Choosing Long-Term Care

Location: Village at St. Clair, Schlegel Villages  

When Gail realized that staying home was no longer a safe or accessible option for her husband Victor, she was beyond grateful to find him a home to safely meet his needs and improve his quality of life before he passed away.  

Victor’s health and mobility had begun to decline in December 2020. A bad fall at home in March 2021 forced a hospital stay. Before he passed in 2022, Victor lived with dementia and needed specialized care. With the support of care coordinators in the Erie St. Clair region, Gail and Victor were able to make a choice that helped make life easier for them both.   

For Gail, it was the care and personal interactions with the team at The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, that brought her comfort.  

She remembers early in his stay, a team member named Christine recognized Victor’s last name and surprised him by greeting him in Polish. It turned out, they had many connections within Windsor’s tight-knit Polish community, in which Victor had been very involved. His long-term memory was still very much intact, when sparked, and there were many people they had had in common through the Polish Club. 

And when Victor had to get his COVID-19 vaccine, Gail initially had no idea how to help him travel to a nearby clinic. But Noel Erum, the Gosfield neighbourhood coordinator, quickly got Victor set up for a ride on a special bike the home has, capable of carrying a wheelchair.  

As much as the team was concerned about Victor’s care, she says, they also took the time to focus on her well-being, knowing that she was going through a major transition in life, as well. There’s comfort in knowing Victor was so well cared for, and that means the world to Gail. 

Read more about Gail and Victor’s reflections on life at Schlegel Village at St. Clair.  

This story was shared with permission in loving memory of Victor.