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Long Term Care

Copernicus Lodge is a 228 bed long-term care home serving the culturally specific needs of our Polish community and the broader Roncesvalles area. Our home is committed to providing the highest quality of individualized care and services to meet the needs of our seniors in a caring, compassionate, safe and secure environment. We deliver services using best practice approaches tailored to each resident’s specific needs.

We offer 24-hour nursing and personal care to our residents with a core interdisciplinary team that includes: Physicians, Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses, Personal Support Workers, Physiotherapy, Social Worker, Activation Therapy Assistants, Pastoral Care, and a Registered Dietitian.

Find out more about our Resident and Family Councils here.

If you are interested in booking a tour of the Copernicus Lodge Long-Term Care Home please click the link here.

Every resident admitted to Copernicus Lodge will be assigned an attending physician to oversee their medical care. All Attending Physicians are licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.  The physicians are accountable to their college with oversight from the home’s Medical Director.

Attending Physicians assess, plan, implement and evaluate each resident’s medical care and participate in a multi-disciplinary approach to care. Physicians are onsite and complete weekly rounds for the residents that they care for and are also available for consultation through the nursing staff as needed. There is 24/7 on-call schedule for attending Physicians.

Physicians complete documentation in the resident’s electronic health care record to maintain an ongoing record of the resident’s health and medical condition, provide a means of communication between the multidisciplinary team, and provide an ongoing evaluation of each resident’s medical status.  Attending Physicians do not have dedicated office space within the home and are not in the home each day.  As a result, the primary contact for medical care or medical concerns is through the Registered Nursing staff on each unit.

Copernicus Lodge is proud to work closely with our partners at St. Joseph’s Health Centre who provide support from their Ethicist, consulting Geriatricians, consulting Psycho-geriatrician and Geriatric Mental Health Outreach team nurse (GMHOT).  They also visit residents on a referral basis to assess and make recommendations regarding the management of residents with challenging cognitive or behavioural issues.

Privacy and Confidentiality:  Personal healthcare information about a resident can only be provided to a Resident, or their verified substitute decision-maker, such as the Power of Attorney for Care (POA) – Personal Care.

Copernicus Lodge strives to offer exceptional care to our seniors. Each member of our nursing staff is chosen based on their competence, professional qualifications, understanding and commitment to the needs of our seniors. We are committed to working with residents and families to ensure Copernicus Lodge upholds its motto of “A place to call home”.

Nursing care is provided by Registered Nurses (RN or RPN) licensed by the College of Nurses of Ontario. Assistance with activities of daily living (personal care) is provided by Personal Support Workers (PSWs). Nursing and personal care are overseen by the Director of Care and Assistant Directors of Care and Nursing Supervisors.

Copernicus Lodge utilizes a multidisciplinary team approach to provide individualized care to meet the specific needs of each resident. Nursing staff complete ongoing assessments and care plans which detail each resident’s individualized care needs. On-site services include physiotherapy, dental clinics and advanced foot care clinics through our contracted service providers. Referrals are also made for hearing and vision consults.

A consulting Enterostomal Therapy Nurse (ET Nurse) provides on-site and virtual consults to aid in the assessment, prevention and management of residents with skin wounds and ulcers.

 

P.I.E.C.E.S.™ is a holistic person-centered approach and model of care that considers an individual’s Physical, Intellectual, and Emotional health, Capabilities, Environment and Social life.  We are pleased to have several staff who are specially trained in the P.I.E.C.E.S.™ model of care to support our residents’ physical, psychological and cognitive needs and their associated behavioural changes.

Copernicus Lodge provides an interdisciplinary, compassionate approach to Palliative Care and End of Life Care that considers the resident’s physical, emotional, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs.  Assessments are completed and options are made available which provide for quality of life improvements, symptom management, psychosocial support, and End of Life Care.

This 18-bed secure Dementia Care Unit provides care for residents with cognitive impairments and those with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. This secure unit offers an environment conducive to maintaining their safety and the safety of others. The Dementia Special Care Unit is a transitional unit with specific admission and placement requirements. Residents are assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure they continue meeting the placement criteria. When or if a resident no longer meets the requirements for the dementia care unit, they are moved to another unit within the home.

At Copernicus Lodge, the Programs and Services team provides cultural specifics recreation and leisure services in our 228 license beds Long-Term Care Home.  

Our resident home provides rich Polish events and many different group activities such as board games, musical entertainment, the celebration of Copernicus’ birthday, spiritual groups, monthly birthday celebrations, special events, and much more. We go on seasonal outings and also on a Christmas tour. We also offer indoor and outdoor activities as we have two large courtyards that are not only beautiful to view but accessible to everyone.   

Specialized Programs Include, but are not limited to: 

Nurturing Life: Our nurturing life program ensures that the home provides a humanized and home-like environment providing involvement with animals, plants and children in the daily lives of our residents. 

Doll Therapy: Doll therapy is the intervention in which life-like, weighted newborn baby dolls are introduced to residents who have dementia. Residents, male or female, can experience feelings of purpose, love, joy, and caring when doll therapy is used. It can help decrease anxiety, agitation, and restlessness and foster a sense of peace and calm. It can also facilitate socialization and communication, as residents will rock, sing, and interact with the dolls. Often this will decrease responsive behaviours and wandering and exit-seeking behaviours. This type of therapy has also been known to elicit happy memories of early parenthood, promote reminiscing, and help make seniors feel needed and valuable. Doll Therapy is used with appropriate residents who have dementia in our LTC Home that our BSO team has assessed. 

Our vision is to create an environment where people with dementia can achieve success and have the opportunity to live each day with meaning and purpose. 

Montessori Methods: The Activation Therapy Assistants have been trained in Montessori Methods. Montessori Way is an innovative approach to working with older adults with cognitive and physical impairments through 1:1 visits, as well as small group activities with the residents.  Research has provided clear evidence of increased levels of engagement and participation in activities when Montessori methods are implemented with persons with dementia to be effective. 

Snoezelen: Our Home has a Snoezelen room in which Activation Therapy Assistants utilize various multi-sensory equipment and resources when providing residents 1:1 and small group activities. These interventions can either promote relaxation, help reduce agitation or anxiety and provide engagement in their environment. 

Art Therapy: This program offer residents a forum to engage in past interests and passions—the Therapist work with residents to seek out opportunities to practice and promote art therapy in their home.  

Music Therapy: This program uses music purposefully within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being. Music therapy is specific treatments that include creation, movement, singing and listening to music. These are regular therapy sessions done in groups or one on one. Benefits such as – maintaining memory – increasing socialization – decreasing agitation – providing alternative forms of self-expression and communication – increasing comfort and relaxation for pain or end-of-life care. 

Virtual Visit Guidelines

Virtual visits continued to be offered in specific time slots due to the redeployment of our activation team.

When booking, please ensure that all sections are filled out. Visits will last for 30 minutes.

If you need to change or cancel a visit,  please do so through the booking system. Please note that if there is a problem with your booking, your appointment may be cancelled, and you will receive immediate confirmation from the email you have provided.

If you require assistance, please contact the activation team at ext: 237 or the Programs and Services Manager at ext: 253.

Schedule Appointment with Copernicus Lodge (acuityscheduling.com)

References:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.00087/full

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/153331750001500105

Copernicus Lodge utilizes a local pharmacy for all of its medication/pharmaceutical needs. The Pharmacy provides:

  • Services Monday to Friday
  • Emergency Satellite pharmacy is available on weekends
  • The Registered Pharmacist visits regularly and completes ongoing auditing and education to the Registered Nursing staff regarding medication system management
  • Prescription pharmaceutical preparations listed in the Drug Benefit Formulary.
  • Special preparations or medical devices which may be obtained from the Ontario Drug Benefit Program as interim non-formulary benefits.
  • Naturopathic treatments, vitamins Non-prescription drugs, medication and treatment products, and supplies are obtained through the Ontario Government Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Services.

All prescribed medications require a physician’s order and must be administered by the Registered Nursing Staff. Families are not permitted to supply the home with medications to be administered to their loved one. All medications that are to be administered must be acquired through the pharmacy and require a Physician’s order.

At no time should residents or families bring in medications not approved by the medical/nursing staff. Medications are not to be left in resident rooms.

A registered physiotherapist and physio therapy assistants are available five days per week from 9 am to 5 pm. Through the use of specialized equipment, specific exercises and activities, our therapists and staff work to strengthen muscles and restore movement so all residents can meet their highest level of independence possible. Our physiotherapist will assess and assist residents and their families as necessary to apply for specialized equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, mobility aids) through the Assistive Devices Program.

The Toronto Public Health Dental Team conducts dental clinics approximately every 12 – 18 months to evaluate and assess the condition of residents’ teeth, gums and dentures. If further treatment is required, a referral is made to the Toronto Public Health Dentist. Any and all associated costs are the responsibility of the resident/ substitute decision maker.

Direct Dentistry™: is a full, on site mobile dental service which completes quarterly clinics to Copernicus Lodge. It can also provide emergency on-call visits. This provider is a contracted Fee for Use service and requires consent for treatment. The resident/substitute decision maker is responsible for all costs associated with any course of treatment and any and all costs are payable to Direct Dentistry directly by the resident.

Denture Services are available through a referral process. The resident is responsible for any course of treatment and any and all costs are payable to the denturist directly by the resident.

Urgent issues are referred to the external Hearing Aid Clinic. Hearing Tests are arranged as required through the Hearing aid clinic. Any and all repairs, batteries, or purchase of new hearing aids are the responsibility of the resident/ substitute decision maker.

Referrals for external eye care services are made through an Ophthamologist or Optician as needed. An Eye examination is covered by OHIP on an annual basis. The resident/SDM is responsible for any and all additional costs – e.g. corrective lenses.

All residents are assessed by Copernicus Lodge nursing staff upon admission and on an ongoing basis to determine their foot care needs. If a resident is assessed as having advanced foot care needs, the resident/substitute decision-maker will be contacted to obtain consent for such assessment and treatment by the consulting Advanced Foot Care Nurse. Copernicus Lodge utilizes the contracted services of a visiting Advanced Foot Care Nurse.  Visits occur approximately every 6-8 weeks. This is a Fee for Use Service – all costs associated with this service are the responsibility of each individual resident/SDM. Residents /SDM always have choices around their care and are under no obligation to use this service.

The Spiritual care services provide our Long-Term Care residents with a full spectrum of programs required by the MOHLTC regulations and Acts. And daily Mass to tenants. The team consists of a Spiritual Coordinator, a priest and two sisters from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. They provide a continuum of care to meet our seniors’ changing needs. And comfort care to the residents to enable them to live a happy, dignified and contented life while at the same time preserving their self-reliance and self-determination. They are also meeting the needs of individuals and striving to provide for their physical, cultural, social, spiritual, emotional and intellectual needs. Click here for a 3D tour of our Chapel.

When residents need to go to a scheduled clinic or doctor’s appointment outside of the home, non-ambulatory residents may require the use of an ambulance transfer service, wheel-trans, or wheelchair-accessible taxi. Toronto Ambulance is no longer able to support non-emergency transfers. As a result, Copernicus Lodge staff will make the necessary arrangements for such transfers, however, the cost of this service is the sole responsibility of the resident/family member/Power of Attorney.

Escort Services for Appointments – Please note that Copernicus Lodge staff can NOT escort residents to external appointments. It is the responsibility of the resident / substitute decision-maker to ensure that an escort is arranged as necessary for any appointment. Copernicus Lodge can provide contact information and/or support in arranging escort services, the cost of which remains the responsibility of the resident/ substitute decision maker.

Transportation to Copernicus Lodge Following Hospital Stay:

Please note that if a resident has had a hospital visit and requires return transportation to the home, this transportation is arranged by the hospital and NOT Copernicus Lodge. The cost associated with these services can be quite costly and is the sole responsibility of the resident / substitute decision maker.  Copernicus Lodge will not assume the cost for these transfers. Concerns related to the costs associated with transfers from hospital back to Copernicus Lodge must be directed to the hospital.

There are times when a resident may need a specialty type item to treat a skin or wound, for example. The cost of these supplies may be covered under a special fund, if the resident qualifies, through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care called High Intensity Needs Funding.

The aim of the High Intensity Needs Program is to provide funding to support the in-house treatment of residents, for treatments which were previously only performed in hospitals. This funding allows the resident to remain in the home and helps to prevent unnecessary transfers and hospitalizations of our residents.

Mission, Vision and Values

Click here

Administrator: Liana Chandran, Director of Operations, LTC

Director of Nursing: Carmen Miller, RN

Whistle-Blowing Protections

Complaints

Current Annual Report for Copernicus Lodge

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

Emergency Plan

Visitor Policy

Read the Fixing Long-Term Care Act