Catching A Smile For Ottawa Elders

Overview:

**Greetings Canada!** Bruyère Continuing Care is a health care organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of our patients and residents by providing compassionate, exemplary care and by promoting excellence through teaching, education and research. One of the largest multi-site academic health science centres of its kind in Canada, Bruyère Continuing Care is an essential part of the continuum of health care by complimenting the services provided by our partner organizations, and helps ensure patients and residents experience positive transitions from one type of care to another and, whenever possible, back into the community. One of our long-term care homes, Saint-Louis Residence borders the Ottawa River, providing a tranquil yet visually stimulating milieu. Bruyère administration had been approached by a local non-profit organization, Friends in Sport Fishing, with a proposal to operate a tour boat service - which would be open to the entire Ottawa community. Of course, it would also cater to Saint-Louis Residence and Bruyère Village residents and families. Friends in Sportfishing was created especially for people whose opportunities in life have become limited due to medical or personal circumstance. It practices catch-and-release fishing and promotes environmental renewal through public education and aquatic restoration programs. This service is targeted to seniors as well as children living with either a physical or a developmental disability with the goal of providing a psychosocially stimulating experience. Friends in Sportfishing has agreed to provide this service, as well as the boat, dock and boat house at no cost to the organization provided that a walkway was built to allow people in wheelchairs to safely make their way to the dock to meet the boat and head out on the water. The estimated cost of the walkway is $100,000. Bruyère Continuing Care will absorb the operating cost to maintain it. The opportunity to be out on the tranquil water, enjoying the boating experience with friends and family and participating in catch-and-release fishing is a wonderful and unique opportunity for this community that Bruyère Continuing Care hopes to offer. Bruyère Continuing Care is in the final planning stages for the development of the Bruyère Village located adjacent to Saint-Louis Residence. The Bruyère Village will include comprehensive components that meet the needs of an aging population such as: 227 apartments that support the concept of assisted living, affordable housing, and long-term care, chronic disease management programs, indoor and outdoor recreation, a healthy aging programming and outdoor walking paths. The Founders of Bruyère Continuing Care has been servicing the community of Ottawa for 165 years. Obtaining the one time capital assistance requested will allow us to partner, leverage funds and provide a much needed service to a growing population. A service that one could say is not basic to the targeted population needs, but that would add tremendous quality to their lives.