Older Doesn’t Have to Mean Bad
This is the second in our series of “Honest Reviews” of Long Term Care homes in the GTA. Last month we visited Cooksville, which did not meet our “would we send our parents there” standard. This month Lori reviews Lakeshore Lodge, located on Lake Shore Blvd W in Etobicoke.
Lakeshore Lodge was rebuilt in 1990 (the year the GST was introduced) following a catastrophic fire in 1983.
Honestly, the place feels like a 1990’s building – it is open and bright, with stained glass and muted wall colours. To me, it feels a like a modern church, the kind with light wood pews. The vibe is that of a friendly institution papered with inspirational posters and public health notices. This facility is owned and operated by the City of Toronto and is very liveable.
The great room is functional and there are a few outdoor spaces. There is also an onsite day care, and a tuck shop run by volunteers. We were told that the children from the daycare visit with the residents at the home – which, as we all know, is just good for the soul.
One thing we noticed was that there seems to be a lot of space on the first floor that is under-utilized, including the enormous entrance area.
On our tour, we visited a secure floor. There was a lot of action. It was not chaotic; it was active, and we were approaching dinner time.
The fact that most of the people in care today are there because they have developed some form of dementia means that there are lots of folks with walkers…well… walking. Some of the latest research states that up to 48% of us will develop some kind of dementia by the age of 80. And because the secure floors exist to keep residents from walking out onto the street and getting lost…they have no choice but to wander along the corridors.
Unfortunately, the hallways are not as wide as they would be in a newer building, but the space is still quite functional. At the time of its design, people requiring LTC were less likely to be ambulatory…or if they were, they likely had a destination in sight, so wandering might not have been as popular.
Care for people suffering from dementia is actually more complex than pain management and personal care. In addition to hands on care, people have to be kept safe…sometimes from themselves and from each other.
We observed that the residents were not unhappy or panicking (unlike Cooksville). They were just a little confused. There was virtually no wheelchair “parking lot” in spite of our tour being perilously close to the dinner hour. There were perhaps 6 people gathered in a room watching TV, and frankly, that room was a little small – but again, people there were not in crisis.
At the South end of the floor, there are comfortable chairs, a piano, a television and a lovely view of the lake in addition to several board games and lots of reading material.
During the tour, a couple of the residents shared, spontaneously, their gratitude for the care they receive at Lakeshore Lodge and how much they enjoy living there.
Lakeshore Lodge has 70 private units and 85 semi-private units. To be honest the semi-private rooms are small but still have enough space for a comfortable lazy boy style chair for the resident – along with a dresser and night table.
The private rooms are spacious enough to create a homey atmosphere. I saw many suites with personal touches. All the beds were made, and the rooms were neat.
Each floor has its own large, bright, dining room. At dinner time, tables are set with a white tablecloth and for breakfast and lunch, tables are set with placemats. On special occasions, the dining room is decorated, and each table has a little vase with flowers.
Overall, this is good option. The residence offers a robust activity calendar and a tidy environment. The staff is super friendly, and the residents are well cared for and for the most part, smiling.
