Over the years, resident rooms and furniture at Mount St. Mary have incurred significant damage. When MSMH was being built, residents were older, less mobile and less independent. If they needed to be moved or transported, they were in a manual wheelchair pushed by staff, volunteers or family members. Since the facility opened, the resident population has changed dramatically. The residents are more independent, younger, and the many of them use power wheelchairs which give them independence and quality-of-life. However, the power wheelchairs can cause incredible damage as do other mobility aids.
To repair the damage and reduce the impact of ongoing wear and tear, MSMH is raising funds for our Room to Care Campaign. To date, we have completed necessary work on 3 out of the 4 floors. We still need to $500,000 to complete the work on the fifth floor (50 rooms and common areas for 4 houses.)
This campaign is necessary as a basic fix is not a long term solution.
When residents talk about their room, they will often call it their sanctuary. They furnish their rooms with some of their smaller belongings and decorate it with family photos and artwork on the walls. But their personal touches do not hide the damage. With the money raised through the Room to Care campaign, MSMH will:
- Repair and paint the walls and install heavy-duty wall protection to prevent future damage;
- Cover damaged and unsafe heaters with durable commercial covers resistant to dents; and
- Replace the furniture with more functional pieces – a wardrobe, dresser, and night table – that are easy to clean and maintain
In addition, the floors and drains of the ensuite bathroom showers need work. Although made of a commercial grade, slip resistant flooring, there are damaged floors and the seal around the seam between the tile wall and flooring and around the drain is broken. As a result, the flooring is lifting which is a safety hazard. In some cases, the slope of the floor needs to be fixed as the water is pooling which is a slip hazard. Overall, the bathrooms are becoming health hazards as there are rust spots, a lingering damp smell, and, in some cases, mould has started to grow.
You can view the video of this important project by clicking here.