Fairvern wraps up its 35th year with anticipation for the future

Main photo: Fairvern’s 2018 Board of Directors (from left) Ambrose Adams, Sarah Robertson Smith, Chris Stilwell (in back), Robert Montgomery, Heather Hunter, John Garlick, Mary Edmonstone, Dana Murdy (chair), and Tracey Kuusk.

Fairvern Nursing Home celebrated its 35th anniversary last year, and with redevelopment on the horizon and news that the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care had officially approved the not-for-profit home’s plans for an increase to 96 beds, the mood at its recent Annual General Meeting was positive.

Fairvern’s outgoing board chair, Rob Laver, noted that approval for the 20 extra beds is a major milestone in its redevelopment plans. “The actual work of designing and building our new home can begin in earnest,” he said. “It will likely be 12 to 18 months before we can expect to begin the actual construction. The redevelopment committee under the chairmanship of Robert Montgomery has worked diligently to move this project forward.”

Laver also noted that Fairvern’s finances improved markedly in 2017. In 2016, the home had a deficit of more than $300,000, but in 2017 posted a small surplus of $4,800. “The efforts of all the staff an in particular the management team are to be congratulated,” he said. “Maintaining a 75-year-old building presents many challenges, from leaking pipes (to) failing equipment.”

Fairvern also had a successful year of fundraising in 2017. Its annual signature event, Paddle for Fairvern (which will be held this year on August 11), raised more than $30,000 to bring its five-year total to more than $156,000. A roast beef dinner raised more than $9,300 and an event featuring author Roy MacGregor brought in more than $5,300. And it received 25 per cent (more than $13,000) of the proceeds from the Mayor’s Golf Tournament. When combined with other fundraising efforts and donations, Fairvern raised more than $84,000 in 2017.

But Laver said that with the anticipated cost for furniture, fixtures and equipment in the new build expected to exceed $1.5 million “we need to treble our fundraising efforts in the coming years… This board will need to begin to put in place an apparatus for implementing a robust fundraising organization.”

Tracy Badger, Fairvern’s administrator, added how important both the redevelopment and ongoing fundraising are for the future of long-term care in Huntsville. “With the aging of the baby boomers, and the anticipated medical needs this group is expected to have, it is disconcerting to note that there may never be enough long-term care beds within the province to respond to the need,” she said. “It is for situations such as this that makes the new build project for Fairvern with increased beds so very important.”

Badger noted that the age range of residents in 2017 was 46 to 103 “which indicates the extent of the complex care needs but also speaks of deficiencies in our overall health care system… We continue to admit residents with complex care needs including more advanced stages of dementia and a more compromised physical state.”

She commended Fairvern’s staff for their dedication and commitment, and several were recognized at the AGM with awards of excellence. She also thanked the board of directors, and recognized outgoing directors Rob Laver and Bev MacWilliams.

MacWilliams (above right) joined the board in 2009, and intends to continue to help with Fairvern’s redevelopment committee. “It’s been an amazing time,” he said. “It’s been very worthwhile volunteer service and I really enjoyed it.”

Laver (above left) has been the board chair at Fairvern for the past five years and was vice-chair before that. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve on the board of Fairvern,” he said. “As with Bev, I would like to continue on helping however I can with the redevelopment project.”

There were also some additions to the board, with several new directors appointed or re-appointed: John Garlick, Heather Hunter, Robert Montgomery, and Chris Stillwell.

One of the 2018 board’s tasks, along with Fairvern’s management team, will be to create a new strategic plan that “will combine both our priorities for both our current home and the new build as we transform Fairvern to a larger, updated home in a new location,” noted Fairvern’s 2017 annual report.

Robert Montgomery, chair of Fairvern’s redevelopment committee, noted that they are “challenged with the concerns expressed around the previous estimate of total cost. In addition, Fairvern would like to increase the scale of the project to meet operational requirements and increased needs.” He said that the committee will work with the MOHLTC and the District of Muskoka on financing options, and he thanked the Fairvern committees engaged in fundraising initiatives.

A sign on Muskoka Road 3 signifying the future entrance to a new Fairvern

One of those is the Friends of Fairvern. Of the $8,106 they donated to the home in 2017, they contributed their third installment of $5,000 of a $25,000 commitment to the new build.

In addition to fundraising, the Friends of Fairvern also spent 2,383 hours volunteering in the home in 2017, visiting with residents, participating in the breakfast club and Sunday teas, and escorting residents to hair care and foot clinic appointments, among other things. Several of the friends have been volunteering for more than 25 years.

“We can always count on the Friends of Fairvern to pick up items on our capital equipment list, and this year they have gone above and beyond,” said Fairvern’s administrator, Tracy Badger. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.