Person Centred Care
All care at Sunnyside is person and emotion-focused. It focuses on meaningful relationships and activities. It is comfort-focused, rich in choices for the resident, and celebrates the personal goals of each person.
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. Sunnyside is currently working on bringing the elements of Butterfly throughout the entire home.
Read more about the Butterfly Approach at Sunnyside Home in the Region of Waterloo's 2023 Yearbook.
What is The Butterfly Approach?
The Butterfly Approach is about making long-term care feel more like home. Schedules and tasks are replaced with flexibility and engagement. Staff don’t wear uniforms. The people working in the home share meaningful moments with the people living there every day and feel like family.
Other homes that have become certified in this approach have reported better health, social and emotional outcomes for residents.
What does a Butterfly home look and feel like?
A Butterfly home is full of colour and life! It reflects the unique interests, history and personality of the people living and working within the home. Objects and items are always in reach to engage people in activities that give them meaning and purpose.
Butterfly homes have a kitchen with access to food and drinks throughout the day and comfortable spaces where people can spend time together.
What does certification involve?
Certification in the Butterfly Approach involves:
- Moving away from task based, clinical model of care to a more flexible and relaxed approach.
- Providing staff with training and tools that enable them to make emotional connections with the people living in the home as well as an understanding of the complex needs of people living with dementia.
- Enhancing the environment to make it feel more like home full of colour, texture and the stuff of life to spark discussion and change a moment.
- Creating unique households and spaces to support the unique needs of individuals at different stages of the dementia journey.
How can I learn more about The Butterfly Approach?
To learn about our Butterfly journey at Sunnyside Home, please contact:
Angela Steadman, Administrator, Long-Term Care, 519-893-8494 ext. 6055, angsteadman@regionofwaterloo.ca
How can I support The Butterfly Approach?
Sunnyside Home's certification in The Butterfly Approach along with a number enhancements to the physical environment have been generously funded by the Sunnyside Foundation, a registered charity that raises funds to enhance the lives of older adults in Waterloo Region.
To learn more about The Sunnyside Foundation or to make a donation in support of The Butterfly Approach, please visit www.sunnysidefoundation.ca.
