Happy Holidays from Janet Simm

Happy Holidays from Janet Simm

The holiday season is upon us. The weather is changing, holiday music is filling the air and we are beginning to cross many things off our to-do lists as we move in to the last phase of our current Strategy to Action Plan - living one of our values: We Can Always Do Better. There is still much to do but it is so exciting to see tangible evidence of our months and years of planning. Thank you to all of our staff and volunteers who assist us in living this value. This is a busy time of year for us here at Northwood but it’s also one of our most exciting times. Our staff are busy planning numerous festive events and programming, all with the goal of empowering our clients and residents to Live More!

Northwood has a longstanding tradition of not only caring for people, but caring about people. It started in the early 1960s when our founder, Edward L. Roach, envisioned a community where individuals would live with dignity, belonging and choice. This was the beginning of Northwood’s person-centred care philosophy and this is the cornerstone of the way we operate today.

We believe everyone has unique values, personal history and personality. We believe that each person has an equal right to dignity, respect and to participate fully in life. At this special time of year we are reminded of the importance of these values. From our beloved neighbourhood parties in long term care, to a special delivery of holiday cards to our home care clients, we are committed to making sure everyone entrusted to our care feels the warmth of the season.

Once again this year we are continuing the tradition of our Christmas Card Campaign. Thanks to our Northwood Foundation and Jack 92.9, residents and clients will receive very special holiday cards created by local children and community members. These cards will be delivered to our residents and shared with our home care clients. You can read more about this initiative on the front page. Special community partnerships like this one are important to us all year round but they are especially cherished at this time of year. It’s because of the generous donations to the Northwood Foundation, that we are able to improve the quality of life for our community. I’d like to personally thank everyone who has donated to the Northwood Foundation over the last year. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated and you play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of the Northwood community. It is the power of love!

From all of us here at Northwood, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!