ukrainian canadian care centre - spring 2015 …ukrainian canadian care centre - spring 2015...

Please Remember the Care Centre with a Gift in Your Will

Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre - SPRING 2015 Українсько-Канадський Осередок Опіки - Весна 2015

Honouring the Lives of Our ResidentsAnnual Panakhyda

For a fourth year, on

March 21, the Care Centre’s An-

nual Panakhyda brought together

friends, staff and residents for a mo-

ment of reflection of the lives of our

past residents of the Care Centre.

“It gave me a special feeling

of comfort to come back to the Care

Centre after the passing of my Mom

and have some focused time to re-

flect on her life. Our busy lives carry

us away but by coming back here

today, I realized what a difference it

makes to stop and take a moment to

reflect on the lives of our loved ones

who are no longer with us,” shared a

family member.

“We have had the privilege

to take care of over 700 residents

since opening in 1996. Their lives

have touched our lives. We are hap-

py to be able to offer this event and

provide a space at the Care Centre

that honours their lives and keeps

memories alive,” said Sandy Lo-

maszewycz, Executive Director dur-

ing her warm and touching speech

at the end of the service.

To memoralize the lives of

past residents, the Care Centre has

also established the Remembering

Our Residents Memorial Wall, where

plaques are mounted with personal-

ized inscriptions to remind us of the

unique lives of our residents.

The Care Centre is very grate-

ful to Mr. James Cardinal of Cardinal

Funeral Homes for sponsoring our

event and the Remembering Our

Resident Memorial Wall this year.

Memorial plaques acknowledging the lives of our past residents can be

purchased through the Development office. For more information, you can

call Anna at 647-724-0844.

Celebrating 100 years of life!

Pani Anastasia Belbas a resident of the Care Centre celebrated her 100th birthday on January 6 with family, friends, Mayor, His Honour John Tory and City Counsellor John Campbell. When asked what her secret to longevity was, Anastasia stated “strong faith, volunteering in my community and baking for my family.”


Give ONLINE Secure and Convenient www.stdemetrius.ca/donate

Please Remember the Care Centre with a Gift in your will2

Christ is Risen!

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

I extend most heartfelt greetings to all of you on

the occasion of the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection of

our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To minister unto our elderly and infirm brethren

is a fundamental Christian duty. To suffer physically with-

out complaint is a Christ-like act. Both these realities are

daily realities in the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre. It is

our most heartfelt prayer that both those who minister

and those who are ministered to will discover Christ in the

face of the other.

The fact of the resurrection reminds us that ev-

erything which we do and say on this earth has an eter-

nal dimension, that our actions and words have eternal

consequences. As our Lord himself says, those who have

done good will be resurrected unto life, and those who

have done evil will be resurrected unto condemnation

(Jn. 5:29). So “Let us not grow weary while doing good,

for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart (Gal

6:9). Let our joys and our sorrows, our ministrations and

our sufferings, all be dedicated to Christ, that we might be

victorious to celebrate the Pashca which has no end in the

eternal day-without-evening of the Kingdom of God.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

+ANDRIY

Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Христос Воскрес!

Возлюблені Брати і Сестри у Христі, Дозвольте мені висловити Вам найщиріші побажання з нагоди Світлого празника Воскресіння Господа, Бога, і Спаса нашого Ісуса Христа. Служіння людям похилого віку, немічним братам і сестрам нашим– це основний наш Християнський обовязок.Ваша щоденна праця,ваші терпіння це-служіння Богові і людям. Ваша турбота про наших братів і сестер в Українсько-Канадському Домі Опіки,є добрим прикладом і взірцем для наслідування. Моєю найщирішою молитвою є те,” щоби ті хто служить” і ті, для” кого служать” пізнали всім своїм серцем Ісуса Христа ,щоб ми могли бачити образ і подобу Божу в кожній людині. Дійсність Воскресіння Господнього нам пригадує, що все, що ми робимо і говоримо тут на землі мають вічні цінності. Господь наш Ісус Христос говорить, ті, що чинили добро, воскреснуть для вічного життя, а ті ,що зло чинили на воскресення суду (Ін. 5:29). А «роблячи добро, не будемо сумувати, бо у свій час пожнемо, якщо не ослабнемо» (Гал. 6:9). Нехай наша радість і наш смуток, наше служіння, наші терпіння будуть всеціло посвячені Христові, щоби ми сподобилися Пасхальної радості, яка буде спонукати нас жити благочестиво,та чинити добрі діла для наших ближніх!

Христос Воскрес! Воістину Воскрес!

+АНДРІЙЄпископ Східньої ЄпархіїУкраїнська Православна Церква в Канаді



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Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

On this radiant celebration of the Resurrection of

Christ, which brings light and hope to all peoples, I extend

my prayerful episcopal blessing and greeting to you.

As the bells of our Ukrainian churches ring with

the news that Christ is risen from the dead, we reflect in

our liturgical prayers on Christ’s victory over death, sin,

evil, injustice and captivity and remember his promise of

eternal life for all who believe in His word.

My prayers and warm thoughts are with you in

spirit at this joyful and holy time. Let us always remember

the love and mercy brought to our lives by Our Risen Lord

and never forget the joy of greeting each other with the

powerful phrase, Chrystos Voskres, Christ is Risen!

May you continue to fulfill your Christian vocation

through patient and tranquil prayer, perseverance, and

hope in the Risen Lord. May the peace and love of the

Risen Christ strengthen you in your daily living.

+ Stephen

Eparch of Toronto and Eastern Canada

Христос Воскрес! Воістину Воскрес!

Возлюблені в Христі Брати і Сестри! Щиро вітаю Вас молитовним пастирським привітом у цей час Світлого Воскресення Христа! В наших літургічних молитвах ми оспівуємо Христову перемогу над смерттю, гріхом, злом, несправедливістю і неволею, а дзвони наших українських церков сповіщають, що Христос воскрес із мертвих. У цей радісний і святий час, невтихаючий гомін дзвонів, народні хороводи, гагілки, крашанки і писанки, прикраси домів дають вислів всенародній радості. А в осередку цього стоять урочисті церковні Богослужби - Воскресна Утреня і Пасхальна Божественна Літургія. Воскреслий Христос Спаситель звертається до вас словами: Мир Вам! Ви, мої дорогі в Христі, вкорінені у вірі проходили ваше трудолюбиве життя, і за прикладом Святійшого Отця Емерита Венедикта, коли неміч та недуга знемагають Ваші сили, Ви теж сповнені даром миру воскреслого Господа, продовжуєте далі сповняти Ваше християнське покликання тихою щоденною молитвою. Тож нехай присутність воскреслого Христа сповнена любов’ю укріпляє Вас душевно у щоденному житті.

+ СтефанЄпарх Торонта і Східньої Канади

Call for Applications to the St. Demetrius Supportive Care Services Board of Directors

The Central Local Health In-

tegration Network (LHIN) provides

funding for a program called assist-

ed living. Assisted living is provided

by St. Demetrius Supportive Care to

qualified tenants in St. Demetrius

Residence to support them to live

independently in the community for

as long as possible. The St. Demetri-

us Supportive Care Services Board is

seeking applications from qualified

persons interested in being consid-

ered for election to their Board of

Directors. We are looking for volun-

teers who are committed to our mis-

sion and vision and who can provide

strategic leadership and oversight

on a governance model Board of

Directors. For more information, or

to submit your resume, please con-

tact the Executive Director, Sandy

Lomaszewycz at 416-243-7653 or

electronically at slomaszewycz@

stdemetrius.ca. All applicants will be

contacted regarding the status of

their application.



4



12th Annual Christ the Light of the World Celebration

Joy of Lights

The St. Demetrius Develop-

ment Corporation hosted its 12th

Annual Joy of Lights on Thursday,

December 4th, 2014 at the Ukraini-

an Canadian Care Centre, sponsored

by Cardinal Funeral Homes Ltd.

This festive event brought

together faith, family and tradition

- adding to the cultural and spiritual

uniqueness of the Care Centre and

St. Demetrius Residence. Irena Dou-

nets, Manager of Programs, was the

5

evening’s MC for a program full of-

Christmas greetings from Orest Ko-

bylansky, President of the Board of

Directors and Sandy Lomaszewycz,

Executive Director, and wonderful

performances. The evening’s pro-

gram culminated with the lighting

of the Christmas tree which was of-

ficiated by Bishop Andrij and Right

Rev. John Tataryn. It was a beautiful

way to kick off the Holiday Season.

Leaving a gift for the Ukraini-

an Canadian Care Centre in your will

is a simple but incredibly impactful

way of giving. Through a gift in your

will, you are helping to provide high

quality care and accommodation

for our seniors and contribute to a

strong, sustainable future for the

Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre.

In your will, you can choose

to leave the Ukrainian Canadian Care

Centre the residue of your estate, a

sum of money or a specific piece of

property.

Leaving a gift in your will is a

fairly simple process. Speak to your

lawyer about drafting or revising

your will to include the appropriate

wording. Sample wording could be:

“My estate trustees shall pay the sum

of $_______ or ______% of residue of

my estate (or transfer assets with an

equal value) to the Ukrainian Cana-

dian Care Centre, Toronto ON for the

purpose of supporting the highest

priority needs.”

Then, please contact us to let

us know about your gift so we can

thank you and, if you would like, of-

fer you the opportunity to be recog-

nized.

There are many benefits to

leaving a gift in your will, including

the satisfaction of providing a fu-

ture gift while retaining control of

your assets during your lifetime, a

charitable tax receipt to your estate,

a reduction or elimination of estate

taxes through careful planning and

an opportunity to honour or memo-

rialize yourself or a loved one.

For more information on

how you can build your legacy,

please contact Shirlene Courtis, 647-

725-0845.

Build A Legacy Gift



6

Active Living Seniors

“I didn’t know I could have

so many friends and so much fun, ”

shared Mary Shewchuk, an active

participant in the new recreational

activities at St. Demetrius Residence.

“It is such a wonderful opportunity

to meet my fellow neighbours from

the surrounding neighbourhood,

share memories and have celebra-

tions together.”

For over a year, seniors from

the surrounding community and

tenants at the Residence enjoyed

exciting new activities such as week-

ly movie nights, ice cream socials,

weekly bingos, summer BBQs, Hal-

loween party, Christmas party, Val-

entine’s Day, exercise programs and

a computer club. All of this thanks to

the successfully implemented Active

Living Seniors Project, funded by the

New Horizons for Seniors Federal

Program. The project supports se-

nior volunteerism and senior leader-

ship and opportunities for seniors to

stay socially and physically active.

“Active lifestyles enhance

emotional and physical well-being

for anyone of us especially for our se-

niors, and we are very happy to see

the difference in our tenants,” says

Marta Krywonis, Director of Qual-

ity, Organizational Development

and Housing. “This grant allowed

us to renew our recreational pro-

gram, build a viable Active Living Se-

niors Volunteer Committee and in-

volve seniors from the surrounding

neighbourhood. Our Committee did

a wonderful job in organizing the

activities of this project. With such

a great Committee in place, we be-

lieve the social life at St. Demetrius

Residence will continue to be as ex-

citing, fresh and novel as it is now.”

Donate through Charity Car

Make that old car live again

in the form of a donation through

CharityCar! CharityCar.ca is a li-

censed eco-friendly Auto Recyclers

who accept the donation of old ve-

hicles on behalf of charities. 100%

of the proceeds are donated to the

Care Centre.

CharityCar has been trained

to dispose of the environmentally

hazardous materials in vehicles that

have reached the end of their useful

lives. For more information please

visit www.stdemetrius.ca or call

Anna 647-725-0844.

St. Patrick’s Day at the Care Centre

Residents celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Care Centre with performance by Premek Kruta from Romantic Troubadour.



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Host Your Meeting or Event at the Care Centre

The Boardroom at 60 Rich-

view Road is a wonderful setting for

your next meeting or small event.

The bright open space can accom-

modate a variety of set ups to a

maximum of 50 people. Our 19 ft.

oblong table accommodates 18

people comfortably in executive

style chairs. 7 occasional chairs, and

other side chairs and tables are avail-

able. This room has been used by our

family members for special birthday

The Care Centre Welcomes Shirlene Courtis, CFRE

as the New Chief Development Officer

Shirlene is an accomplished

non-profit executive with over 20

years’ experience providing strate-

gic leadership for non-profit/public

sector organizations including the

Yonge Street Mission, Toronto Zoo,

Seneca College, OISE/UT, the Angli-

can Church of Canada, and Lynd-

hurst Hospital.

celebrations and gatherings (free for

resident fuctions), and by organiza-

tions for receptions, educational

sessions and meetings. This multi-

purpose space could be perfect for

your next gathering.

The room is equipped with

a motorized drop down projection

screen, whiteboard, teleconference

equipment and internet hookup.

Rental rates are competitive.

You can bring in your own food and

Shirlene is a certified Fund

Raising Executive, co-founded the

Toronto Chapter of the Association

of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP)

and is a former Director and Vice

Chair of AFP`s International Foun-

dation for Philanthropy. Shirlene is

an active member of Toronto’s Bou-

levard Club where she has assumed

several volunteer roles. She is a fund

raising volunteer with P.A.R.C and

a former Director with Stonegate

Community Centre.

Shirlene has a Bachelor of

Arts degree from the University of

Toronto and a Masters Diploma in

Public Sector Management from the

Schulich School of Business.

refreshments OR our kitchen can

provide catering services for a fee.

Parking in the lot or on the street is

available.

“The food was delicious and

very well prepared. Your staff were

very good - courteous and profes-

sional. The proximity to the airport

also proved to be very useful! Ev-

eryone was very impressed with the

facility and we are happy to recom-

mend it to others.” Lada Darewych,

Administrative Director of UCEF in

Canada.

For more information about

room rental and services, please

contact Anna Do at 647-725-0844.

Toronto City Counsellor

John Campbell Visits the Care

Centre

Greeted by Pani Antonia and Pani Olga, Toronto City Counsellor John Campbell was welcomed to the Care Centre with Ukrainian traditional bread and many smiling faces.



Quality Improvement JourneyUkrainian Canadian Care Centre

Continuous improvement

of the quality of care for our resi-

dents has been an ongoing focus

and top priority for the Care Cen-

tre. As of April this year, the Ministry

of Health and Long-Term Care has

made it mandatory for care homes

to publicly report their Quality Im-

provement Plans (QIP). The Quality

and Risk Management Committee

of our Board embraces this oppor-

tunity of sharing our Quality Im-

provement journey with the com-

munity and showcase our positive

results and areas of improvement.

We have a solid foundation

that has been built over time for

our quality program and have been

reporting our results in our newslet-

ters and annual reports. The Quality

and Risk Management Committee of

the Board advises and makes recom-

mendations to the Board on issues of

compliance, ensuring performance

based outcomes related to quality,

risk and utilization as part of fulfilling

the Board’s fiduciary tasks.

We have recently undertak-

en two exciting quality initiatives, i.e.

Pleasurable Dining and the 2014 Vol-

unteer Satisfaction Survey.

Dining is central to our resi-

dents’ quality of life. We are aware

that in addition to providing our

residents with nutritional require-

ments, dining is an activity that can

enhance their emotional well-being

by letting them connect with fam-

ily, friends and celebrate special oc-

casions, as it does for all of us. For

this reason, the Pleasurable Dining

Program is one of the Care Centre’s

quality improvement initiatives for

2015.

Our first step to enhancing

Pleasurable Dining was the imple-

mentation of the “Point of Service

Program (POS)” for fluid delivery.

Instead of placing the fluids on the

table before the residents are being

seated, we are now asking our resi-

dents about their juice preferences

as they choose their meal selections.

An additional benefit of this change

is that the juice our residents get is

fresher as it is poured immediately

when selected. This has improved

the overall dining experience for our

residents, their meal satisfaction,

fluid intake and hydration. It has also

identified efficiencies in resourcing

and has reduced waste, as residents

now drink the juice that is their own

choice and preference. Myria Pa-

palouca, the Food and Nutritional

Services Manager reported that the

juice costs have re decreased by 16%

per month since the POS program

was implemented.

The success of this project is

a testimony for our focus on quality

care as well as our great team work

and monitoring and evaluation sys-

tem. Our Personal Support Workers

teamed up with the Food Services

staff to ensure that all steps of the

project are implemented. We estab-

lished a process for regular feedback

to identify what is working well and

what can be improved. Staff went

through education sessions and met

8



regularly to discuss progress. The

POS program was implemented one

resident home area at a time allow-

ing the team to evaluate and re-align

processes as necessary.

The success of this process

change has set the stage for further

quality initiatives in 2015 that will

continue to enhance the Pleasurable

Dining experience for our residents.

“I like that I have a choice

and that the staff are asking what I

want. This makes me feel special and

happier, it is almost like an appetizer

for me,” commented Mr. Fred Bilasz

with a smile.

Mrs. Antonia Wasyliw, Presi-

dent of the Residents’ Council, also

supported the approach: “Residents

are getting a choice and there is less

waste.”

Our Pleasurable Dining Ex-

perience Quality Initiative contin-

ues and is already in our Quality Im-

provement Plan for this year.

The second quality initiative

was the Volunteer Satisfaction Sur-

vey. Annually, the Care Centre con-

ducts a volunteer satisfaction survey

to access the strengths and areas for

improvement. We have over 148 ac-

tive volunteers who contribute their

time in programs, events and admin-

istration.

One of the questions on

the volunteer satisfaction survey

asked volunteers how they would

rate their overall volunteer experi-

ence at the Care Centre, on a scale of

1-10 with 1 being poor and 10 being

excellent, 90% of respondents rated

their experience to be between 8-10.

The survey also asked volunteers for

their input into how the Care Centre

can improve their volunteer expe-

rience. Volunteers have identified

the need for more communication

between volunteers and their coor-

dinators. In order to achieve the ob-

jective, the Volunteer Development

Committee together with Irena

Dounets, Manager of Programs and

Volunteer Service will provide all

managers an opportunity to attend

a workshop on how to work with

volunteers to make them feel appre-

ciated and valued.

The Quality and Risk Man-

agement Committee of the Board

are excited about the outcome of

the Point of Service and Volunteer

Satisfaction Survey quality projects.

Both quality projects continue to

help us grow and improve the qual-

ity of care and service we provide

to our seniors. Our volunteers have

given contributed coutnless hours,

the heartfelt dedication they have

shown, and the sincere kindness

they have extended to our residents,

seniors, families and staff. Our sin-

cere appreciation to all our volun-

teers for their commitment of time.

9



10



Volunteers Are Important! Our vision for the Care Centre is to be a leading provider of high quality long-term care, residential ser-

vices and community programs for Ukrainian seniors. This can only be achieved through the rich contributions

of our volunteers. Residents, family members and staff benefit as volunteers bring a warm sense of community

and home into the Care Centre, and much needed assistance.

Volunteers have new refreshing ideas, knowledge and skills and assist in a wide variety of roles. Volun-

teers are oriented and trained in their position and in a variety of other skills. With the help of our dedicated

volunteers we will continue to grow and ensure the best quality of life for our seniors. Positions we are actively

recruiting for include:

For more information about the Volunteer Program please call Irena Dounets, Manager of Programs and Volunteers 647-725-0874 or email [email protected]

Description

Volunteers will be required to use the cash register, greet customers, assist customers; restock shelves, count inventory, price products and provide general store support.

Friendly visiting creates lasting and meaningful relationships between seniors and volunteers. Duties may include: reading, chatting, playing cards, participating in leisure activities that both parties enjoy, keeping notes on the residents and reporting concerns and issues to registered nurses.

Assist and support the Recreation staff with the residents’ programs and activities by providing assistance with designing and posting calendars for scheduled programs, assistance with the publication of the monthly newsletter, interacting effectively with residents, interdisciplinary teams, family members, other volunteers and members of the community.

Minimum 1-2 hours per week, 6 months commitment

Minimum 2 hours per week, 6 months com-mitment

Time Commitment

Minimum 4-8 hours per month, 6 months commitment

• Excellent customer service and communication skills

• Responsible, respectful, positive and reliable

• Knowledge of a cash register would be an asset but not required

Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent communication and active listening skills, empathy, patience


• Able to work with minimum supervision• Creative about mutually enjoyable

activities and leisure pursuits• Has knowledge about and sensitivity to

aging issues and challenges• Ukrainian speaking would be an asset

but not required

• Excellent communication and active listening skills, empathy, patience


• Able to work with minimum supervision• Has knowledge about and sensitivity to

aging issues and challenges• Able to push wheelchairs and assist

residents with walkers/cane• Ukrainian speaking would be an asset

but not required

We are currently accepting donations of gently used Ukrainian ceramics (plates, bowls, cups, mugs, etc),

Ukrainian figurines, novels written in English, collectibles, crystal and bone china. Donations can be dropped off

at the reception desk of the Care Centre during regular business hours. All proceeds raised from the gift shop

support programs and activities for our seniors. Thank you for your support!

Gift Shop

Cashier – Gift Shop

Friendly Visiting

Program

Recreation Programs

and Activities

11



12

Contributors: Shirelene Courtis, Anna Denkova, Anna Do, Marta Krywonis, Myria Papalouca and Sandy Lomaszewycz

Layout: Anna Do For more information, please contact the

Development Office at 647-725-0843

The Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) coordinates and controls admissions to the Care Centre. To be considered for admission, you or a fam-ily member on your behalf, must complete a Placement Application Form which is available from the CCAC. The CCAC will provide a case manager to complete an assess-ment and facilitate the placement process. Once a bed becomes available, you will be con-tacted by the CCAC with an offer of admission. This offer must be accepteed within 24 hours and if accepted, ad-mission to the Care Centre must occur within five days. For further information, contact the CCAC at 905-763-

9928 or 1(888) 470-2222 or email [email protected].

Application to st. demetrius residence

St. Demetrius Residence accepts applications for the renting of an apartment from seniors who are over 65 years of age, are Canadian residents and able to take care of themselves and their apartments. The Residence offers market value rental units and rent-geared to in-come (subsidized housing) units. You may be eligible for a subsidy based on family income and assets owned. For more information, please contact St. De-metrius Residence Office at (416) 243-9051 or by email [email protected].

Supportive Care Services The Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) provides funding for a program called Supportive Care Services. Through this program Personal Support Workers provide services to qualified tenants in St. De-metrius Residence to support them to live independently in the community for as long as possible. Tenants who would like more information, please contact (416) 246-7979.

Admission to the Ukrainian Canadian Care CentreThe Care Centre is honoured to receive donations from

families and friends made in tribute to the following individuals:

TRIBUTES TO THE CARE CENTRE

In Memory OfAnna Bilasz

Pearl Blahut

Maria Bojeczko

Annie Chemij

Nastcha Demborynsky

Olha Eliashewsky

Gerry Horban

Maria Horban

Myroslaw Horban

Daria Hornich

Alexander Hucajluk

Zenona Kocur

Roma Kosmyna

Ksenia Krywulsky

Helen Kulchisky

Anastasia Kuszhnir

Dmetro Maykut

Harry Miller

Rosalia Mudry

Victor Pawlenko

Olga Pawliuk

Michael Rebryk

Aino Saranchuk

Morris Sawka

Millie Shewchuk

Mary Sorotschinsky

Arsen Stepaniuk

In Honour OfSandy Lomaszewycz

Eric Matusiak

Sonia Stoyko

Olga Taraschuk

Elsie Yarmol

From December 4, 2014– March 24, 2015

Charitable Reg. No. 12407/6555/RR0001

Date Event Location

Save these Dates

Annual General Meeting Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre

May 26

Ukrainian Village BBQJune 14 at 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Ukrainian Hertiage Day Celebrations

September 12

Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre

Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre

ukrainian canadian care centre - spring 2015 …ukrainian canadian care centre - spring 2015...

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