St Joseph~s Health Centre - Guelph

Description

Today on our Westmount Road campus St Josephs operates 240 longterm care beds and 91 specialty hospital beds which include complex continuing palliative and rehabilitation care The Centre offers leadingedge community outreach programs including Out n About Alzheimers Day Fergus Day Out Acquired Brain Injury and Transportation programs for Guelph Wellington residents as well as outpatient clinics that include occupational and physiotherapy speechlanguage therapy for children and adults rheumatology physiatry geriatric assessment and bone densitometry for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis

Our Vision
St Josephs Health Centre is a leader in providing outstanding health care and support to residents patients families and the broader community we serve

Our Mission
In the spirit of the tradition of service of the Sisters of St Joseph and the healing mission of Jesus Christ we serve as leaders in complex continuing care in longterm care rehabilitation care and outreach services We contribute to improved knowledge and innovative service delivery through education and research

Our Values
In our belief that life at all stages is sacred we commit to serve our community with

Compassion
We attend to the needs of every person with sensitivity empathy and kindness

Accountability
We take responsibility for our actions and deliver on our commitments

Respect
We treat one another with dignity honesty and understanding

Excellence
We provide exemplary care through innovation teamwork and best practice

History

1861 On November 22 three Sisters of St Joseph of Hamilton came to Guelph and opened a 16bed facility for the sick the aged and the infirm This initiative was the areas first healthcare institution and was located in an old farmhouse purchased for the Sisters The building was known as the Gate House because it was located near a toll gate

1862 A large twostorey limestone building was erected to increase the number of beds to 40 It was capped by a bell tower from which the Angelus rang out three times daily

1877 A 4400 addition to the hospital was added Architecturally this building matched the existing 1862 building increasing the bed count to 77

1887 The first telephone was installed Our phone number was 114

1888 Due to a diphtheria epidemic an isolation cottage or Pest House as they were commonly called was built behind the hospital While over 100 patients were treated there only 13 died from the dreaded disease

1888 The cost of caring for one person for a day was 49 cents

1894 Ground was broken for a new hospital on August 9th The new structure was built on the same site as the old Gate House Limestone from the old farm house was saved and used to build the foundation for the new building

1895 A new buff coloured brick building completed for 3802774 opened in October The older buildings built in 1862 and 1877 were renovated and then used as the House of Providence

1897 Sister Martina and Sister Leo went to Mercy Hospital Kalamazoo Michigan to train as graduate nurses

1899 St Josephs opened its own training school for nurses In 1902 nine Sisters were the first graduates In 1904 lay nurses began enrolling Six subjects taught by six doctors were on the curriculum

1923 The Sisters announced that they had the proposal of enlarging their institution under consideration They felt an urgent need for better accommodation for the sick and afflicted in the hospital and also for the aged and infirm in the House of Providence

1925 Two wings were added to the 1895 building at a cost of 130000 The 104bed hospital had private toilets call buttons telephone receptacles and a sunroom facing south at the end of each floor

1934 The physiotherapy department opened in May with all the latest equipment

1936 The Ladies Auxiliary with 60 members was formally established

1942 The cost of caring for one person for one day was 235

1947 The cost of caring for one person for one day was 350

1951 A fivestorey addition built on the northeast corner of the existing building facing Westmount Road opened The postwar baby boom was evident in a new third floor obstetrical department

1955 A tunnel linking the Nursing School with the Hospital was completed

1956 The cost of caring for one person for one day was 1496

1957 An emergency power generator was installed to provide critical areas with electricity in the event of a power failure

1959 Residents of the House of Providence moved into a new building St Josephs Home facing Edinburgh Road A second wing was set aside for the chronically ill The spacious new residence included a craft room barber shop and library

1960 A new volunteer organization for the Home and Chronic Care residents was begun St Josephs Guild with over 120 members purchased bed lights craft supplies and physiotherapy equipment that first year

1967 Board of Trustees talked of expanding the services of St Josephs Hospital and adding a new wing to the building

1970 The cost of caring for one person for one day was 5115

1973 The Extended Care Wing was renamed the Continuing Care Unit

1974 After 75 years of operation the last class graduated from St Josephs School of Nursing Nursing schools in the province then came under the jurisdiction of community colleges

1976 The cost of caring for one person for one day was 13600

1984 A new logo and theme designed to represent the recent amalgamation of the Hospital and Home were introduced The logo featured a stylized tree and cross in an oval

1991 The Hospital took on a purely elective role providing the community with a growing Ambulatory Care Department and Day Surgery Program

1992 Ontarios Ministry of Health confirmed St Josephs future to rebuild as a longterm care centre of excellence

1993 The Volunteer Association held the first annual Festival of Trees

1994 The Staff Cafeteria received a new look and grand reopening with a new name The Basement Bistro

1995 The Westmount Road lobby and Central Registration gained a bright new appearance

1996 St Josephs Hospital and Home celebrated 135 years of service to the Guelph and area communities

1997 The Edinburgh Road lobby was completely renovated and we opened a new therapeutic garden for the residents to enjoy The cost of caring for one person for one day was 530

2000 In January excavation began on a new 254bed longterm care centre

2001 St Josephs Hospital and Home changed its name to St Josephs Health Centre Guelph

2002 At the end of October our residents and patients left their old home at 80 Westmount Road and moved next door to their new home at 100 Westmount Road

2004 During the summer and fall the old 1895 building and its various additions were demolished

To date our Centre has developed expertise in many areas Our community outreach programs MealsOnWheels program Out N About Day Centre Alzheimer Day Centre ABI Day Centre SpeechLanguage Pathology Program and our medical physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics all exemplify St Josephs history of service and help illustrate our motto