Celebrating our Rec Programmers

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February is Therapeutic Recreation month!
 
There are many kind-hearted souls working behind the scenes to ensure the kiddos in our care are having the best experience and our Rec Programmers are an important piece of the puzzle.
 
In celebration of Therapeutic Rec month we had them answer questions about their field and even debunk a few myths about recreation therapy!
 
Any myths you’d like to bust about Recreation Programming?
 
We do a lot more than plan parties! Recreation Programmers are involved in all aspects of a child’s life. It’s functional – an incorporation of play, therapies, and life skills. It’s about holistic growth of an individual by improving their quality of life; empowering an individual from a strengths-based approach to learn and develop new skills in a fun way.
 
Recreation Programmers can choose to work in so many different areas, so why Hope’s Home?
 
Because there’s no place like HOPE. Each day brings new hope, an opportunity to learn more and a passion to make a difference in the lives of these little, amazing people. It’s a person centered program that allows kids to be kids.
 
What are you most looking forward to in 2022?
 
Accomplishing new milestones, those little moments that remind you that what you are doing and providing for the children is making a difference in their life.
 
What might others be surprised to learn about you?
 
One of our programmers is afraid of hospitals, another is afraid of pets. One of our programmers is originally from BC and we’ve even got a spin instructor in our midst!
 
And when we asked them tips for getting through the winter…
 
Embrace it and buckle up – we live in Saskatchewan! Always have a bit of a back up plan, whether it be a preplanned activity you just have on hand or even just some quiet time with the children. Sounds like something a rec programmer might say!
 
Thank you to our Rec Programmers for going above and beyond every single day. You are an amazing resource and support for our kiddos. ❤
 
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College Ave Drugs

Our next Heart Campaign spotlight is College Ave Drugs in Regina.
 
This is where our partnership with community pharmacies is born out of. Jack Mullock has been the owner of College Ave Drugs for 25 years, purchasing it in 1997 when it was known as Williams Drugs.
 
We opened our first Supportive Living Home in Regina and the partnership with Jack has remained. Our CEO Jacque Tisher and Jack go way back – with both of their children attending the same school!
 
They share a common goal of making it simple for families to get the care they need. Jack recalls that Hope’s Home has always been close to his heart, having had ties to youth with medically complex conditions for many years.
One of the ways Jack knew he could help was to create a one stop shop for families. Caregivers are often sourcing equipment, dietary supplements and many other supplies from separate providers. Jack began sourcing much of the supplies caregivers needed to make it easier on them.
 
One thing Jack notes is that he is as supportive of caregivers as he is of the kids. He sees the ways they are pulled in different directions and does what he can to streamline the process. It’s been great for him to branch out and develop a new framework of knowledge while providing an essential service to the community.
 
Jack’s involvement in the community can be seen in his reason behind giving back. He sees the community as a network of people who support him and his employees. They give him a sense of security; they give his employees a livelihood. They allow him to provide jobs for other people. He sees it as his responsibility to give back, to give thanks for everything this community has given him.
 
In the last few years, Jack has noticed that more and more people are becoming aware of Hope’s Home and what we do. He states that it’s important that people know how complicated the care is and what it really takes to look after each other in the community.
 
And as a reminder – you can still purchase a heart at College Ave Pharmacy until February 28th for our heart campaign where they will be matching donations!
 
Thank you so much to Jack and your team for being a part of the Hope’s Home family!
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Earl’s Pharmacy – Saskatoon

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Earl’s Pharmacy in Saskatoon has specialized in long term care since the 70s. That’s what they’re known for and it’s what they excel at. Not only are they a partner for our Heart Campaign, but they are a long-standing partner of Hope’s Home. ❤
 
Having looked after Parkridge since it opened, it was a natural partnership to transition to the care of our kiddos at Hope’s Home. Michele and her team have been with us since the very beginning. Her first in-person meeting with us was on the floor of our supportive living home because the furniture hadn’t even been ordered yet! They sat there with papers spread around them, with our employee’s kiddos playing in the background. The Earl’s team was able to put together a business plan for us and make any tweaks along the way. We learn so much from them and they learn so much from our kids and love being involved. Even now, it’s the Earl’s team that visits the home to administer flu and covid shots.
 
Michele herself began working at Earl’s for Mr. Earl when she was finishing classes at the U of S in the late 80s, graduating in 1990. Earl’s has always been a proponent of technology and remaining current. They were the first to have a computer in a pharmacy in all of Saskatchewan and the first to start packaging medications in pouches in 1999. Long term care is her passion and it shows. Michele worked her way up to senior pharmacist and is now manager of Earl’s Pharmacy, part of the Rubicon group of pharmacies.

She has an amazing team of pharmacists that inspire her every day. She gushes that they are so incredibly caring and are always coming up with ways they can support the ideas that Hope’s Home may have. Michele states that “good enough is never good enough.” They are consistently working to go above and beyond, making a difference any way they can. She reminds us that you can get bogged down in the day to day, so every now and then it’s important to stop and remember what we do and how important it is. She reminds her crew every day that they have the gift of doing what many people will never do and how truly special that gift is.

 
#hopeshome #heartcampaign #yxe #ypa #yqr #warman #medicaldaycare
 
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Heart Campaign Pharmacy Spotlight: VSCP

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During our Heart Campaign, we’re taking the time to highlight the local pharmacies that work with us; ensuring our kiddos always receive the essential care they require.
 
Roses Stewart has spent 48 years in Prince Albert practicing as a pharmacist, 27 of those years as the owner of Victoria Square Compounding Pharmacy (VSCP). After just a few minutes of chatting with Roses, it’s clear how proud and invested she is in her own community. She passionately declares that she loves this community and the wonderful people in it.
 
A core value of Roses is contributing to the health and welfare of the community in whatever capacity she is able. She jokes that she contributes to anyone or any cause that needs it, but that’s far from a joke! From sports teams, arts and entertainment, horse-back riding teams, beach volleyball, the path around town (Rotary trail), to long-term care facilities, she’s had a hand in supporting many community efforts.
 
The building that houses VSCP has a state of the art compounding room, a decade ahead of its time. In fact, the compounding area is one of the best in all of North America. 😉 Adding to the health of the community, VSCP is also the home of a counselling practice.
As Hope’s Home’s local pharmacy in Prince Albert, VSCP works closely with us to ensure that medications for our kiddos are tailored to their specific needs and they are always there to answer any questions we might have. We are so thankful to Roses and her team for their expertise and support.
 
For the entire month of February you can purchase a heart for $2 in the name of a child, with VSCP matching donations in support of Hope’s Home. ❤
 
#hopeshome #heartcampaign #showalittlelove #medicaldaycare #diversity #inclusion #inclusivedaycare #inclusivechildcare #ypa #vscp #victoriasquarecompoundingpharmacy #sask #sk #sasklove #theresnoplacelikehope
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We found Santa!

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donation for accessible vans

Surprising our homes with NEW Accessible Vans

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Magnetic Fishing - early childhood education ideas

Magnetic Fishing – Early Childhood Education Ideas

Child Initiated Play is part of our daily routine at daycare.

Hope’s Home encourages the use of imagination and creativity. That is why our environments are set up to be open-ended activities so that the children have the freedom to explore and do as they please. Our Early Childhood Educators are amazing at coming up with new and creative ways to let the children explore their own interests and curiosity, and we love sharing those child initiated play and project approach ideas. We are huge advocates for the Reggio Emilia model and want to help other Early Childhood Educators by providing them with inspiration.

So, what exactly is child initiated play?

According to Early Years Careers, it supports children in having ideas and being in control of their learning. It enables them to learn through first-hand experiences, allowing them to choose how to use the resources to do so.

Magnetic Fishing Activity

In this example of child initiated play, these two girls have gone fishing. Out of all of the toys in the room they chose the fishing poles and magnetic letters and fish. Each has a pole dangling a magnet above the letters. Several seconds and no fish have been caught. So they take turns hooking a fish or letter onto the end of the other’s line.

ideas for eces - team work activity early childhood education ideas - magentic fishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are they learning through this activity?

  • They are learning muscle control as they hold and guide the fishing rods and try to match the magnet on the end to a letter or fish. Picking up the items with their fingers requires fine motor control.
  • They are learning letter recognition and pre-reading skills. Being introduced to letters in multiple formats throughout the day and giving the children a chance to experience them in many different ways, helps children practice what they’ve learned during Circle Times.
  • They are learning to cooperate and work together. Social skills are practiced through taking turns, helping each other, and talking out what they are doing.  Allowing children to play in pairs or smaller groups provides opportunities for children to build relationships with each other.

Turning play into a learning opportunity.

Activities like this can bring out questions and curiosities, leading to projects and deeper learning opportunities. For example, if the children are showing interest in the letters, pointing out what letter their name starts with could lead to talking about all of the letters in their name; and eventually into an interest in spelling and writing. Or the children could observe how the magnet picks up the letter by “sticking” to it. They may try to stick the magnet to other toys and surfaces in the room, exploring the properties of a magnet.

We love sharing our ideas just as much as we love hearing new ideas.

Do you have any fun and unique early childhood education ideas? Make sure you leave a comment down below! Childhood development is such an important part of their life and by sharing ideas we can improve our skills as ECEs to help our kids.

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Interested in Equipment

Learning about Adaptive Equipment – Play and Exploration

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Creating an integrated and inclusive daycare environment through play and exploration.

When you walk into Hope’s Home, it will at first look like every other daycare in the city. There will be kids laughing and playing, Early Childhood Educators reading stories, a Nutrition Specialist cooking up a healthy lunch, and of course the loud noises of a childcare centre. But then you will look a little closer and notice some things that are a bit different. There is a cozy, quiet little room filled with sensory items, a ceiling track lift running throughout the daycare, a nurse providing medical care to a little kiddo with a feeding tube, and a Physical Development Consultant helping another kiddo into their standing frame.

The kids who attend our Early Learning & Childcare centres grow up seeing these things everyday; so to them, it’s just another day at daycare. But sometimes, curiosity gets the best of them (as it should) and they have a million questions. Last week was one of those times where they were extra curious about the different types of equipment their friends use and what exactly it all does; and our staff jumped at this chance to help them better understand.

Our amazing staff created hands on opportunities for the kids to try the equipment out for themselves. The kiddos were able to sit in Activity Chairs and take a ride on the Ceiling Track Lift. This showed them how the different equipment helps their friends be able to play and explore just like they do.

Learning about adaptive equipment - the project approach project approach - ece ideas for children with disabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They learned that a wheelchair is just another way to move around, just like walking! And they learned that a ceiling track lift is just another way to get to the bathroom, just like getting a piggyback ride! They realize that all of these things that may seem different or unusual to them, are actually just ways for their friends to be able to do all the things that they do!

Not only is it our goal to create a safe place for children with complex medical or developmental needs, but we also want it to be a place where typically developing children grow up to be compassionate ally’s to their friends with disabilities. Encouraging curiosity, answering questions, and demonstrating differences, is big part of how we achieve our goal everyday. Activities like this help to to normalize the differences between the typically developing kids and the children who experience a disability. This is how we truly create an inclusive and integrated childcare experience.

That’s why there is no place like Hope.

 

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No More Chemo – A Daycare Celebration

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For half her life, Callie’s weekly routine has consisted of a round of chemo.

The reality of Hope’s Home is sometimes things don’t always go the way we would like them too. There are times when we are crying by hospital beds, being a pillar of support for a family going through a tough time, and saying our last “I love you’s” to a kiddo who has been with us since they were a baby. So when that can be our reality, we have to make sure we take advantage of all the small and large victories that happen too. And Callie finishing off her 70th round of chemo was one of those things we had to go all out for.

childcare - hope's home warman

At 10 months old, Callie had complications which made her unable to eat food; and she has since been exclusively tube fed ever since. And it was just a short 5 months later that Callie received the news that the doctors found a tumor in her brain. And although the tumor was not cancerous, it didn’t mean there wasn’t a long road ahead for her. A week after they found it, Callie underwent brain surgery, but the surgeons weren’t able to remove all of it. So they moved on to the next option, which would end up being 70 rounds of chemo in 70 weeks.

no more chemo - hope's home

The door the centre decorated for Callie’s party

Callie has had quite the journey in her little life; and although it’s been hard, she’s also had some victories. In December 2019, Callie finally began eating food!! At daycare, Callie’s friends were encouraging for her, and slowly but surely she began trying a couple bites here and there. Callie has now tried so many different foods she even has a couple favourites. This was a huge milestone for Callie and her family because it meant she was one step closer to no longer being tube-fed.

On Tuesday, the day after Callie’s last round of chemo, our staff and kiddos went all out for a chemo-free celebration party. They decorated the centre, had a dance party, played with balloons (a crowd favourite), and had a snack of some of Callie’s favourite: cheezies and popcorn twists. (She likes cheezies so much her mom calls her the “Cheezy Queen”)

complex medical needs - hope's home hope's home complex medical needs daycare

 

We were so excited to throw this party for Callie. She is the sweetest, strongest little girl. Having her at Hope’s Home has been such a blessing and knowing that she will be coming to daycare tumor free from now on brings all of us so much joy. We love you Callie.

 

That’s why there is no place like Hope.

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