St Joseph's at Fleming

My Mom has settled in so well and they are taking very good care of her. The nurses give me regular updates and we get our Zoom calls and phone calls regularly. This home has brought new life to my Mom. She has new friends and has never looked better. Thank you for helping her and our family.

Pre-Alzheimers my Mother was very well known for her gentle, generous and kind nature eg. running a meal service for up to 100 people a week and viewing every client as an equal; adopting internationally, helping to create the New Canadians Centre, etc. etc. With Alzheimers she turned into a scared, nasty, violent woman and iwhen her care-giver was no longer capable of managing, they quickly made room in the locked-down section of St. Joes.

The staff has been very good at dealing with has despite her demanding, sometimes disruptive behaviour. Her room is as nice as is possible but still not home on a lake so she often feels trapped. Staff is very communicative about any issues that arise regarding medication or confrontations. She has had a couple of trips to the hospital that went smoothly. They recently arranged for her to attend an in-patient facility at the hospital which intensively monitors patients with a view towards adjusting their routines and medication to make them most comfortable. They took her there but family was required to get her back to St. Joes. As of today, that treatment looks like it addressed many of the issues that made her uncomfortable.

St. Joes staff does seem to be very in-tune with her individual needs and communicates with the family about her mood, actions and makes suggestions regarding things that can be done to make her feel better. I do get the impression that they really care about the residents. They even allowed our family to use a private meeting room for a quiet Xmas dinner separate from the other residents.

As I said, it is essentially a hotel room with caring nursing care but it is the best I have seen of or heard about in Peterborough.

St. Joseph's at Fleming was a wonderful place for my father-in-law to live during the last years of his life. My husband and I are grateful for the kind care he received there. We thank the staff and administration in taking so much time to make the end of his life as comfortable and dignified as possible.

Hi my name is Ian Kerr and my mother was a resident here for 13 years.
I was with them when they had a few issues. Thankfully we were not affected.
My mother lost her husband at 75 and commenced to drink. She was in her home and spent some nights on the floor. She refused to live with us. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and got confused on occasion.

We finally got her settled into Sherbrooke Heights retirement home and I thought we had done the right thing. A great spot if you don’t need help. There are things to do, meals and desert cart, tablecloths, a bar, & pool table, etc., but mom was incontinent and not making her way down to the meals. The other residents were not happy with her so she withdrew to her room and continued to drink. These were hard yards and with no experience I felt confused on what to do. Thankfully her government worker put her on a special needs list and St. Joseph’s at Fleming and said they would take her.

So we moved from a one bedroom and living area with it’s own kitchen with a beautiful view. To a single room with a hospital bed and a view of weeds at that time. My heart sunk and mom wasn’t any better. I stayed there as much as I could at first just to make sure the transition was going well. Not only mom but St. Joseph’s as well as mom would sneak smokes in her room. Order a bottle or two from the cabbies.
After a while this subsided the complaints about the dinners were less and less. One night we had her out for her birthday and came in late. I was expecting to catch a little flack. In stead I found her bed all ready for her with her nightgown folded beautifully on her bed. It wasn’t 45 seconds and we were greeted with two ladies who asked if mom had a good evening. She said, “Oh yes Dear, a great one!”, and they were happy to help be toileted and into her bed.

From then on I was at peace with the decision. It took about a 1/2 year at this point. Then I noticed mom was good with her surroundings and the people around her. Each saying, “Hi Joy, how are you today”? And hear replying “just great”, and appreciated the interaction and the love and care she was receiving. At this point my mind and soul were at peace with the decision. Years passed and mom was always cared for.

About 1 1/2 years ago we moved our father to St. Joesph’s where he now resides and is also, very content and comfortable.

Unfortunately, Mom passed yesterday in her bed at St. Joseph’s. The staff did everything in their power to make her last moments here as comfortable as possible.

About a year ago we went to Christian Victory Church and listened to a few sermons about people who had lost their lives and had ascended to heaven. Each of their stories were different but similar. They all seen their body’s but were not in them. All had mentioned family members and people helping them, guiding them. All had mentioned a huge amount of flowers and the smell being overwhelmingly pleasing. All had mentioned a beautiful city with a mountain and water. Gates they were not permitted to pass through as they were sent back to as it was not their time yet.

I told mom this story and it seemed to put her at ease. At the last, I gave her a big hug and felt her life leave her body. My wife and two daughters were there and it was one of my daughters birthday. We left there with well wishes and condolences from so many people, many with a story to tell about my mom. Just as though she was their family also.

I drove up our lane way later that afternoon and at least 40 or 50 doves scattered and flew beside us up the driveway. I have never seen so many. I talked to moms 1/2 brother in New Zealand and found out his mother had passed on his daughter birthday as well . Funny thing was the daughters shared the same first name.

I know mom is in a better spot. And while she was here could not have had better care than she received at St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough.

Thank you all so very much, and, our family looks forward to future days working along side you all with our father.

Ian Kerr & Family

My husband and I are very impressed with the kind staff at St. Joseph's at Fleming and the facility ifself. The staff are friendly, helpful and extremely caring and concerned for the residents and their families, especially in Woodlands. The planned activities are very well organized and we are always made welcome to attend. We attended the Christmas tree lighting this evening and enjoyed entertainment and refreshments. Thanks very much for all that you do to provide an excellent quality of life for our loved one.