Versa-Care celebrates 40 years

John Moore has come and gone as he pleases all of his life.

Two years ago, when he went to live at Versa-Care’s Vickers Street long-term care facility, the fact he could continue his carefree lifestyle was one of its biggest selling points.

On Thursday he joined dozens of other residents, staff and neighbours of the for-profit 105-bed centre to celebrate its 40thanniversary.

"They’re all good to us," he said. "I’ve got no complaints. Nobody bothers you."
Asked what he liked best however, and his stomach prevailed.

"The food’s good," he said, after the gathering feasted on barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs and lemon-filled chocolate cake to mark the 40-year milestone.

Sheleigh McMillan, the executive director at Versa-Care, said the anniversary means a great deal to staff and residents, the latter especially.

"The building is 40 years old, and many of them are in their 70s and 80s, and they can appreciate that Versa Care has been in the community for that many years," she said. "For the staff, we have some staff who are celebrating 35 years of work with the Versa-Care companies, and so this is home to all of them."
It’s certainly a far cry from how long-term care was delivered half a century ago.

Patti Wright, a provincial director with Vera Long-Term Care – which owns and operates Versa-Care – said times have changed for the better in the ensuing four decades.

"In 1970 we didn’t even have any legislation for long-term care. So people just ran them the way they wanted to. The legislation didn’t come through until 1972 with the first Nursing Home Act," Wright said.
In those days adult diapers were non-existent, patient restraints ruled the day and in a lot of facilities being sent to a home was like a death sentence.

Though Versa-Care has always prided itself on holding its standards to the highest degree, Wright said it too has changed with the times in order to keep its residents happy in their golden years or comfortable with a good quality of life should they be fighting a debilitative or degenerative disease.

"Back in the ‘70s it was whatever you had, you used. I worked in a place where you didn’t even have a proper face cloth or towels. Many of the staff would bring supplies from home. It was a very different world. Menus are now all regulated and approved.

"Menus were just as they were. Whatever was the cheapest thing they could provide they did back in those days. And it’s really, really improved."

Wright said she’s not sure what the future holds for Versa-Care’s present facility. The province has indicated they have some money to help cover the cost of constructing a new building, but the two sides are at odds as to exactly what the cost might be.

"We’ve been lobbying and working with the Ontario Long Term Care Association and telling the government that the dollars they’re giving us to rebuild are not going to be adequate. So we’re hoping to see a change in this and then we will be able to get enough money for this," Wright said.