An ambitious upgrade at Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre is turning routine bath time into relaxing spa time for residents.
Thanks to ongoing renovations at the long-term care home in our CIUSSS, bathing and shower rooms are being transformed into soothing retreats equipped with modern features such as radiant heating panels on the ceiling, salon-style sinks for washing hair, and bathtubs with jet sprays and oil-infused aromatherapy.
Topping it all, luminous “sky ceilings” create the impression of looking outdoors while soaking in the tub.
“We want residents to feel like they’re in their own home. It’s about the quality of life,” says Daniela Vrabie, Site Coordinator at Maimonides. “This helps create a warm environment. It feels more like a spa.”
The CIUSSS began upgrades to the shower and bathing rooms at the Côte Saint-Luc facility in 2019 and, after work was suspended during the pandemic, the second of four planned phases has just been completed.
“We want residents to feel like they’re in their own home.”
Daniela Vrabie
The upgrades do more than improve the bathing experience for residents, many of whom face a growing loss of autonomy. Staff also gain the advantages of rooms that are spacious enough to accommodate lifts or shower stretchers, along with slip-resistant epoxy floors and other features.
“We like these improvements, and so do residents,” says Orderly Anita Joseph. “The baths are like a jacuzzi, and residents tell us it’s relaxing. They’re enjoying the experience.”
Joel Bohadana, Chief of Physical Facilities at Maimonides, says the goal of the upgrade is to ensure that bath time is an enjoyable and comfortable moment for residents. “It should be an experience they look forward to. That’s the philosophy of the entire CIUSSS,” he says.
Work will continue to the shower and bathing rooms in the residence’s remaining units.
