2022 in Review: Takeaways from Another Year Serving Long-Term Care

It’s nearly year end, a time when many of us reflect on the past 12 months. Being as involved as we are in the long-term care community across Canada, we’ve seen firsthand the struggles but also the many bright spots.

Here are our takeaways from another year working in LTC, and what we expect to see in the new year and beyond.

It Takes a Village – And We’re Thankful

Something we notice working in different facilities each day is the care and dedication by facility staff. Bringing in new equipment or changing over multiple rooms can be a large undertaking for teams and residents. This is especially true during a staffing shortage which we have seen in the industry over the past several months.

However, it is essential, and we are thankful for those who accommodate us with a smile on their faces. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do our jobs.

We wish to recognize all the directors of care, environmental service managers, maintenance staff, clinicians, nurses, PSWs, and all other team members involved in the Canadian senior living community – from Vancouver to Timmins to Halifax and beyond.

A recipient of our stress relief gift basket. Back in Q1, we gave away 50 of these to deserving members of the LTC community.

Spotlight on Our Vendor Partnerships

In 2022, we have had the pleasure of working with new partners as well as building on relationships with existing vendors.

Whether it be a scale company or new projects our manufacturing partners and suppliers, our vendor partnerships have supported us in delivering much-needed services to the LTC ecosystem.

We look forward to building more mutually beneficial partnerships in the year ahead!

Function Meets Design: Furniture Showroom

Hospital beds have a place in the home, so why not prioritize design when you can?

The SFI Medical technical team had fun delivering and setting up Drive Medical and Human Care beds as part of Global Furniture‘s healthcare showroom in Toronto. The display shows what’s possible when function and design come together.

A Return to In-Person Events

With restrictions evolving, we were delighted to attend the industry’s most notable conferences and trade shows in the later half of the year. This included the Extendicare charity golf classic and Extendicare SGP Purchasing Partner Network Conference.

It was so nice to see familiar faces again and reconnect with our customers and vendors – sans screens! Looking forward to more events happening next year.

Aging in Place: A Continued Movement

The desire for seniors to remain in their home as they age is a trend that continues to grow. For those who are able to do so, we believe there should be convenient solutions for them. This is why we offer a home care line of services and products to meet this need.

In the coming year, we will continue adding products to our online shop. Currently, due to the customizations needed for each item, we accept quote requests online. Customers can also call us directly to find what they need.

Local, Small Business for the Win

As a small Canadian business with family origins, we regularly hear how much our customers appreciate the care we take compared to larger companies.

It’s true. Our service solutions are consistently described as the premium quality you’d expect from a larger company, but with the personal attention of a neighbourhood shop.

We’re proud to serve our local community near our Ancaster, Ontario head office, but our technicians also spend their days travelling from coast to coast so that you get the services you need.

For that, we’re proud.

What To Expect in 2023

Despite challenges that remain across all of healthcare, our team has a positive outlook for the year ahead. We are encouraged by government investment in infrastructure including new builds, as well as increased awareness of the challenges faced by frontline workers.

Most of all, we anticipate a strong year helping LTC with what we do best – providing services and products that provide you with certainty today for better care tomorrow.