The Seniors’ Health Centre is the hub of services for seniors at our hospital. It houses a 192-bed long-term care home.
North York General Hospital has a strong tradition of providing innovative and compassionate care to the elderly. The community we serve has one of the highest percentages of older adults in the country. We provide a home-like atmosphere for residents at the Seniors’ Health Centre.
Our two main goals:
To meet the health care needs of residents
Enhance their quality of life, sense of harmony, happiness and comfort.
Our caring philosophy
We believe that all residents must be regarded as unique individuals, and an effort made to ensure individualized interaction and care.
We believe in the development of common strengths and the respect for individual strengths and differences.
We believe that care and services are provided best when all members of the interdisciplinary team are involved in planning, assessing and delivering care.
We believe that families, substitute decision makers, and friends should participate in care planning while respecting the residents’ lifestyle preferences.
We believe that each person has the right to pursue the religious and cultural practices of choice, and to be connected to religious and cultural entities in the community.
Seniors’ Health Centre is fully accredited and licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Our facility has been designed with the special needs and interests of our residents in mind. Our facility has 192 beds.
Waiting lists
In accordance with the Auditor General’s Report, the Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has posted the waiting lists for long-term care within the Central LHIN. The wait list can be found on the Central LHIN website or the Long-Term Care Homes page. For more information please speak with your Care Coordinator at 1-888-470-2222.
Call 416-756-0066 to get more information about touring our facilities.
The Seniors’ Health Centre staff plans a wide variety of individual and group programs for our residents that foster mental and recreational stimulation and social interaction. We plan periodic outings to community events and often invite community groups into the home to host special programs at the centre.
Seniors’ Health Centre provides 24-hour care services from highly trained nurses who are skilled in working with complex care needs. Residents also have access tophysicians affiliated with North York General Hospital who visit weekly.
The following care and support services are also available:
Daily physiotherapy
Weekly foot care assistance on a rotational basis
Dentistry/Denturist
Optometry
Hearing Aid Clinics
Regular clothing sales
Falls Management Program
Wound Care Management
The long-term care home at the Seniors’ Health Centre has been designed with the special needs and interests of our residents in mind:
We have numerous sunrooms, lounges, patios and a solarium where residents can enjoy the sunshine and view the natural environment of our 5.2 acre property.
Our dining rooms in each of our home areas serve nutritious, appetizing meals.
The lounges provide an ideal place to interact with other residents, friends and family members.
We have a comfortable resident library and reading room.
A tuck shop, hairdressing and barbershop services, and full laundry service are available.
We offer private, semi-private, and basic accommodation and encourage residents to personalize their rooms with items from home.
Over 40% of residents are first generation Canadians bringing with them a wide diversity of cultural/ethnic traditions. We collaborate with community organizations, as well as our hospital departments, to offer programming that keeps residents active and involved with their families, friends, community, and cultural/ religious roots.
Our Family Advisory Committee also assists us in celebrating the diversity of our residents by providing feedback on programs, spiritual celebrations and cultural food preferences.
These partnerships allow us to offer a varied and full calendar of events, including:
A Chinese Tea Program that often includes discussion of current events and traditional food in participants’ prevailing languages
Chinese discussion groups
In partnership with the Family Advisory Committee, SHC hosts Multicultural Nights complete with music, food and education.
Nightly Ismaili evening prayers and bus trips to mosques and other cultural destinations
Armenian mass, monthly luncheons, prayer groups and trips to community centre
Weekly Jewish Sabbath services along with celebrations and recognition of all traditional Jewish holidays
Celebration of other cultural events including: Chinese New Year, Black History Month, St. Patrick’s Day, Kushiali Celebrations, Channukah, Rosh Hashannah, Passover and Canada Day
Weekly Christian worship and prayer services, monthly Communion and significant Christian holiday services.
Multifaith spirituality groups for all residents
Centre-wide memorial services
Recognizing all traditional customs and Christian practices and multfaith groups
Our caring staff helps residents develop a strong sense of dignity, independence, and well-being through restorative assistance and monitoring. We do this through restorative dining and assistance and encouragement with all activities of daily living.
Seniors’ Health Centre believes in strong leadership and teaching. We have a strong connection with various educational institutions that offer placements for all areas of care and services for the elderly including nursing, dietary, activities, and social services.
With more than 150 members, our volunteer team assists with programs that really make a difference. Our volunteers take residents on outings, hold special teas and do one-to-one visiting. They also assist residents with popular leisure activities such as gardening, baking and reading. To inquire about volunteer opportunities with Seniors’ Health Centre, call 416-756-0066.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seniors with complex health and physical needs — when it is difficult for family members, family physicians and community support services to continue providing the required level of care in the community.
All applications must be sent to the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) who will coordinate the application process with the resident/family.
Contact or referrals may be initiated by the LHIN, physicians or other health professionals, family members, friends, community agencies or seniors themselves. The first step should be to contact the LHIN closest to you. They will provide assistance through the process of admissions.
Seven physicians are on staff at SHC and provide care to the majority of our residents. However, you may still have your family physician look after your needs, provided he or she agrees to do so and can meet the SHC’s requirements.
Residents can let the staff know about their wishes regarding their care and treatment by filling out a Living Will or Advance Directive Form. A copy of this form will be placed on the front of your chart so all professional care staff will be able to access your wishes. A living will or advanced directive is a statement of the resident’s wishes regarding care and treatment. The purpose of such a statement is to inform physicians and nursing staff of your care choices. This will ensure the care you wish to have can be planned for and implemented. .
Many residents have particular wishes regarding medical procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or medical treatments such as antibiotics. Some residents wish to be transferred to hospital and receive treatment including advanced life support for all health crises, while others wish to stay at the SHC and receive comfort measures. The choice is yours. If you are too ill to make decisions, family members or powers of attorney/guardians must make decisions on your behalf.
These decisions often cause guilt or conflict and can be very difficult to make at a time of crisis. You can help avoid conflict later on by discussing your wishes in advance with your family, guardian, or the person who holds power of attorney for personal decisions. You may also designate a substitute decision maker who will make decisions if you are unable to do so. Discussing your wishes ahead of time makes it more possible for your health care team to act on your wishes.
You must designate a primary contact or substitute decision maker when you are admitted, and keep the information up-to-date. This person will be contacted in an emergency, or in other less urgent situations, or if there is a change in your health status. The name and phone numbers of your substitute decision maker and next of kin will be listed on the front of your chart.
You or your substitute decision maker can alter your decision regarding your future health at any time, especially if your condition changes. Let your wishes be known to the health care team — we will always respect and support your expressed wishes.
The centre provides accommodation in private, semi-private and standard rooms. Rates are established by the Government of Ontario and are available upon request.
Yes, SHC residents are able to have fish or birds as pets. These friends provide many hours of enjoyment to staff and residents alike. We have several dog and cat visitors as well.
The SHC supports a smoke-free environment. There is a designated smoking area for residents only. Visitors, staff and families are not permitted to smoke in the centre.
All rooms at the SHC have standard furnishings. However, we encourage residents to bring familiar personal objects such as paintings, photographs, and comforters. Televisions, telephones, easy chairs and similar items can also be arranged by families.
Several types of leaves of absence are available to all residents. They include: casual leave, vacation leave, medical leave, and, psychiatric leave. A bed may be held for up to 21 days following medical leaves.
Many consultation services can be arranged when your doctor requests them. These include physiotherapy, chiropody and dental services, among others.
Seniors’ Health Centre held a virtual town hall for families on October 30, 2020. All answers provided address general questions relevant to different families. Read the town hall Q&A (PDF)