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Category: News

  • A Memo from the President and CEO

    Bethany Care Society is celebrating yet another significant step forward in the redevelopment of Bethany Cochrane project. The groundbreaking of Phase 1A of this project is eagerly anticipated for spring 2018.

    In October 2016, Bethany announced the proposed three-phase redevelopment for a new Bethany Cochrane “Campus of Care for Seniors” which envisions market and affordable housing for seniors, as well as supportive living options and long-term care.

    Recognizing the imminent needs of the Town of Cochrane’s aging population, Bethany has received approval from the Board of Directors to proceed with 32 market rate Lodge Housing units, deemed Phase 1A. This milestone marks the beginning of construction of the Bethany Cochrane redevelopment.

    Bethany is anxiously awaiting the outcome of the government funding applications to determine next steps in terms of future project phasing. As a non-profit Society, funding from the Government of Alberta is a critical component of any major project.

    Since the late 1980’s, Bethany has had the privilege of being the only provider of long-term care in the Cochrane community. This redevelopment project supports the Town’s overall goal of providing a diversity of housing for its citizens. Bethany remains committed to evolving to meet the housing needs of all seniors in Cochrane.

    Progress updates will be shared as the “Campus of Care for Seniors” redevelopment project continues to evolve. Open dialogue is a valuable commodity at Bethany. Those with questions are encouraged to contact: askBethanyCochrane@bethanyseniors.com

  • A Memo from the President and CEO

    Open dialogue is a valuable commodity at Bethany. As such, we’re committed to keeping staff apprised of ongoing developments and changes as they occur across the organization.

    After careful consideration, Bethany Airdrie will no longer accept new resident applications for supportive living in Arbor Manor. This decision was carefully weighed; ultimately, it was based upon the lack of financial viability of this program, as well as the newer supportive living options now available to seniors wanting to live in Airdrie. Simply put, we can no longer remain competitive in the local marketplace.

    Bethany Airdrie will continue to operate its long-term care center. The pending changes will not impact long-term care residents. Our supportive living program will remain open to support current residents. As we work through this period of transition, staffing hours will be adjusted. Any questions should be directed to Shelley Rolfe, Site Administrator of Bethany Airdrie, at 403.948.8426 or AskBethanyAirdrie@bethanyseniors.com.

    At Bethany, we strive to foster an environment dedicated to delivering exceptional service to our residents, their families, to each other and our community partners.

     

    – Jennifer McCue
    President & Chief Executive Officer

  • A Message from the President and CEO

    This weekend we remembered the sacrifice made by the women and men who served in Canada’s military. Growing up, this day was an important one for my family. I remember every year from the age of 6 onward attending two services on November 11; laying wreaths in memory of my grandfather and father who served in the First World War and Second World War respectively.

    As a child I loved to hear the stories about my father and his service. My dad enlisted at age 16 and when he arrived at basic training he was sent home for being underage. At 18 he was back and spent his career serving his country. At his funeral we were surrounded by all things military. As a six year old I was in awe of the ceremony and how he was honored for his service. I cherish the buttons from his dress uniform; mementos that are important reminders of his call to serve his country.

    Since moving from rural PEI to Alberta I have always paused at 11 a.m. to remember the service of my family but also of all those who served and continue to serve. Last year I was privileged to once again lay a wreath in memory of my father in my hometown.

    I am a proud daughter and a proud Canadian…Lest We Forget.

    As always I welcome your comments.

    – Jennifer

  • A Message from the COO

    Moving Forward with Resident and Family Engagement

    Over the last few years there has been a significant shift in Continuing Care towards greater engagement of residents and families in the delivery of care. This shift is reflected in the current Accreditation Standards, Continuing Care Health Services Standards and the Health Quality Council of Alberta surveys. All of these speak to the importance of involving residents and families in the development of care goals so that they are customized and reflect the needs, values and choices of the resident. An emerging person-centered approach in health care is engaging residents and families beyond individual care decisions and partnering with them in planning and design decisions that contribute to the development of programs and services within Supportive Living and Continuing Care. This fall, Bethany was given an opportunity to participate in a collaborative program with the University of Calgary that supports this work.

    Bethany is partnering with the University of Calgary’s Scholars Academy Cohort Program which provides students across faculties to choose voluntary work within the community that supports their learning. Students from Medicine, Social Sciences and Business will come together to contribute their perspectives and skills in the design and development of a resident and family engagement strategy for Bethany. This strategy will be used to help align Bethany’s programs, service planning and delivery with national standards. Their work will contribute to improving and enhancing resident and family engagement approaches and opportunities over the next year.

    This work is timely and aligned with Bill 22 (The Resident and Family Councils Act) which the NDP government tabled in the Alberta legislature on October 31, 2017. This Bill acknowledges the crucial role that resident and family councils play in creating caring and supportive environments and ensures that their voice is heard on issues including food, care services, programs and activities.

    This is very important work and all of us have an important role to play in engaging our residents and families as we move forward. I look forward to working with you on this exciting journey.

    As always, I welcome any ideas or suggestions you may have. Please send them to me at nancy.hughes@bethanyseniors.com.

    Regards,

    – Nancy

  • Bethany Employees Stand Out

    Congratulations to the Bethany employees who were nominated for the Alberta Care Provider of the Year award at the ACCA IQ Awards.

    Jeanne Calma, HCA at Bethany Cochrane, Lyanne Limbona-Gange, RN at Bethany CollegeSide and Nicola Devoe, LPN at Bethany CollegeSide were all nominated for this award. Chelsey Bruyea, HCA at Bethany CollegeSide was also nominated and was a finalist for this award. Thank you all for your hard work and for exemplifying our mission of creating caring communities at Bethany.

  • Conference Profile: Nadine Buchart

    What did you present on at the conference?

    Peter Czepuryk and I presented a poster on the family onboarding working group and I also provided a verbal presentation on freedoms offered in a dementia secured environment.

    What was the best part about representing Bethany at the ACCA conference?

    It was a great opportunity to share some of the initiatives and work that is happening with Bethany. I am especially proud of the care team at Bethany Harvest Hills and the stories of success that I shared were a testimonial to their dedication towards quality dementia care.

    What is your favourite part about working at Bethany?

    Diversity – both in my role and the people that I work with. No two days are alike.

    What is your personal philosophy?

    Live in the moment!

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    Spend time with my kids and dogs – and my grandkids and granddogs! We love to be outdoors, take summer camping trips and I enjoy a good book or a long walk!

  • Conference Profile: Peter Czepuryk

    What did you present on at the conference?

    My presentation was based on the expansion of the Managing Dementia with Expertise program (MDE). It was based on the strong resident and family-focused philosophy that this program displays. It is a one of a kind program that supports the care of residents that have complex dementia needs that other traditional long-term care environments are not structured to provide and are unable to do in a safe manner.

    What was the best part about representing Bethany at the ACCA conference?

    Sharing with industry partners, colleagues, leaders and champions. This allowed me to share the good work with many people that have a passion for the work that we do here at Bethany.

    What is your favourite part about working at Bethany?

    That we embrace challenges and try to create the best environment for the residents we care for.

    What is your personal philosophy?

    Treat everyone with dignity and respect. While the work that we do isn’t always easy we still need to remember that we are people first, and we are part of a larger team. By respecting this and everyone in the team I feel that we can get the best out of everyone.

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    I am a very active person and a family-based individual. I love to spend time with my two boys Ethan and Cole in whatever activity I can, whether that is tennis, volleyball, baseball or just watching a movie. Of course I could not do that without my wife Stacey, and together we really make an effort to put family first in all our decisions.

  • A Message from the VP, People and Culture

    A Successful Safety Audit

    Safety is a key priority for Bethany, and our commitment to safety was recently recognized and commended during a PIR safety audit conducted October 16 – 23 at Bethany Calgary, Aidrie, Harvest Hills and Sylvan Lake. PIR refers to Partners in Injury Reduction, and is an important safety program that Bethany has been a participating member of for many years.

    Bethany is audited very often (many would say too often!). However, the PIR Audit is the only audit that focusses exclusively on the safety of those who work at Bethany (staff, contractors, volunteers). On behalf of the entire Executive Leadership Team, I wanted to take this opportunity to express our personal gratitude and appreciation to each and every one of our staff and Aramark partners at Bethany Airdrie, Bethany Calgary, Bethany Harvest Hills and Bethany Sylvan Lake for your participation in, and support of, our successful PIR audit.  Passing the audit allows us to re-certify for the provincial Certificate of Recognition for Bethany’s occupational health and safety program for the next three years. Whether you were interviewed by the auditor, completed a questionnaire, or just showed our typical Bethany hospitality and friendliness, it is greatly appreciated.

    Employee and contractor safety is one of Bethany’s Standards for Service Excellence, and one of our core values. Participating in Partners in Injury Reduction helps us to evaluate and improve our safety program as part of our ongoing commitment and dedication to providing the safest possible workplace for everyone who comes to work at Bethany. Our safety program can only ever be as good as the people who work with it every day, so thank you to each and every one of you for “living” safety every day in support of “Creating Caring Communities”.

    – Lisa

  • Conference Profile: Janine Ollenberger

    What did you present on at the conference?

    I co-presented at the conference with Peter Czepuryk on the expansion of the Managing Dementia with Expertise (MDE) complex care unit. My part was to present a case review.

    What was the best part about representing Bethany at the ACCA conference?

    It was a great opportunity to continue to raise awareness and educate health care professionals across Alberta on the wonderful work our MDE program does and the impact it has on complex dementia.

    What is your favourite part about working at Bethany?

    My favorite part of working at Bethany is the relationships I have built, with staff as well as residents and their families.

    What is your personal philosophy?

    My personal philosophy is about making a difference in the world. Everyone has individual gifts and it is our responsibility to utilize these gifts to the fullest and live our best life.

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    In my spare time I enjoy going to my trailer on weekends to spend time with family and friends and to golf. Now that the weather is getting colder, I am looking forward to heading to the mountains to snowboard.

  • Remembrance Day Service Dates

    Please see the list below of Remembrance Day services at each site.