Board member calls it ‘the best nursing home in the St. John River Valley'

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By Jon MacNeill

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Cheery voices filled the air and hearty laughter resonated through the hallways of the Central Carleton Nursing Home during the celebration of the facility's 25th anniversary on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

Around 100 people visited the bright coloured rooms of the 30-bed nursing home to share in the festivities.

Mac Clendenning, administrator at Central Carleton, said residents' family members, nursing home staff and board members and volunteers gathered to enjoy a barbecue and afternoon of entertainment.

"This is a chance for people to mingle who've been a part of the nursing home," said Clendenning.

"We're just celebrating everything we've done over the years."

Following a barbecue in the sun-filled gazebo and activity room, residents and family members made their way to the lobby to take in the musical stylings of Rev. Garth MacKay on the piano.

The jovial crowd sang along to a selection of the residents' favourite songs.

Rollie Perry was one of the first board members when Central Carleton was built back in 1983. He lives at Carleton Place – a 22-room facility for assisted-living residents next to the nursing home – but has spent a lot of time at the nursing home grounds.

"They give very good care here," said Perry.

"It's a family affair," he added, saying how close the residents, staff and volunteers grew over the years.

"It's always been thought of as the best nursing home in the St. John River Valley."

Perry said the network of 40 volunteers who work with residents on a daily basis are a valued asset to the home.

He guessed that volunteers have raised between $40,000 and $50,000 for the facility over the years.

Clendenning said the 25th anniversary celebration is also a venue to say thank-you to Central Carleton's dedicated crew of volunteers.

"Today is an opportunity to acknowledge our volunteers and their support of the nursing home as well," he said.

The facility was built on a two-and-a-half acre plot of land and cost $1.3 billion when the project began in 1982.

Then, as it remains today, the nursing home had 30 beds.

Four years after it was completed, a 10-unit apartment complex was built next door for independent residents.

In 2000, Carleton Place was added to the elderly-living complex.

Clendenning said a number of changes have taken place at the nursing home over the years. Expansions were made to give residents more room to get around, and a large activity room and spacious outdoor gazebo were also built some years ago.

New fencing and continuous landscaping keep the aesthetics of the complex up with the times.

Clendenning said activity co-ordinators keep residents busy throughout the week with daily activities.

A church service is offered ever Sunday, he added.

Once a week, residents board a 20-passenger bus for an outing, sometimes going to a nice restaurant for breakfast, going to a shopping mall or having a nice outdoor picnic.

"The residents like very much getting out and about in the county," said Clendenning.

Employing 40 people, he said, the facility is "a tremendous asset to the community."

"We've served probably over 250 residents over the last 25 years," said Clendenning.

"And we hope to celebrate our 50th, 75th and 100th anniversaries, too."

Clendenning hopes to expand the nursing home by another 20 beds, for a total of 50 beds, to accommodate a growing senior population in the County.

"That's part of our long-range plan," he said, acknowledging such an undertaking won't happen overnight.

The complex already has enough land to accommodate the possible expansion, it's just a matter of charting out the course, he added.

"We expect (the Central Carleton Nursing Home) will continue to be a mainstay of the community for years to come."