Cassellholme is committed to meeting the accessibility needs of people with disabilities. Our goal is to provide accessible services to all members of the public. This includes the website. At the moment, some content may not meet current accessibility standards. If you need any information in a different format, please send us a note: accessibility@Casselllholme.on.ca  We will do our best to accommodate your needs.

AODA Policy [PDF]
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan [PDF]

Due to fire and safety regulations, Resident rooms cannot be locked.

Jewelry and articles of significant value, either monetary or sentimental, should not be brought to Cassellholme. Large amounts of money should be deposited in safekeeping at the General Store/ Reception. Money should not be kept in Resident rooms. Cassellholme does not assume responsibility for missing articles or money.

It is recommended that Residents arrange for private insurance coverage (tenant) for loss or damage of personal items while at Cassellholme as this type of coverage is not provided by Cassellholme’s liability insurance.

All personal items including dentures, eyeglasses, hearing aides, electric razors must be marked with the Resident’s name where possible. The serial number of equipment should be submitted to be noted on the Resident’s file. Concerns about missing items need to be identified as soon as possible to the RN Supervisor or RPN on the unit so that staff may assist in tracing the whereabouts.

Download the Policy [PDF]

Cassellholme is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy environment in accordance with the Home’s occupational health and safety policy. Cassellholme will attempt to provide, wherever reasonably possible, a scent-free environment for both Residents and staff.

Cassellholme, wherever possible, eliminates the use of, or substitutes products where scents or other products are known to cause health related problems.

Please  do  not  use  scented  personal  care  products,  perfumes  or  aftershave. Others may have severe allergies to scented products.

Cassellholme has a no-latex balloons policy. Allergies are caused by the powder in and outside the latex balloons.

This powder picks up the latex molecules and then spreads it around a room where it may be inhaled and possibly cause an individual who has a latex allergy to have a severe reaction.

We ask that families please use the mylar (foil type) balloons. Mylar balloons are made without latex, last weeks longer than regular balloons and can be reused until the self-sealing valve fails.

To deflate a mylar balloon, simply remove all ribbons from the balloon. Insert a common drinking straw into the valve until the air starts to come out. Gently squeeze the balloon and let the air out until flat, remove the straw, fold the flat balloon and store until next use.

Residents and staff receive flower arrangements as gifts for various special occasions.

Please ensure when ordering or sending flowers to Cassellholme that arrangements are requested to be made with faint fragrances or no fragrances at all.

Please Note: Lilies and baby’s breath flowers are not permitted in Cassellholme.

It is the responsibility of those Residents living at Cassellholme to treat all persons with whom they come in contact, with the same courtesy, kindness and respect they wish for themselves.

Residents, family and visitors agree to comply with Cassellholme’s established policies and procedures, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Act and with all other applicable legislation.

Visitors who do not demonstrate compliance will receive verbal notification from Cassellholme staff. Visitors who remain non-compliant after receiving notification may be refused entrance into Cassellholme, may have their entrance into the Home restricted or may be removed from Cassellholme at the discretion of the CEO or his or her delegate.

A person who has reasonable grounds to suspect that any of the following has occurred or may occur shall immediately report the suspicion and the information. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Improper or incompetent treatment or care of a Resident that resulted in harm or a risk of harm to the Resident
2. Abuse of a Resident by anyone or neglect of a Resident by the licensee or staff that resulted in harm or a risk of harm to the Resident
3. Unlawful conduct that resulted in harm or a risk of harm to a Resident
4. Misuse or misappropriation of a Resident’s money
5. Misuse or misappropriation of funding provided to a licensee under this Act or the Local Health System Integration Act, 2006. 2007, c. 8, ss. 24 (1), 195 (2)

An investigation will be completed and reported to the MOH LTC

If a lawyer or other business advisor is coming to Cassellholme to do business with a Resident who does not have a private room, please contact the Unit Support Assistant in order to have a room available for private consultation.

Staff are not permitted to witness legal documents, even at the request of a lawyer or other visitor. All such matters must be referred to the CEO.

Residents may be moved to another room within Cassellholme. Items that were brought in at admission may not be suitable and may have to be removed to accommodate the size of the new room. The priorities used to determine room changes are:

1. Safety considerations
2. Resident care needs
3. Ability to pay for preferred accommodation
4. Resident preference

Requests for room changes are recorded by the Resident Services Coordinator and can be made at any time following admission. When a Cassellholme bed becomes available, the needs of Cassellholme Residents, on an internal waiting list, are satisfied prior to the bed being offered to the community for admission.

Residents will not be asked to transfer to another room unless there are safety considerations, Resident care needs, and/or they are moving into or out of the secure unit.

Residents shall co-operate with the staff of Cassellholme in moving to a different room in the Home if the staff determine that the Resident’s health care requirements or the Resident’s behaviour make a move necessary for the best interest of the Resident or other Residents of Cassellholme.

Residents agree to pay any costs incurred because of the room change. This also includes the transfer out of Cassellholme’s secure unit (Cherry Lane).

If a Resident is not satisfied with their current roommate, they may put their name on the internal transfer list and await bed availability.

Where in the opinion of Cassellholme, a Resident can no longer be cared for in the facility, the Long Term Care Homes Act Regulations 2007, c. 8, 39-51 states: “A licensee of a long-term care home may discharge a Resident if the licensee is informed by someone permitted to do so under subsection (2) that the Resident’s requirements for care have changed and that, as a result, the home cannot provide a sufficiently secure environment to ensure the safety of the Resident or the safety of persons who come into contact with the Resident.”

The CEO/Director of Clinical Services or designate will transfer or discharge the Resident to another home or alternate housing, for the safety of all involved.

The use of physical, chemical or environmental restraints in Cassellholme will respect individual dignity and personal freedom and be considered as a last resort when all other measures have failed.

Cassellholme staff will ensure that the least restrictive type of restraint is used as an intervention after all alternatives have been considered or tried and found to be ineffective. A consent and doctor’s order must be obtained before application of a restraint.

In an emergency, restraints can be applied only when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Resident may suffer injury or may injure others, an Alternatives to Restraint Assessment has been completed by an R.N. and results indicate the need for a restraint.

Cassellholme complies with a written policy to minimize the restraining of Residents and to ensure that any restraining that is necessary is done in accordance with the Long-Term Care Act. 2007, c. 8, s. 29 (1) For a copy of Cassellholme’s Least Restraint Policy, contact one of the Unit Support Assistants or the RN Supervisor on Duty.

Cassellholme ensures that no Resident of the Home is:

1. Restrained, in any way, for the convenience of the licensee or staff
2. Restrained, in any way, as a disciplinary measure
3. Restrained by the use of a physical device, other than in accordance with section 31 or under the common law duty described in section 36
4. Restrained by the administration of a drug to control the Resident, other than under the common law duty described in section 36
5. Restrained, by the use of barriers, locks or other devices or controls, from leaving a room or any part of the Home, including the grounds of the home, or entering parts of the home generally accessible to other Residents, other than in accordance with section 32 (if the restraining of the Resident is included in the Resident’s plan of care) or under the common law duty described in section 36.  2007, c. 8, s. 30 (1)

As per the Long-Term Care Homes Act, no person shall retaliate against another person, whether by action or omission, or threaten to do so because:

1. anything has been disclosed to an inspector
2. anything has been disclosed to the Director including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

1. A report has been made under section 24, or the Director has otherwise been advised of anything mentioned in paragraphs 1 to 5 of subsection 24 (1),
2. The Director has been advised of a breach of a requirement under the Long-Term Care Home Act, or
3. The Director has been advised of any other matter concerning the care of a Resident or the operation of a long-term care home that the person advising believes ought to be reported to the Director

3. evidence has been or may be given in a proceeding, including a proceeding in respect of the enforcement of this Act or the regulations, or in an inquest under the Coroners Act

Cassellholme is committed to providing a positive atmosphere for both Residents and staff by ensuring that each individual’s human rights and personal dignities are respected. Physical or verbal abuse of a Resident or staff will not be tolerated under any circumstance.

All Residents have the right to dignity, privacy, respect, individuality and freedom from physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse or neglect of care from staff, co-Residents, family members, Power of Attorney representatives, or visitors to the Home.

Any person can report an alleged, suspicious or witnessed incident of abuse or neglect. Immediately report the incident to the RN Supervisor. An investigation and notification to the Family, CEO, Police and MOHLTC will be initiated immediately.

For a complete copy of Cassellholme’s “Resident Rights: Prevention of Abuse & Neglect Policy”, please contact one of the Unit Support Assistants or the RN on Duty.

The legislative Act governing Long-Term Care Homes requires that  all health information of Residents be treated with respect and sensitivity and that the Residents’ privacy be protected. Cassellholme collects personal health information from the Resident directly or from the person acting on their behalf. The personal health information collected may include name, date of birth, address, health and medical history among other items.

Specific items requiring consent will be discussed and required as part of the Admission Package. Access to additional information is restricted to that permissible by law or when consent has been obtained.

Personal health information is disclosed/shared on a need-to-know basis with:

• Staff  who  need  to  know  how  to  provide  care,  including  physicians,  nurses,  technicians, therapists, and other health care professionals.
• With written consent, other health care providers who are not our employees but may be required to assist in providing health care services when no longer a Resident at Cassellholme. These may include:

• Health care practitioners and groups of health care practitioners, public hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, ambulance services, community care access centres, community service providers, psychiatric facilities, independent health facilities, rest homes, nursing homes, care homes and homes for special care and community health or mental health centres, programs and services whose primary purposes are providing health care.

Cassellholme is committed to:

• Taking steps to protect personal health information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal.
• Monitoring and managing compliance with privacy legislation.
• Taking steps to ensure that all contracted services are held to the same standards and use personal health information for the purposes with which it was intended and consented to.
• Requesting consent to disclose any information for purposes not related directly to care (eg. insurance companies, lawyers, etc.) unless otherwise required by law.

You have the right to:

• Withdraw consent for the above uses and disclosures where otherwise not required by law.
• Access and request corrections to your personal health information.

Risk Management is an important component of Cassellholme’s operation. Risk Management activities include all those strategies designed to reduce and control actual or potential risks to the safety, security, welfare and health of Residents, staff, volunteers and visitors. Cassellholme is committed to safety and security to provide a hazard- free environment.

As part of Cassellholme’s Risk Management and Security Systems, the building is equipped with video surveillance cameras, electronic door locks and a security company patrolling the Home nightly. Several internal committees are tasked with the oversight of ensuring the safe operation of the Home.

All electrical equipment (eg. radios, TV, lamps, etc) brought in by Residents and families must be inspected by the maintenance department to ensure that it is CSA Safety Standards approved before being placed in a Resident’s room. A fluorescent sticker will be attached to the electrical equipment, signed and dated by maintenance that it has been inspected.

Cassellholme is fully compliant with fire safety requirements to ensure maximum protection in the event of fire. The Home is divided into zones protected by fire doors, which close automatically in the event of a fire. Heat, smoke detectors and sprinklers are located throughout the building.

In conjunction with the North Bay Fire and Emergency Services, Cassellholme has prepared and maintains an Emergency Preparedness Plan which would be implemented in the event of a major crisis.

Fire procedures are tested on a monthly basis. Fire drills are conducted on each of the 3, 8-hour shifts each month, during which time staff, volunteers, visitors and Residents practice clearly defined procedures as if there were a real fire. Silent drills are held during the evening hours.

When a drill is in progress, Cassellholme expects that visitors will take part in the drill and follow the instructions that are given by staff.

Upon hearing the fire alarm, a “Code Red” announcement will be heard over the Public Address (P.A.) System. Residents and visitors will remain in Resident rooms, behind closed fire doors and await further instructions from staff. If not in a Resident room, Residents and visitors will be directed to a safe area. Do not use the elevators during this time.

Remember – DO NOT PANIC – fire drills are part of the routine at Cassellholme to ensure safety. Do not hesitate to ask questions.

Access is restricted to Residents, family members and visitors in the back hall service area, basement, north and centre stairwells, utility rooms and housekeeping closets at Cassellholme to ensure that they are not exposed to hazards.

To access Birch West (2nd floor), Birch North (2nd floor) and Willow (3rd floor) please use the West Stairwell, located in the Administration hallway or the front and back elevators.

To access Cherry Lane please use the West Stairwell in the Administration hallway or the front elevator.

Directions to the West Stairwell - turn left after entering the front lobby to the Administration hallway. The West Stairwell is located on the right-hand side beside the Resident Accounts Office.

Cassellholme takes every measure to ensure a secure building for the safety of Residents. Please be mindful of confused Residents who may try to exit the building.

The purpose of the Roam Alert System is to allow freedom of movement for the Resident while ensuring the safety of the Resident.

If a Resident wearing a bracelet approaches an exit door, a warning alarm will sound. If a Resident goes through a main floor exit door, an alarm will sound. The system will identify which door has set off the alarm and which Resident has used the door.

Family members, staff and volunteers are trained in the use of the keypad to deactivate it, so that Residents may be escorted outside without the alarm sounding.

Cassellholme is equipped with a Security System on exit doors to allow Residents, who may wander, to have the freedom of movement while ensuring their safety. If the alarm should sound, staff have been instructed to respond accordingly.

If a Resident continues unsafe behaviour, the POA will be contacted and the Resident may require transfer to the secure Cherry Lane unit.

Please do not deactivate the Roam Alert System for any other Resident that you are not accountable for. This is a crucial element of Cassellholme’s safety practices. Any alterations to this practice could significantly jeopardize the safety of Residents.

If wandering is identified as a risk behaviour, staff will design a privacy care plan that will direct the staff on strategies to be implemented to reduce the risk of harm and altercations.

The Resident/family will receive education about the “Roam Alert” system that is used in Cassellholme. A consent form needs to be signed by the POA.