach | ||||||||||
Sunnyside Home is the first home in Waterloo Region certified in The Butterfly Approach®, an innovative model of person-centred, emotion-focused dementia care. Sunnyside Home has achieved a Level 1, "Outstanding" accreditation from Meaningful Care Matters, an organization based out of the United Kingdom whose mission is to create meaningful care cultures where people are ‘free to be me’. Two home areas at Sunnyside Home that provide care for people living with dementia have achieved Butterfly accreditation. Read more about the Butterfly Approach at Sunnyside Home in the Region of Waterloo's 2023 Yearbook.
|
||||||||||
Amenities | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Tours |
||||||||||
Take a virtual tour of Sunnyside Home. Come in to Sunnyside Home! Call 519-893-8494, ext. 6360 to schedule a tour. |
Do You Have Questions About Moving to Long-Term Care?
Navigating the journey into Long-Term Care (LTC) can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Family Councils Ontario has created a comprehensive Long-Term Care Navigation Guide to help you understand the process, plan ahead, and make informed decisions.
Some of the topics covered in this guide are:
- Where to Start
- Applying for Long Term Care
- Understanding Financial Support
- Engaging with the Care Community
This guide is a practical resource to empower individuals with the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the complexities of long-term care, ensuring a positive and informed experience.
The guide can be found on the Family Councils Ontario website here
Useful Links
- Ontario Association of Residents' Councils - 2022 Residents' Bill of Rights
- Alzheimer Society of Waterloo Wellington
- Waterloo Wellington area | Ontario Health atHome
- Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
- Waterloo Wellington HealthLine
- Health Quality Ontario
- AdvantAge Ontario
- Ontario Association of Residents' Councils (OARC)
- Family Councils Ontario
Infection Control at Sunnyside
Sunnyside Seniors’ Services has an Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) team who are dedicated to the wellness and safety of the Sunnyside community.
Infection Control Reminders for Visiting at Sunnyside Home
We would like to remind all those who are visiting Sunnyside to monitor themselves for symptoms and not to visit if feeling unwell. If the person you are visiting is experiencing symptoms, please report them to registered staff immediately.
Visitors are asked to self-screen before they enter the building. This means that a visitor should not be experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Fever and/or chills
- New or worsening cough
- Shortness of breath
- Decrease or loss of sense of smell or taste
- Muscle aches/joint pain
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuff/congested nose
- Headache
- Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
Please sign in at the front entrance and note who you are visiting. Also, it is important to perform hand hygiene when coming into the building, before seeing a resident, after seeing a resident, and before you leave the building.
Outbreaks
What is an outbreak?
An outbreak refers to a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease or health problem in a specific location or population.
Outbreaks can spread quickly in long-term care. Knowing how to recognize, manage, and report them can help keep our residents safe.
The two types of outbreaks that are common in Long-Term Care: Respiratory and Enteric.
A respiratory outbreak can include COVID-19, Influenza, or other acute respiratory infection (ARI)
An enteric outbreak means that there are multiple cases of a gastrointestinal illness with symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting
What does Sunnyside do when there is an outbreak?
The Sunnyside IPAC team closely monitors any symptoms that our residents are experiencing and reports to Public Health. Public Health decides if an outbreak is declared.
When an outbreak is declared, the Sunnyside IPAC team follows the directions of Public Health. Residents who experience symptoms are isolated and tested (if applicable.)
Outbreak measures vary depending on the severity and type. Some directions include (but are not limited to):
- Wearing a surgical mask
- Limiting the number of visitors a resident can have at a time
- Wearing provided personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Not leaving the home area and/or attending large home-wide programming
- Staff co-horted to only work in one area
If an outbreak is called, a list of outbreak measures is always posted on the Sunnyside website, sent via email to caregivers and residents, and posted at the main entrance.
Additional Safety Precautions
- Sunnyside promotes vaccines as an effective measure to prevent infectious diseases and encourages everyone to keep their immunizations up to date. Vaccines and immunization | ontario.ca
- Sunnyside will continue to maintain a sufficient supply of PPE at all times
- Staff and residents will continue to practice stringent hand hygiene
- Staff will wear PPE as directed by Public Health
- Sunnyside has a Pandemic Preparedness Plan that is revised regularly
- Sunnyside will continue to work closely with Public Health to ensure the highest standards of IPAC and will maintain an onsite IPAC team
IPAC Resources
- Public Health: How to stop the spread of germs (PDF poster)
- Public Health Ontario resources (resources available in multiple languages)
- Infectious Diseases | Public Health Ontario
If you have any IPAC-related questions, please contact Noel Belcourt, Coordinator, Infection Prevention and Control by email at nbelcourt@regionofwaterloo.ca or by phone at 519-893-8494 extension 6304
Get Involved at Sunnyside
There are many ways to get involved at Sunnyside for both residents and community members who would like to lend a hand to older adults.
Donate to the Sunnyside Foundation |
The Sunnyside Foundation is a registered charity whose mission is to secure financial support to help enhance the well-being and quality of life for the residents and community served by Sunnyside Seniors’ Services. For more information about the Sunnyside Foundation, please follow this link |
Volunteer at Sunnyside |
Volunteers are valued members of our community who help in all areas of Seniors' Services. Every year they give over twenty-one thousand hours of their time to support older adults! Your skills and experience can have a positive impact on someone's life. Your support will:
For more information about volunteering at Sunnyside, please follow this link |
Join the Sunnyside Family Council |
Sunnyside Family Council is a group of family members and friends of the residents of Sunnyside Home Long-Term Care who gather together for peer support, education, and to improve the experiences of all people living at the Home. They strive to improve the quality of life for residents by:
The commitment to this group is approximately 1 hour per month for meetings. The Family Council is always looking for new members. If you are interested in joining Family Council or if you would like more information about the group, please email SunnysideFamilyCouncil@gmail.com For more information about Family Councils, please visit the Family Councils Ontario website. |
Attend Resident's Council Meetings |
The Residents' Council provides an opportunity for residents to be involved and contribute to the decisions which impact their lives. The Residents' Council at Sunnyside Home meets monthly. All residents are welcome to attend and to share feedback and suggestions. |
Join the Joint Resident, Family, and Volunteer Advisory Committee |
This committee gives counsel and advice to Sunnyside staff on planning activities and the operation of the home. It is made up of five residents, three family members and two volunteers. |
RAVE: A Great Way to Show Your Appreciation for Sunnyside Staff
What is RAVE? |
RAVE is an employee recognition tool that is used throughout the Region of Waterloo. Sending a Sunnyside staff member a RAVE card is great way to let them know how much you appreciate their hard work! |
How can I send a RAVE card? |
If you would like to send a card online, please complete this form. We will make sure that your message gets to the appropriate staff member.
If you would like to send a card in person, please visit the RAVE station onsite at Sunnyside Home. After you write your card, you can put it into the mailbox at the RAVE station or into any of the Resident Suggestion Boxes. On the envelope, please make sure to write the staff member's name, their role, the home area they work on, and any other helpful information so we can make sure it gets to the right person. You can also give the staff member the card directly. |
When should I send a RAVE card? |
Whenever you feel like a Sunnyside staff member has gone above and beyond, please consider sending them a RAVE card to let them know how much you appreciate their actions. |
For more information about the RAVE program, please contact Jeff Burton by email at jburton@regionofwaterloo.ca, by phone at extension 6377, or in person by visiting the Sunnyside Foundation office.
Leadership Team Contacts
Address: 247 Franklin Street North, Kitchener, ON N2A 1Y5
General Email: sunnyside@regionofwaterloo.ca
General Phone: 519-893-8482
Director, Seniors' Services: Julie Wheeler, 519-893-8494, ext 6310, email: jwheeler@regionofwaterloo.ca
Administrator, Long-Term Care: Angela Steadman, 519-893-8494, ext 6055, email: angsteadman@regionofwaterloo.ca
Manager, Resident Care (Director of Nursing and Personal Care): Marie Belanger, 519-893-8494, ext 6312, email: mbelanger@regionofwaterloo.ca
Coordinator, Infection Prevention and Control: Noel Belcourt, 519-893-8494, ext 6304, email: nbelcourt@regionofwaterloo.ca
Policies, Plans, and Other Information
2023-2027 Seniors' Services Strategic Plan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A Strategic Plan identifies the kind of community we want to build together and what decisions we need today to make this vision a reality. The Strategic Plan outlines the roadmap the Seniors' Services program area will follow from now through 2027.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Plan (2025/2026) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The Quality Improvement Report identifies some of the things that Sunnyside will work towards in the coming year (2025/2026). The intent of the report is to promote continuous quality improvement across all long-term care homes in Ontario.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 Resident and Family/Caregiver Satisfaction Survey | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A sincere thank-you to the 102 residents and 144 care partners who completed the 2023 Sunnyside Home satisfaction surveys last Fall. We are pleased to present the results and action items emerging from the surveys.
Resident Survey Results:
Most Care Partners (97%) rated Sunnyside Home as a “good” or “excellent” place to live. The satisfaction ratings listed below reflect the percentage of care partners who selected the ratings of “very good” or “excellent” in rating Sunnyside Home on the items listed below.
Action Plan:
The following action items have been identified based on the survey findings:
For more information of the results of the 2023 Sunnyside Home Satisfaction Surveys, please contact Kelly Buxton: 519-893-8494 extension 6388 or by email: kbuxton@regionofwaterloo.ca |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Making a Complaint | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Complaints Policy Statement Sunnyside Seniors' Services adheres to the highest standards of professional and personal conduct. There may however, from time to time, be concerns or complaints regarding our service from residents, their care partners, service providers, or the community. Receiving feedback from those we serve is an integral component of our quality improvement process and supports us in identifying areas where we need to change our policies and practices. Sunnyside Seniors' Services is committed to ensuring that any complaint we receive is handled in a way that is timely, fair, and respectful. Making a Complaint If you have feedback on the services you received or a concern related to any area of the Home, we encourage you to speak with a member of our team so that we can address your concerns promptly.
All formal concerns and complaints received in writing will be documented, including a list of the issues, date expressed, follow-up actions taken, final resolution of the concern and the date that feedback was provided to the complainant. We will respond in 10 business days to all written complaints and the Ministry of Long-Term Care will receive a copy, including a description of the follow-up action. |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Emergency Plans | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Legislative Requirements Since 2010, long-term care homes have been required to have written emergency plans for specified emergencies. Emergency planning requirements were expanded in 2021 under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act (O. Reg. 246/22). Emergency plans are written with the intent of meeting and ensuring compliance with a variety of applicable Acts and associated legislation. Key applicable legislation can be found in the following Acts.
Emergency Defined An Emergency is defined by the “Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, 1990” as: "A situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident, or an act whether intentional or otherwise." Process for Managing Emergencies To ensure that Sunnyside is prepared for dealing with the legislatively designated emergencies, a management plan has been created that reflects the listed legislation in O. Reg 246/22 s 268. (Fixing Long Term Care Act, 2021) The emergency plans include five key components to effectively manage an emergency:
List of Primary Emergency Procedures at Sunnyside
List of Secondary Emergency Procedures at Sunnyside (Not Colour Coded)
Stakeholder Consultation To support emergency policy development and oversight of necessary changes, Sunnyside engages internal and external stakeholders, as applicable. Stakeholders engaged include, but are not limited to staff, residents, and community partners. Internal stakeholders include:
External stakeholders include:
Emergency Plan Content Emergency plans, at Sunnyside, follow a standardized format to support comprehension and an effective response should an emergency occur. Each emergency plan articulates:
Testing/Evaluating and Improving Emergency Plans Emergency plans at Sunnyside are tested/evaluated, and improvements to the plans are made as necessary. Testing of emergency plans at Sunnyside aligns with the requirements of the FLTCA:
In addition to internally facilitated testing of emergency plans, annual testing of Sunnyside’s fire and evacuation emergency plans are led by the local Municipal Fire Department. This testing tests and evaluates the organization’s response to fire and evacuation. For all table-top exercises, drills and functional exercises/simulations an audit and evaluation is completed and corresponding documentation about what went well and what needs improvement is captured and followed up on. Training All staff regardless of discipline or position in the organization receive education at time of hire and annually thereafter via Sunnyside’s online learning modules. Further training on emergency procedures, for staff, is provided by Sunnyside’s Staff Education Coordinator and the Coordinator, Quality Improvement and Risk Management. This training uses diverse modalities including: table-top exercises, drills, and functional exercises so that staff understand how to respond in the event of an emergency. Volunteers are also oriented to emergency plans. This is led by Sunnyside’s Volunteer Coordinator. Access to Information Emergency plans can be accessed via multiple means:
Staff Direction Follow these steps during a building-related emergency
Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) BERT is comprised of senior leaders and will convene during an emergency to manage the initial response and determine if a secondary response is needed.
For more information about Sunnyside’s Emergency Plan please feel free to contact Gerard Reuss, Coordinator, Quality Improvement and Risk Management at greuss@regionofwaterloo.ca
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Visitor Policy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Our team has developed a plan based on direction of the Ministries of Health and Long Term Care, as well as Public Health to support communities to connect residents with family, friends and the community in a safe and meaningful way. Please review our Public Policy for Visiting. If you have any questions about this information, please call the Sunnyside hotline at 519-893-8494, ext 6868. |
Protecting your privacy: We respect your right to confidential care. Please see our Information Practices Statement for details.
Contact Us