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“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.” - Edna Ferber

This year, our staff and residents outdid themselves by raising more than $2,500  to fight this chronic disease.  

25 Days of Christmas We are incredibly grateful for the good work of our staff who work nights, weekends and HOLIDAYS to deliver excellent health care. As such, watch for our 25  Days  of  Christmas     Campaign this month.

Emergency planning Loyalist Emergency Services and Director of Care Sue Reyn-olds were delighted with the results (18 minutes) of the me trial and full evacua on on Nov. 1. Great work everyone!

Congratula ons Dietary Aide Chris ne Kastner is our Employee of the Month. Congratula ons!

2019 DECEMBER

Christmas  Blessing—May the magic of Christmas gladden your heart with the joys of the season. May the spirit of Christmas bless you with greater strength. May the promise of Christ-mas bring you, and yours, endless blessings.

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Christmas cakes for sale Looking for a present for that hard-to-buy-for someone? The Lions Club of Kingston is selling Christmas  cakes  in the front entrance of Helen Henderson Re rement Lodge from 10 am to 2 pm on Dec. 10. Please buy a delicious cake and support this local service club!

Kni ng in January Our kni ers are going to start making hats, lap blankets and mi ens in January and we could use YARN. Please consider dona ng to our awesome group of kni ers. Thanks!

Family Council Mee ng Our next Family Council Mee ng  is at 7 pm on Jan. 14 in the Gibson Room. We would love to have you join us! As always, parking is free and refreshments are provided. For details, please contact Ac va on at 613-384-4585 ext. 224.

Family Fun Day Our musical entertainers for our Christmas Family Fun Day on DEC. 1 are confirmed! Chris from AMBUSH is performing in the Lodge Lounge, Crimson River is performing in the Fire-side Room and Chris Murphy is performing in Joyce Fay Terrace. Please join us for this magical day of food, music and friendship.

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” - Norman Vincent Peale

Tell us what you think  Do you have a story idea or feedback? Contact Catherine Reynolds at 613-384-4585 ext. 251 or catherinereynolds@gibsonfamilyhealthcare.com  

FUN Christmas Facts 1. Christmas supposedly marks the birth of Jesus

Christ on Dec. 25. But there is no men on of Dec.

25 in the Bible. Most historians believe he was

born in the spring.

2. Dec. 25 was probably chosen because it

coincided with the ancient pagan fes val

Saturnalia, which celebrated the agricultural god

Saturn with partying, gambling and gi -giving.

3. Many of the popular Christmas tradi ons

today found their roots in Saturnalia: Branches

from evergreen trees were used during winter

sols ce as a reminder of the green plants that

would grow in spring when the sun gods grew

strong.

4. These evergreen branches became the

founda on of our Christmas tree. Germans are

thought to be the first to bring “Christmas trees”

into their homes at the holidays and decorate

them with cookies and lights.

5. The Christmas tree made its way to North

America in the 1830s, but wasn’t popular un l

1846, a er Germany’s Prince Albert brought it to

England when he married Queen Victoria. The

two were sketched in front of a Christmas tree

and the tradi on instantly became popular. Royal

fever was real even back then.

6. Santa Claus comes from St. Nicholas, a

Chris an bishop living in (what is now) Turkey in

the fourth century AD. St. Nicholas had inherited

a great deal of wealth and was known for giving it

away to help the needy. When sainted, he

became the protector of children.

7. A er his death, the legend of St. Nicholas

spread. St. Nick’s name became Sint-Nicolaas in

Dutch, or Sinter Klaas for short. Which is only a

hop, skip, and jump to Santa Claus.

8. White Christmas is the best-selling song of all

me.  

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2019 Amherstview Santa Claus Parade 

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There was a whole lot of cute-ness in our home last month when the local daycare stopped in for its regular Friday morning GRANDFRIENDS' program. 30 of our residents had a great

me visi ng with 13 children. One li le boy even served residents snacks. Watching from the sidelines was Ac vity Director Donna Joudoin who was delighted with the results. “It was my dream to have a day care here. I love it,” she explains. Held in the home’s main ac vity room, many of the

residents used the me to read, play and visit with the children. Smiling happily, Donna notes, “I love the room looking so messed-up because it means they’re having fun.” “I think it’s great,” notes RPN Faith McGee who a ended with her two children (ages 19 months and five months) and husband. “The children and seniors benefit from the interac on.” To learn more about living, working or playing at Helen Henderson Care Centre, go to www.gibsonfamilyhealthcare.com 

Daycare children steal the hearts of residents and staff 

Dear kitchen staff and Iva,

(Excerpt)

The dining room staff are so

great. I am grateful to each

one of them. I would like to

thank everyone who took

part in my welcome here.

I wasn’t sure if I would fit in

with the wonderful people

here, but they made me feel

more ‘at home’ than I have

felt in my whole life.

Down my in my heart, I have

so much to tell you. You

mean so very much to me

and you’ve been very good to

my heart. All of the li le and

big things have made my stay

here wonderful.

Thank you so very much.

Much love, Dawna Mary Margaret Cameron

Le er of thanks from resident 

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Helpful  ps to avoid the holiday blues The post-Christmas period can

leave many of us feeling down.

Back to work blues, an empty

social calendar, fes ve weight

gain, miserable weather and a

dwindling bank balance can

contribute to a general feeling

of melancholy. Thankfully, there

are ways to get your spirits back

-up a er the fes ve period. Here

are some ps to beat the post-

Christmas blues.

Make a plan 

A er the excitement of

Christmas, going back to a

regular, mundane rou ne is

enough to lower anyone’s

spirits. Create something to

an cipate.

Exercise  your     

funny bone 

Laugher is an effec-

ve mood booster.

To raise your spir-

its, grab a funny

DVD or book and spend a few

hours exercising your funny

bone.

Brave your fears 

If you are feeling listless or

uninspired, step out of your

comfort zone and take a few

risks.

Weather or Not Many believe the weather on Dec. 25 can tell us quite a bit about the coming year.

What do you think of these bits of weather lore? A windy Christmas is a sign of a good year to come. A bright Christmas foretells that a hen will lay well. If Christmas day be bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.

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T his Christmas, I just want

you to know that you

have been the best gi I

have ever received. And every

Christmas therea er, the only

thing that I want from Santa is

to strengthen our rela onship.

Merry Christmas to you. I hope

you have a very Happy New Year

ahead.

Let this Christmas be a period of

reflec on on our past. Let us

show greater love and care for

one another more in this year.

May the sadness and gloom in

your life be replaced with never

ending happiness and cheer!

Smile my dear, for the season of

Christmas  has finally arrived

here! Here’s wishing you a

Merry Christmas and a very

Happy New Year!

Have an ideal Christmas; an

occasion that is celebrated as a

reflec on of your values, de-

sires, affec ons, tradi ons.

May this Christmas be so special

that you never ever feel lonely

again and be surrounded by

loved ones throughout!

May the closeness of friends,

the comfort of home and the

unity of our na on, renew your

spirits this holiday season.

May this Christmas  diminish

your sadness and bury any tears

so that your life is perpetually

filled with happiness and joy.

The joy of brightening other

lives, bearing each other’s bur-

dens, easing other’s loads and

supplan ng empty hearts and

lives with generous gi s

becomes for us the magic of

Christmas.

May love be in your life. May

hope be in your heart. May

peace be in your world.

May this Christmas  be bright

and cheerful and may the New

Year begin on a prosperous

note!

From our family to yours,  Merry Christmas 

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Happy Birthday STAFF Anne M, Dec. 1 Colleen B, Dec. 4 Cheryl B, Dec. 5 Kendra K, Dec. 9 Melissa I, Dec. 11 Lucia C, Dec. 13 Connie M, Dec. 15 Erin W, Dec. 16 Michelle B, Dec. 18 Pamela S, Dec. 18 Janet C, Dec. 28 Rachel B, Dec. 29 Welcome STAFF Kerry Nichol, Hostess Robert Tailler, PSW Laura Oldfield, PSW Chelsea Boomhour, Ac vity Aide Janet Snider, Cook

Holiday shopping The holiday season is upon us which means shopping. Here are a few safety ps to remember:

Dress comfortably and avoid wearing expensive jewelry.

Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible.

Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert of your surroundings.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with a debit or credit card when possible. Keep cash in your front pocket.

No fy the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused.

Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, transporta on terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit.

Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of mo on to avoid mishaps.

Health & Wellness 

Just a gentle reminder to refrain from wearing perfume or cologne to our home. Thank you for helping keep our residents and staff safe. PS. As in past years, we can't accept Poinse as at the home due to allergies and sensi vi es. Thank you for thinking of us, but please keep this fes ve plant for your own enjoyment.

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from Helen Henderson Care Centre

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Christmas 

Baskets Please contribute a non-

perishable food item to the

Food Bank in Amherstview.

Collec on boxes will be in

the entrance to the lodge

and entrance to Kingsley

Terrace.

With your help, we can make

someone’s Christmas a li le

brighter.

Room bookings The holiday season is here

and now is the me to

book a room for your

family func on. If you

would like to book a room

for Christmas (or any spe-

cial occasion), please con-

tact Ac va on Director

Donna Joudoin at 613-384-

4585 ext 224. Rooms avail-

able include the Lodge

Lounge, Gibson Room and

Harvest Room.

Congratula ons Helen Henderson Care Centre for receiving a Shout-Out from the Napanee Business Improvement Associa on on Nov. 6. The home was NOMINATED for a visit as a way to recognize business success. Great job!

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Winter Open House Please join us for a trip to the Kingston School  of  Dance for its annual Winter Open House at 9:30 am on Dec. 21. To learn more, contact Ac va on at 613-384-4585 ext. 224.

Items needed for fidget quilts Our home would like to send a BIG thanks to Deb Flood for making fidget quilts to help our residents with idle hands. Deb is one of our family members who makes fidget quits in the community. She has already donated five to our home and they are magnificent! Deb and her fellow volunteers with the Limestone Quilters Guild could use the following items: velour, corduroy, wool, chenille, seersucker, fake fur, orphan blocks, sa n/taffeta, flannel, minky, co on, velvet, fleece, plaids/tartans and embellishments such as zippers and lace.

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W hen dealing with grief, it helps to look for happiness amid

the heartbreak. Assis ng residents of a local nursing home navigate the grieving process is volunteer Barb Kelly of Bereaved Families of Ontario. “When people are grieving, it’s like a light goes out. They need to learn to live with the loss,” the Amherstview woman explains so ly from Helen Henderson Care Centre where she plans to launch a grief support group in November. A volunteer at the accredited long-term care home for the past 14 years, Barb knows the residents and staff from years of pet therapy and suppor ve vis-its. She plans to hold the support group for one-hour, twice a month, in the Gibson Family Room. “It’s such a nice room,” says the 61-year-old trained facilitator. “We can shut the door for priva-cy. It’s a cheery room with a big window. Light is important. The room conveys the same feel and look of this home: comfortable and cheery. “I love this home,” she con nues wis ully from Recep on Three where her father-in-law has lived since last March. “I’ve been kick-ing around here for quite some

me. It’s nice to see a mul -faceted facility like this which has re rement living, long-term care and specialized extended care.”

Married with an adult son, Barb saw the need for a grief support group in the mostly senior popu-la on. “I’m familiar with most of the residents and I know there are a few people here who have sud-denly lost their spouse,” she ex-plains. “You see a lot of loneli-ness and people star ng to with-draw. I think helping people deal with grief is important work.” Speaking on behalf of the ac-credited the home, Ac vity Di-rector Donna Joudoin notes, “I was delighted when Barb ap-proached me about star ng this support group because we’ve always wanted to offer some-thing like this at Helen Hender-son Care Centre. We know it’s going to help our families, resi-dents, staff and communi-ty. Barb has been a volunteer here for many years and always shows great compassion and care. It’s been said that death is not the greatest loss in life. It’s what dies inside us while we live. Barb’s efforts to help people

deal with grief is a wonderful way to ensure internal lights shine as bright as possible for as long as possible.” According to Barb, people are welcome to contribute to the discussion or sit quietly and lis-ten. “Grief affects people in many ways, not just emo onally, but physical aches and pains,” she explains pa ently. “Some mes people have problems sleeping or ea ng. It’s nice to know you’re not alone. Hugs are im-portant. They’re therapeu c.” Equipped with years of volunteer visi ng experience and training as a bereavement facilitator, Barb brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the home. She plans to use com-passion, kindness and pa ence as guides. “I’m here because I have experi-enced a lot of loss in my life,” she a ests. “I think it’s im-portant to have this type of pro-gram; especially in a long-term family where death is a natural part of life. It happens. I just think a program would be hugely helpful.” The support group is open to residents, family members, volunteers and staff. “I think I have a good solid vis-i ng knowledge of the needs of the people who reside here,” she says. “I think it’s nice for them to have a safe place to express their feelings. “I’m just trying to make a differ-ence,” she says kindly.

Grief support group launched at nursing home 

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Our Remembrance Day service and Celebra on of Life on Nov. 11 were a beau ful tribute to Canadians who are no longer with us. Thank you Rev. Catherine Oxenford-Grant for officia ng.

Lest we forget

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Home praised for growth and consistent sa sfac on rates 

long-term care home in the Kingston area is celebra ng another year of posi ve reviews.

Speaking from Helen Henderson Care Centre in Amhersview in November 2019, Assistant Direc-tor of Care, Melissa Locke, shared the results of an exten-sive survey completed by resi-dents and families.

According to the surveys, every family (of residents at the home) is sa sfied with the medical care by frontline workers who are described as kind, caring and compassionate.

“Our Family and Resident Sa s-fac on Surveys allow us to re-flect on the needs, wants and wishes of the most important people in the home, our resi-dents,” says the friendly manag-er. “It enables family, staff and residents to work together to enhance our person-centred ap-proach.”

According to the Assistant Direc-tor of Care, the home is con-stantly se ng high standards and establishing best prac ces for quality control.

“We’re always trying to im-prove, that’s why we’re here,” she explains. “We want to im-prove the health of our resi-dents, staff and families.”

Known for its beau ful gardens and innova ve programs, the home con nues to gain a en-

on for its health care that is

safe, compassionate and cu ng edge.

In early November, the home won an award for business suc-cess by the Napanee Business Improvement Associa on.

“Helen Henderson Care Centre is se ng high standards in long-term care,” confirms Lisa Gib-son, Owner and Operator.

“This home is constantly improv-ing, and our staff is constantly learning. We are determined to deliver the best health care in the world and our progress is showing.”

According to respondents of the family survey:

100 per cent are sa sfied

with the care of their loved

one and the nursing staff.

100 per cent are happy

with the home’s programs,

meals, and cleanliness.

Almost every family mem-

ber said they would recom-

mend the home to others.

“I like that my mom is living in a

warm and loving environment,”

says a family member.

“Everyone seems to genuinely

care which makes me happy for

my mom.”

Families complimented the

home for its gardens, friendly

atmosphere, spacious rooms,

and opera onal efficiency.

Residents of the home say they

like the music, security, pub

nights, exercises, sunshine and

peacefulness.

“Helen Henderson Care Centre is proud of these survey results because they prove how much our staff care about the health and happiness of the people who live here,” says Angela Gib-son, Assistant Administrator.

“Our home is helping people reach their fullest poten al. We value compassion, kindness and smiles. It is heartwarming to hear how much our residents’ families appreciate these same values.”

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Did  you know… The snowiest city is in Japan.

Aomori City in north-ern Japan receives more snowfall than any major city on the planet.

Each year ci zens are pummeled with 312 inches, or about 26 feet, of snow on average.

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Looking for meaningful employment in a great environment?

Join our team and help us provide excep onal care for our residents!

We care about your quality of life - As such, we offer stable employment and a compe ve salary. This is a family business that will help you succeed.

We are currently looking for part- me:

Cook (part‐ me)  Host/Hostess  Dietary Aide  Residen al Aide  Personal Support Worker (PSW)  Registered Prac cal Nurse (RPN)  Registered Nurse (RN)  

Find full job descrip ons at

www.gibsonfamilyhealthcare.com  The successful candidates will be required to provide

a sa sfactory Canadian Police Informa on Check (CPIC) at their own expense.

Employment Opportuni es    

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Welcome Margaret Mar n, Lodge Susanna McCarty, Lodge

George Henderson, Lodge Ronald Bronkhorst, Lodge

Patricia Gordon, Recep on Two Dawna Cameron, Recep on Three Norma Pickering, Recep on Three

Birthdays Marie H (Lodge), Dec. 7

Mildred K (Lodge), Dec. 12 Cecilia N (Lodge), Dec. 21

Geraldine B (Lodge), Dec. 23 David W (Lodge), Dec. 29

Gail B, Dec. 1 Bill S, Dec. 5

Virginia P, Dec. 6 Wayne M, Dec. 12

Shirley L, Dec. 13 Marjorie T, Dec. 17

Eva T, Dec. 18 Richard M, Dec. 23

Alexandra A, Dec. 30

In memory Agrinoalda Fortado

Helen Henderson Garden of Love The rose speaks of love silently in a language known only to the heart