Welcome to the latest updates from ORH!
We are thrilled to bring you the latest exciting developments and achievements in our journey. As we continue moving forward, your feedback is highly appreciated, so please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions you might have. Stay tuned for our next ORH update, coming your way in November. Here’s to a healthy and joyful start to the school year!
Gina St.Amour, Executive Director
HIGHLIGHT SUMMARY
- New Team Lead for Respite Services- Marie Abou-Malhab
- Children’s Weekend Respite continues in November and December
- Children’s Regular Respite – you can now request dates for the Fall & Winter
- Adult Day Program resumes on September 19th
- Adult Respite – Families can request 2 visits between September & December
SUMMER DAY CAMP
The Children’s “Day Camp” respite program was a tremendous success! Gwen and Michelle warmly welcomed 4 to 5 children to the camp each day, and they filled these days with an array of fun-filled engaging activities. Some of the standout moments included captivating science experiments, outdoor play on the play structure and splash pad, and, of course, enchanting experiences in the Snoezelen Room.
September 1st marked the conclusion of the camp, and the children have returned to school and their regular routines as the fall season begins. However, we are already looking ahead to the future, and we will be considering the inclusion of a summer camp offering in our plans for the upcoming summer of 2024. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures to come!
CHILDREN’S RESPITE WEEKENDS WITH LIVE-IN STAFF
The once-a-month respite weekends for children under 16 proved to be a resounding success! This program involves staff members living on-site from Friday to Sunday to provide continuous care and support to the children during their stay.
Julia and her team warmly welcomed a group ranging from 5 to 9 children during these weekend visits, often venturing into the community for exciting outings. Memorable moments included visits to the Tulip Festival, Parc Omega, and the Science and Tech Museum. We are thrilled to announce that our September slots are now completely booked.
While we will take a break during the month of October, our respite weekends will resume in November (November 3rd-5th) and again in December (December 1st-3rd). If this opportunity interests you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Julia Gordon for more information. Your child could be part of our upcoming adventures!
Families can now request children’s respite stays for thr fall and winter by contacting Marie Abou-Malhab.
ADULT OVERNIGHT RESPITE
We are pleased to inform you that we are continuing to provide adult overnight respite services, and the availability of these services depends on our staffing ratios. Throughout the summer, we consistently accommodated 2 to 5 adults for overnight stays, and we intend to maintain this offering into the Fall season.
To ensure your access to these services, we kindly request all families to reach out and contact Marie Abou-Malhab. You can request two visits between September and December, and we will make every effort to accommodate your preferred dates to the best of our ability.
ADULT DAY PROGRAM
The Adult Day Program takes its customary break during July and August, but we’re eagerly gearing up to welcome our families back in September. For those families referred to us by DSO (Developmental Service Ontario), we have scheduled our reopening for Tuesday, September 19th.
As for our Purchased Services (Fee For Service) families, one of our staff members will be reaching out to you soon to discuss your specific needs and preferences. We’re committed to ensuring a smooth and personalized transition back to our program for all of our valued participants.
NEW MEMBER OF THE TEAM
We’re delighted to introduce Marie Abou-Malhab to those who may not be familiar with her. She joined ORH in January 2022 as a full-time staff member and has recently transitioned into the Team Lead position to enhance our respite support services.
It’s worth noting that the Team Lead (TL) role has undergone some scheduling adjustments. Marie’s hours now flexibly encompass weekdays and weekends to ensure comprehensive support for weekend respite as required, rather than adhering to the traditional Monday to Friday schedule.
NEW FAMILIES TO ORH
Throughout the summer, we dedicated our efforts to connecting with new families seeking services at ORH. During this period, we had the privilege of assisting several families with day visits and initial overnight stays. We eagerly anticipate continuing our partnership with all families currently navigating the intake process, ensuring they can access respite services in the near future.
If you have any questions about the intake process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Laura De Beck-Courcelle for individuals under the age of 21 or Julia Gordon for individuals over the age of 21. They are here to provide support and guidance.
IPAC UPDATES (Infection Prevention and Control)
As we gear up for the approaching fall respiratory illness season, we want to emphasize that our safety measures remain in place. To protect our clients, all staff and visitors are required to wear a medical-grade mask in any area where clients reside or participate in a program.
We are pleased to announce our continued partnership with OPH (Ottawa Public Health) this year for the administration of influenza and COVID booster vaccines to our clients and members of the DS (Developmental Service) community throughout the months of October and November. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Lauri Cox. The well-being and health of our staff, clients, and their families continue to be our utmost concern.
CHEO’s NEW INTEGRATED TREATMENT CENTRE (1Door4Care) INFORMATION NIGHT & SITE TOUR
CHEO will be holding an information night on September 14th to update stakeholders on where the project is to-date, info on opportunities to get involved, and a site tour of where the new facility will be constructed.
For more information: 1Door4Care: CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre (infrastructureontario.ca)
To RSVP: 1Door4Care / 1lieupourallermieux RSVP (office.com)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Executive Director – Gina St.Amour [email protected]
Director of Operations & Health Management – Lauri Cox, RN [email protected]
Acting Director Adult Services – Julia Gordon [email protected]
Acting Director Children’s Services – Laura De Beck-Courcelle, RN [email protected]
Team Lead – Marie Abou-Malhab [email protected]
