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Description

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MISSION STATEMENT
The purpose of The Fair Haven United Church Homes Society is to provide a spectrum of care and housing for the elderly who are in need

PHILOSOPHY
We staff volunteers and board of directors believe in offering a homelike comfortable environment to meet physical social emotional and spiritual needs of our Residents in a secure compassionate dignified and inclusive community

We believe that those we serve have the right to be involved in decisions that affect them

VISION STATEMENT
The Fair Haven United Church Homes is a registered Society serving the Burnaby and Vancouver population since 1954

We believe that those who are unable to maintain themselves independently in the community because of disability or of frailty of age should have available to them a continuum of care Whenever possible this should commence with support in their own homes for as long as possible Once this is no longer feasible however there should be access to multiple levels of care as required without further displacement from familiar environs and social contacts This care commences with independent living in affordable housing and progresses through the various levels of institutional long term care It should be accessible at any levels as required

We believe that the majority of those whom we serve are active members of their community and have a right to be involved in decisions which will affect them We promote participation empowerment self help and mutual aid concepts among our residents We believe in the quotholisticquot approach to clients care and therefore seek to provide the best possible resources to meet our clients needs in our facilities whether such needs be medical physical social or spiritual

Together with families friends volunteers and community services The Fair Haven United Church Homes strives to meet its residents and outreach clients needs regardless of age race sex religion or primary site of residence While endeavoring to provide optimal services for long term health physical social and spiritual needs the Society is unable to provide acute or emergency services As our residents approach lifes end we will endeavor to provide as a full degree of comfort and support as is possible in peaceful and dignified surroundings

LIVING THE VISION
At present The Fair Haven United Church Homes provides low cost rental housing on both sites as well as a 10 years old 100 bed complex care facility in Burnaby and a 5 years old 100 bed complex care facility in Vancouver We are in partnership with the Health and Home Care Society of BC who operates a 12 bed respite care centre and adult care centre We will redevelop the outdated housing units on both sites to provide increased numbers of modern affordable housing as resources become available We have entered into a partnership with BC Housing and have one bedroom handicapped adaptable apartment building in Burnaby completed in 1999 Our plans also include outreach services to the communities such as Child Day Care open January 1997 and operated by Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion We have also developed office space in Burnaby to house the BC Conference of the United Church of Canada This was completed in April 1998

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History

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History
Our story
Rev Hugh Dobson had a concern about the elderly citizens in our communities At that time he was Associate Secretary of the Board of Evangelism and Social Service of the United Church British Columbia Conference As such he was able to share his concern with British Columbia presbyteries and the Conference In May 1945 the first step was taken

Others had similar ideas The Canadian Memorial United Church Chute Womens Association asked for a Home for Elderly Ladies and the Lay Association asked for Retired Church Workers With the participation of many individuals and communities by June 1946 the go ahead was given

A large house was purchased in Vancouver and in Burnaby the Untied Church already had property on Rumble Street The 14 acres had been gifted to the Presbyterian Church by the farmer who owned the land His home became quotThe Girls Homequot on Sussex Street Negotiations for part of this acreage for the planned development of cottages got underway and on May 14 1949 a soilturning ceremony took place Fund raising and allocation of funds got into high gear and it is till going on the need is as great now as it was at the beginning On May 20 1950 the Dedication and Official Opening of eight duplex cottages took place and 16 married couples moved in The Fair Haven was a reality In May 1951 the main building on Rumble Street opened for single men and women The facilities in Vancouver at 48th Avenue were opened in 1961 We entered the long term care program funded by the Ministry of Health in 1978 with 69 intermediate care beds in Vancouver and 58 personal care beds in Burnaby

Burnaby Development
On December 02 1994 our new 100 bed multilevel care facility was opened replacing the old 58 bed lodge on Rumble Street MultiLevel Care means that the building is designed to meet the needs of the frailest most dependent members of our elderly population guaranteeing that the resident never has to move no matter how infirmed they become Care was taken to ensure a homelike environment and pleasant surroundings One of the programs meets the need of elderly persons with cognitive or memory impairment They live in a separate wing designed to accommodate wandering to ensure safety and decrease anxiety and agitation while maintaining their dignity and respect Care is taken to maximize independence and minimize the disability Quality of daily living is a goal we strive to attain for all people in our care

We received a grant from Womens Equality to finish a day care for 12 infants and 25 preschoolers located in the Rumble Street level of our facility The child day care is run by the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion and opened in January 1997 We completed our community outreach chapel area in April of 1998 Also located at the Rumble Street level are the United Church of Canada British Columbia Conference offices

We opened our 55 one bedroom barrier free apartments March 01 1999 Our partner in this project was BC Housing We also received grants from Vancouver Foundation and Real Estate Board

Vancouver Development
We moved into 63 multilevel care beds stage 1 on July 31 2002 The 40 year old 69 LTC bed facility was demolished 37 MLC beds were completed in 2003 The new facility has distinct living areas housing 20 residents in each unit These areas have their own dining room lounge and fireplace TV nook activity area and spa One of these units is a challenging behaviors unit dedicated to care of residents with various forms of dementia requiring specialized care and programs

In September 2002 the Victorian Order of Nurses occupied our 49th Avenue level to provide an adult care center and a 12 bed respite care center Both of these spaces were specifically designed for those purposes as outreach to the community by the Board of Directors of Fair Haven in fulfillment of our Mission