Yee Hong Newsletter
The Dragon Raffle is Back!
Join us to support a great cause! Yee Hong Dragon Raffle is back with an exciting opportunity to drive away a new Audi A3 Sedan Komfort, valued at $49,998.96! The grand prize is generously donated by Audi Uptown, which has been a longstanding supporter of Yee Hong and our senior community.
Tickets are available online at www.DragonRaffle.com for just $25 each or 5 for $100. You can also purchase tickets in person at the receptions of all Yee Hong centres and the Yee Hong Foundation office at Scarborough Finch Centre. Draw date is October 10, 2024 (Thursday). Net proceeds from each raffle ticket sale go towards the senior care programs and services at Yee Hong and the construction of new long-term care facilities.
This is a wonderful opportunity for us to unite and forge a brighter future for our beloved seniors while getting a chance to win the fabulous prize!
Yee Hong Hosts another Successful AGM, Welcomes New Board Members and Community Voices
We are delighted to share the highlights of a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Yee Hong, held this past June with an impressive turnout of board members, dedicated staff, community members, and representatives from our Family Councils.
This year, we are excited to welcome new Yee Hong Centre board members who will bring fresh perspectives and dedication to our organization: Robert Fox, David Lai, Patricia Li, Roger Ma, and Anne Marie Yamamoto. Their diverse backgrounds and shared commitment to our mission will be invaluable as we continue to enhance the quality of life for our seniors and expand our services to the community.
A highlight of the AGM was the series of tours conducted for attendees, showcasing the heart of our work and our vision for the future. Participants were given the opportunity to explore our existing Finch Long Term Care Home, where they saw firsthand the exceptional care and vibrant community we provide for our residents. We also offered a preview of our new Finch II home, currently under construction, which represents an exciting expansion of our capacity to serve more seniors with the quality and compassion that defines Yee Hong. Lastly, attendees visited the Yee Hong residential hospice, currently the only hospice in Scarborough, and Yee Hong Garden Terrace, our life lease building, which provides an innovative housing option for independent seniors within a supportive environment.
Staff members shared their insights and success stories from the past year, showcasing the hard work and passion that make Yee Hong a place of care and compassion. We are grateful for their ongoing hard work in supporting our residents and their families.
This year’s AGM was not just a reflection on our achievements, but a celebration of the collective effort that makes Yee Hong a beacon of excellence in senior care. We are excited about the road ahead, and with the support of our new board members and our dedicated team, we are confident that Yee Hong will continue to thrive and grow.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this AGM a success. Together, we are building a community where every senior can live life to the fullest with dignity and joy. Here’s to another year of progress and partnership!
Scarborough Finch II Long Term Care Home Construction Update
We are excited to share that construction at our new Yee Hong Long Term Care home is progressing well. The concrete foundation has been completed and significant progress has been made on underground plumbing, level forming, and concrete pouring.
It’s exciting to watch Finch II take shape. After years of careful planning, we’re one step closer to opening our state-of-the-art, home that will foster healthy, high quality, dignified senior living.
We were also recently honored to welcome the Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) Board of Directors for an exclusive tour. This visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase Yee Hong’s commitment to delivering culturally appropriate, high-quality care to the seniors we serve.
We showcased the unique elements of our facility designed to meet the specific needs of our diverse community. The tour also allowed us to highlight one of our campuses of care that includes our home and community support services, independent living and residential hospice. This continuum of care makes Yee Hong a model for compassionate and specialized care supporting active seniors to those who are at the end of their lives.
In addition to sharing our progress, the tour underscored the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the sector. By opening our doors to the OLTCA Board and other partners in seniors care, we reinforce the value of sharing our expertise and experience. This collaboration helps strengthen the entire sector, ensuring that more seniors across Ontario can benefit from the high standards of care that we strive to uphold at Yee Hong.
We look forward to continuing to lead the way in culturally sensitive care and to fostering partnerships that enhance the quality of life for all older adults.
Advancing Family Member Engagement
A big thank you to everyone who took part in Yee Hong’s latest Family Engagement Luncheon on July 30th. The insights and feedback shared during this key engagement event are vital to shaping our strategic vision and improving care for our residents and communities.
This session was a fantastic opportunity to connect with our family members and unite them in co-designing Yee Hong’s first Family Engagement Framework which specifies how Yee Hong and family members can actively and systematically work together to advance priorities at Yee Hong.
In the coming months, we will be developing more specific action plans to address the priorities discussed including creating an annual Family Engagement calendar to operationalize the Family Engagement Framework. There will be plenty of opportunities to continue our dialogue with family members and work on different topics together.
We deeply value the role of family council and advisory committee members in advancing the mission of Yee Hong. Their dedication and involvement are essential to ensuring that our residents and clients receive the best possible care. We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support, insights, and advocacy. Together, we will continue to enhance the quality of life for those we serve, and we look forward to working closely with all family and advisory council members across our community services, long-term care and hospice to build a stronger, more compassionate community at Yee Hong.
An Update on Yee Hong’s Workday Human Resources Information System
Yee Hong’s new Workday system is going live in late November, 2024. This cutting-edge HR and payroll platform will introduce several changes and benefits to enhance the employee experience at Yee Hong.
Through it, staff will be able to:
- Update and manage personal information (address, phone number, emergency contacts, banking information, etc.) directly on Workday.
- Submit leave and vacation requests digitally, and review responses to requests online.
- Print out verification of employment letters in real time.
- Readily access internal and external job postings with a simplified application process.
Yee Hong managers will also benefit from Workday. The system enables them to approve requests, enhance team performance, initiate human resources-related changes, and generate robust reports to drive informed business decisions.
Implementing Workday will not only enhance operational efficiency at Yee Hong but also empower staff, improve decision-making, and ensure the organization remains agile in talent development and succession planning in a rapidly changing sector.
Celebrating Maria Chu’s 27-Year Legacy at Yee Hong
In September, Maria Chu retired from Yee Hong, after a remarkable 27-year career. Since joining Yee Hong in 1997 as a Program Coordinator for the McNicoll Adult Day Program, Maria has held various leadership roles, leaving a lasting impact on Yee Hong. Over her 27-year tenure, she transformed the Social Services division into the dynamic Community & Professional Services Division at Yee Hong Centre today.
Maria’s innovative leadership has driven numerous initiatives, including securing funding for critical programs, developing the “Dementia Guidance Online Hub for Chinese Communities in Canada,” and launching the “Age Well at Home” project to support seniors in Ontario and Vancouver. She also established a Caregiver Resource Centre in Richmond Hill and co-founded the Chinese Caregiver Network, providing essential resources and support to caregivers.
Her contributions extend beyond Yee Hong, influencing education, advisory services, and research. She played a pivotal role in establishing Yee Hong’s Training & Learning Centre and published a ground-breaking paper on addressing seniors’ intimacy needs.
As we bid farewell, we thank Maria for her dedication and visionary leadership. Her legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.
Dementia Guidance Online Resource Hub
Making a Positive Impact in the Communities We Serve!
Age Well at Home
Since its launch in September 2023, the Yee Hong Project “Age Well at Home” funded by the Federal Government, has created numerous memorable moments. We’ve had the pleasure of welcoming Former Minister O’Regan to visit senior residents of Yee Hong Chinese Evergreen Manor, hosting groups of seniors for laughter-filled falls prevention talks, providing consultations for seniors & their caregivers, installing light bulb sensors with the help of volunteers, and partnering with AgeTech companies to introduce fall prevention devices. Our community events, like those at Langham Square Mall during Senior Month in June, have brought seniors together in meaningful ways.
Introducing the Yee Hong Centre Long-Term Care Medical Learners Program
Yee Hong Centre is excited to announce the start of our Medical Learners Program. With the assistance of Dr. Yuet Ming Lam, our first resident will officially start their training at the end of this month. The program will begin at the Markham LTC home with the intent to deliver it to all Yee Hong homes down the road.
The Medical Learners Program was created to foster interest in long-term care and Care of the Elderly among the next generation of medical trainees, as well as to showcase Yee Hong as a leader in the field of geriatric care. We look forward to working with Dr. Yuet Ming Lam and all program stakeholders to ensure both these objectives are met.
Cheers to 90 Years: A Heartfelt Tribute at Yee Hong!
Yee Hong recently celebrated over 90 years of wisdom with joy, performances, birthday cakes, and laughter across our long term care homes with birthday celebrations for our incredible 90+ seniors!
A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful performers, dedicated volunteers, Foundation summer interns, and staff members who made these events so memorable. Most importantly, we truly appreciate the families and friends who joined our senior birthday stars for the celebrations, adding extra sparkle to the day!
Preparing for Fall: Safety is Always our Priority!
In addition to masking:
- Please avoid non-essential visits to our home or community location if you have been exposed to a known case of COVID-19 for 7 days after initial contact.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly.
- Stay up to date with your vaccinations.
- Comply with other IPAC measures as instructed by the home or staff during outbreaks.
- When taking a resident out on a leave of absence:
- Do NOT bring a resident to your home if someone in the household is sick.
- Remind and assist the resident with cleaning/washing their hands.
Thank you for your full support!