St. Pat's Web > Welcome Page > Who We Are > Our Facility

Our Facility-The Long Description

2865 Riverside Drive
Ottawa Ontario
K1V 8N5
Main Line:  613-731-4660
Direct Line:  613-731-0094
Fax:  613-731-4056

 

photo by rabphoto

photo by mfgphoto

The present St. Patrick's Home is located at 2865 Riverside Drive, and is built on 5 acres across the road from the Terry Fox Athletic Complex.  The building was constructed in two stages.  The original building was erected in 1965 and was state-of-the art at the time.  In 1986, a significant change was required and what some staff still call "the new wing" was built - an addition at right angles to the building seen above, at the back. (The truly "original" St. Patrick's Home was much older - see our history.)

The 5 acres has allowed significant green space for residents in the three seasons amenable to outdoor activity, mostly strolling through "the back forty" where there is a paved path, several benches for resting and a gazebo. It now (2011) is allowing the Home to create "The New St. Pat's" without having to relocate any of the present residents. We look forward to its completion in 2013.

When you first come inside, you will be greeted by a smiling Receptionist.  The Reception Desk is staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Just past the Receptionist is a lobby with a welcoming fireplace where you will often find residents sitting and watching the activity going on about them.  To the right is the Library, a large, sunny room that truly is a library, in that it contains quite a few books; it is also the starting point for the Ottawa Public Library when they come for their bi-weekly visits, picking up and delivering books.  A large dining room is attached to the Library; it is used primarily for special events now, as residents take their meals in their unit dining rooms.  However, our very capable chefs on special occasions will whip up a festive meal, and families are invited to bring their family members to the main dining room for a very gracious meal together as a family.

If you turn left from the lobby you will be at the Administrative Offices, where "the door is always open" and you may find the managers in an early morning meeting, catching up on what happened the previous day, or the administrative secretary preparing papers for the next meeting - who said we would be a paperless society?

Just beyond the lobby on the left is the Coffee Shop.  Family members are encouraged to drop in for a cup of tea or coffee with their relative, (residents eat/drink for free) or for lunch (you could also take a meal with your relative in the Dining Room, just let the staff in Nutritional Services know so they can prepare for you; the cost for visitors is very reasonable).
 

The two floors above the lobby were renovated in 1986-87.  Until that time, they had two-bed and four-bed wards, plus a few private rooms (which remain).  In 1964, that was a marvelous improvement over the large barracks-like room from which the people at that time had moved.  In the 1986 renovations, the ward rooms were converted to private rooms with shared washrooms, a considerable improvement; the double rooms were converted to singles.

The residents' rooms circle the perimeter of the second and third floors, so the residents of course have windows.  The newly renovated dining rooms are found at the west end of each floor.  The core of both floors is where the "business" of each unit is conducted - the nursing station is in the centre of the core; washrooms, tub rooms, the elevators, storerooms and housekeeping room all fill the inside of each floor, as well as the stairwells.
 

Back on first floor and continuing down the hall from the lobby, past the Coffee Shop, you will see on your right  two washrooms and the main entrance to the Main Dining Room.

On your left is one of the entrances to the Special Care Unit (SCU), the secure area for residents with dementia who are still active and mobile.  On your right is the kitchen - all our meals are prepared on-site - nothing re-thermalized here!  The Food Service Supervisors and the Manager of Nutritional Services have offices here and their doors too are "always open."
 

Returning to the door to SCU, a code must be entered in the keypad before the door will open - more security.  This area has a long history of different uses and was not originally designed for dementia care.  When St. Pat's was originally built, it was more of what is today called a retirement home, and this area was the Infirmary. 

A lot of reconstruction has taken place since then to make it appropriate for today's resident.  We have given it the ambiance of the Byward Market, with photo reproductions of market scenes from the turn of the century, Market street signs, small sitting areas (the Bistro, the Senate), and a barrier-free walking area.  Because of the diverse uses of the unit over time, the resident rooms are considerably varied in size and shape and range from three-bed wards to single rooms.  The large common area serves as both dining room and activity room.
 

Leaving SCU by the same door, turn left and you are back in the main hallway heading away from the front lobby.  Continue down the hallway until you come to the small upwards incline ("the ramp").  Just before going up the ramp is a small hallway on the left into the area where the VP Resident Care office is found (as well as a public washroom - good to know) and the office for the doctors, though they are usually found out on the resident care units.  To the right is a staff lounge and another public washroom.
 

The ramp is a result of the construction of 1986, and was not a preferred choice, but the result of the type of soil and cost of constructing the "new building" (what we call the wing that was built in 1986).  Half way up the ramp is a small landing and set of doors.  These doors, as with many doors in the building, are fire doors that will close during a fire alarm.

At the top of the ramp is the "lobby" area of First Floor.  Here you find on your right the two elevators that go between First and Ground floors, the Nursing Station (on your left), a resident lounge (on your left and little bit behind you) and right in front of you a bench where residents love to sit and watch staff and each other.  Behind the bench is the newly renovated unit dining lounge, with its own institutional kitchen and family kitchenette.

To your left is the north wing of resident rooms (rooms 120 - 135) and to your right is the south wing of resident rooms (rooms 136 - 153).  These rooms are a combination of private rooms with private washrooms and private rooms with shared washrooms.  Along with resident rooms are the "business" rooms of the unit: tub rooms, rooms for clean linen, dirty linen, the housekeeper's room, etc.  At the end of both north and south wings are stairwells.
 

Taking the elevator from First Floor down to Ground Floor, you emerge in an area that looks much like it did one floor above, although the decorations may be a bit different. 

The big difference on this floor is enjoyed starting in May.  From the unit dining lounge, there are two doors that open onto a large enclosed patio where residents and their visitors may sit and chat and even occasionally enjoy an ice cream cone served by the recreation staff on a hot afternoon.  This patio faces east, so it is shaded much of the day - a very pleasant place to rest.

Aside from this difference, the Ground Floor is laid out the same as First Floor.
 

Now that we are on the Ground Floor, we will reverse our trip and go down the ramp.  At the bottom, on the left is the workshop for the Maintenance Department.  It is in there that they build and repair and "maintain." 

A few steps further finds the Laundry on your right and on your left, the Lead Hand of Housekeep and Laundry.  We do all our linens in-house and all resident wash-and-wear clothing in-house (all resident clothing is marked on admission).

A few more steps down the hallway on the left is one more office, for the person who oversees the Quality/Risk Management Program.  There are also several rooms, left and right, for staff lockers. Just before the end of the hallway, on the left, is space set aside for "Records." When a resident is discharged from the Home, the Home is required to keep the residents' records for 10 years post discharge.

At the very end of the hall on the left is the Beauty Parlor, with brilliant light shining into the hallway.  It was enlarged and beautified in 2007 and the hairdresser goes about her business with the residents (and others) with a great big smile on her face.
 

Passing beyond the hallway, you enter into another lobby area.  The "old building" elevator ends (or begins) here, the auditorium (used for large events, recreation programs, some staff education) is on the left, and the beginning of a hallway to the right starts here.
 

Turning right into this ground floor hallway, you will find immediately on your left  the "New To You" shop.  The volunteer staff are happy to take your old (good, clean) clothing, books, trinkets to sell - and they are delighted to take your money in exchange for great finds in "gently used" clothing, books etc.

Just a little further down the hallway, you will notice two washrooms on your right, and the office for recreation staff on your left.  Also on your left is the beautiful Boardroom, again, recently renovated with funds from our Ladies' Auxiliary, and on the right, the Photocopy Room and Recreation's Video Library.

 

Beyond this point is a hallway to the right.

Beyond that, on the right, is one of the most beloved places in the building, the Chapel.  It can hold over 200 people.  The ceiling soars over three floors, it boasts beautiful lighting and unique carved stations of the cross.  Over the years, some pews have been removed to make room for an increasing numbers of residents in wheelchairs.

Moving beyond the Chapel, you arrive at the end of this hallway and the beginning of another, to the right.  At this intersection is the drop-off point for members of the Seniors' Day Program, a lounge for the members and the offices for the staff.  The remainder of the hallway contains other staff offices, ending with the office of the VP Building Operations.

The hallway again takes a right turn, going behind the Chapel (where the chaplain has his office), and meeting up with a hallway mentioned earlier, thus creating a  a rectangle with the Chapel inside.

If you go down that hall (along the side of the Chapel), turn left at the "T" junction and walk to the end of that hallway.  You should be in the lobby of Ground Floor where you can either take the stairs or the elevator up to First Floor.

You have now arrived back at the Front Lobby, where your journey began.