A place to live life your way

The Village

The Village is made up of six single-storey, cottage-like homes set on five acres of park-like grounds specifically designed to enhance the lives of those living with dementia. Sensory gardens, accessible walking paths with benches, a farmyard with veggie patch, outdoor activity terraces, a games lawn, natural meadows and even a water garden are part of this special setting, which is anchored by a vibrant community centre and village plaza.

Residents, family, and friends are free to wander up Main Street, and enjoy the amenities of the Oakwood Community Centre. Or take a stroll down to the farmyard, feed the animals, or get busy in the veggie patch. Winding pathways invite residents to explore, and are sprinkled with gardens specifically designed for butterflies and hummingbirds that stimulate the senses. Our outdoor areas encourage residents to stay active and healthy, and our water garden is a nice place for those who like to sit and watch the world go by.

In our community, all residents are supported and cared for by staff and professional nurses specifically trained in dementia living and support. They oversee the health care required by each resident, and also are trained in person-directed living where the joy, happiness, and lifestyle needs of each unique resident are paramount. Our staff work closely with each resident as enriched living facilitators, caregivers, friends, and family.

Those living with dementia deserve more than just a room in a care facility. They need community, and the freedom to explore life to the best of their ability in a supportive and stimulating environment. Our village is what sets us apart, and it defines a new standard of memory care in Canada.

The Cottages

The Village consists of six single-storey cottages centred along our village Main Street. Each household has either twelve or thirteen private rooms surrounding an open, staffed kitchen, dining room, fireside living room with library, sunroom, and large activity room.

Each cottage has been designed and decorated as a home. Private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms are tailored for those living with dementia, and can be decorated and furnished as residents like. Other areas of the house have been made to encourage activity, socialisation and engagement. Whether it’s working on a puzzle in the activity room, reading a book from the library, or helping with the day’s meal preparation, residents are part of a home, and live within a family-style group.

Food brings a family together, and it is one of the most important elements of our households. Our experienced chef plans and prepares nutritious meals, which are served in the households. We encourage residents to be part of the meal preparation process, and to dine together in either small groups or as part of a larger family-style, harvest table depending on their preferences.

The Village is based on the European-inspired household model, where people with dementia live together in smaller more familiar, home-style environments. Households are designed so that residents with similar needs, preferences, or ages live together. This not only makes for a more intimate living environment, but allows for a more customised and appropriate level of support.

Staffing in the households is a team approach. Households are run by a Household Manager who is supported by a team of Enriched Living Facilitators (ELFs!).  This team is responsible for making each household a home. Household teams are supported by a centralised group of professional nurses.