Transforming Senior Care: Wayhome Unit Unveils New Palliative Care Room
This year, a generous family foundation made a $600,000 donation to support senior care in Orillia. With their gift, the Harvie 2 Wayhome Unit has opened the hospital’s only palliative care room, and enhancements to the patient recreation room are underway. These improvements will greatly enhance the quality of care and comfort for both patients and care teams.
The Wayhome unit opened in 2019 to support the increasing number of seniors (65+) in need of alternative levels of care while they wait for a long-term care placement.
Though healthcare professionals can provide excellent support to patients and families during their last hours, it is incredibly impactful to have a dedicated space for palliative patients to rest comfortably with family.
The palliative care room renovations were completed at the beginning of March and the first patient moved in just days later. The room, referred to as “The Cottage”, provides a peaceful, warm, and comfortable place for patients to receive end-of-life care.
The welcoming and calming space that The Cottage provides was thoughtfully considered with input from caregivers and healthcare providers. It has a nature theme, complete with wood floors, a simulated window view of the lake, and a digital skylight that transforms through the day. A new bed, two sleeper chairs, a television, a kitchenette, and a private bathroom allow families to spend quality moments with their loved one.
The recreation room, named “The Lodge”, will have nature-themed murals, an electric fireplace, a television, and a digital skylight. New exercise equipment, games, crafting materials, and a dining area will enhance the patient experience and provide more opportunities for therapeutic recreation.
These updates to the Wayhome unit provide patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers with a more comfortable environment and improve the well-being of everyone. On behalf of the Wayhome Unit team and the patients it serves, we thank our donors for their investment into senior care in our region.
To learn more about how you can support excellence in senior care, please visit https://osmhfoundation.ca/infinite-possibilities/.