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SURVEY OF MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What are your resident rates? Are they different from other nursing homes?
A: The Kensington Gardens rates are regulated by the Ministry of Health for all nursing homes in Ontario, therefore, the rates are the same and do not differ from home to home.

Q: Can the resident retain his/her own physician?
A: Yes. You may also choose to select one of the physicians appointed (contracted) by the facility.

Q: Can we bring in furniture?
A: We strongly encourage families to bring in items such as pictures, plants, an easy chair, bedspread, comforter, dresser, lamp, mirror, radio, TV, night table, plants, and so on.

Q: Is the resident allowed to keep a pet?
A: You may bring in a pet for a visit, provided that the animal is healthy and receives regular immunization.

Q: Can my parents live in the same room?
A: Yes. The Kensington Gardens has incorporated three couples rooms in the home. If a room is not available on admission, the resident is placed on a waiting list. It may take up to three months or longer before a room becomes available to accommodate both parents.

Q: Do you provide dry cleaning service?
A: We provide regular laundry services, we can make arrangements for the services to be provided, however the delivery and pick-up of clothes, including the dry cleaning cost, must be absorbed by the resident/substitute decision maker.

Q: What type of clothing should we purchase?
A: Clothing that is comfortable and machine washable, such as track suits, dresses, shirts, pajamas which can be easily put on/removed e.g. front/back buttons.

Q: Are special diets available?
A: Yes. The resident's diet is assessed at the time of admission. Food intake is monitored daily and if modifications to current diet are required, the resident's physician is notified and the diet order is changed accordingly.

Q: Does the menu offer choice?
A: Yes. For each main entrée there is an alternate choice available and offered to the resident. Menus, including alternate meal choices, are on display in all dining rooms, easy to read menu boards. Special consideration will be given to reflect the cultural dietary needs and wishes of the local ethnic neighbourhood, including members of the Polish, Portuguese, Ukrainian, and Hungarian communities.

Q: Are meals prepared and cooked in the facility?
A: Yes. We only provide home- cooked meals.

Q: Can family bring in gifts of food?
A: Yes. However you must ensure that foods brought in do not interfere with the prescribed diet order by the physician. If perishable food is not consumed during your visit, it must be placed in a tightly sealed and clearly labeled container indicating resident's name and the date the food was brought in. It should then be given to the Nurse in charge who will ensure that food is properly refrigerated. However, to prevent any possibility of food poisoning, bringing in meat or dairy products is strongly discouraged.

Q: Can family have meals with the resident?
A: Yes. Meal tickets can be purchased at reception, although advance notice to the Food Services Supervisor is preferred, so that necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate all requests.

Q: To whom do I speak if I have questions and/or concerns?
A: Any questions or concerns should be communicated to our Resident Care Managers, who will either deal with them directly or notify the appropriate department manager. If the Resident Care Manager is unable to respond to your questions/concerns immediately, she will contact you at a later time and provide you with requested information. You may also notify the Director of Care and/or Executive Director if further clarification or information is required.

Q: Is there 24 hour medical coverage?
A: Yes. The Medical Advisor, in collaboration with attending physicians and the facility Administrator are responsible for coordinating 24 hour medical coverage.

Q: Does the home provide physical aids such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc.?
A: The Kensington Gardens will supply the resident with physical aids on a temporary basis only. The resident/substitute decision maker is responsible for purchasing any personal aids required.

Q: What type of staffing do you provide for nursing services?
A: The Registered Staff are on duty 24 hours per day. Health Care Aides are also available on each unit and are responsible for providing direct care to residents including dressing, bathing, assistance with meal service, etc. The number of nurses and/or health care aides on each unit is based on the assessed needs of care requirements.

Q: What type of activities and social programming do you provide?
A: All activities, in-house or in the community, are scheduled based on residents' preferences. Feedback from residents is obtained on a regular basis by evaluating each activity. Program effectiveness is determined by the number of residents attending and participating in scheduled activities. One to one programs are also designed for cognitively impaired or bed ridden residents. Special events, such as scenic drives, shopping, casino visits, boat cruises, picnics in the park, etc., are also scheduled according to the Residents' Council Committee requests.

Q: Can we claim accommodation cost when completing annual income tax returns?
A: The entire amount of a resident's co-payment for accommodation should be reported. The statement will be issued from our administrative office through regular billing no later than March 31 of each year.

Q: With regard to accommodation, what does basic, semi-private and private mean?
A: These are the three levels of accomodation available, with premium rates paid for upgraded private and semi-private rooms. All rates are set annually by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, with subsidies available for qualified applicants. For complete pricing information, call Kensington Gardens at 416-963-9640.