December is a month filled with diverse religious and cultural holidays and observances celebrated worldwide, including major holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

Key December holidays are:

• Hanukkah: This eight-day Jewish "Festival of Lights" commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The date changes yearly based on the Hebrew calendar but typically falls in December. Observers light a candle on the menorah each night, eat traditional foods like latkes, and exchange gifts.
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Observed on December 24 and 25, respectively, this Christian holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It has also been widely adopted as a secular holiday, celebrated with traditions such as decorating a Christmas tree, gift-giving, and family feasts. In Canada, Christmas Day is a nationwide statutory holiday.
• Winter Solstice/Yule: Occurring around December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, this astronomical event marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. Pagans and Wiccans celebrate it as Yule, a festival commemorating the sun's return, often by burning a Yule log and holding a feast.
• Boxing Day: Celebrated on December 26 in several countries, including Canada and the UK, this holiday was traditionally a day to give gifts to servants and the poor. Today, it is largely a commercial holiday known for shopping deals and sporting events. In some Canadian provinces, it is a statutory holiday or non-working day.
• Kwanzaa: A cultural holiday celebrated by many African Americans from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa honors African-American heritage. Celebrations include lighting candles on the Kinara and discussing the seven principles of African culture, with a large feast (Karamu) held on New Year's Eve.
• New Year's Eve: The final day of the year on December 31, it is celebrated globally with parties, fireworks, and the making of New Year's resolutions to welcome the incoming year. In Japan, the traditional festival of Ōmisoka is observed on this day.

Other notable observances include:

• Saint Nicholas Day (December 6)
• Bodhi Day (December 8), which commemorates Buddha's enlightenment
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
• Saint Lucia's Day (December 13) in Scandinavian countries
• Las Posadas (December 16–24) in Latin American countries
• International Human Solidarity Day (December 20)
• Festivus (December 23), a secular holiday alternative

We all celebrate differently, but the most important piece is spending time with family, friends, and those who mean the most to us.

Happy Holidays from everyone at the Pines; we wish you all the best this holiday season.

It's that time of year again: our team has reviewed and updated our contingency plans. Please click the links for more information.

Dietary Contingency Plan

Life Enrichment Contingency Plan

Administrative Contingency Plan

Nursing Contingency Plan

Environmental Contingency Plan

Home Specific Outbreak Plan

As the holiday season approaches, we acknowledge that while this time of year brings joy and celebration to many, it can also evoke challenges, grief, and a mix of emotions for others. We see you, and we care.

Andrea Groomes, Social Worker, will be offering practical skills and strategies each week leading up to the holidays to enhance your holiday toolbox. These tools aim to help you navigate the season with greater ease, intention, and self-compassion.

We truly value your feedback. So far, we’ve received only 32 responses, and every voice matters. Without your input, we can’t fully understand what needs improvement to ensure the highest standards of care and safety for our residents.

✨ Please take a moment to share your thoughts—your feedback makes a real difference.

Only three (3) weeks left to give us your feedback!

UPDATE: Paper copies are available beside the sign-in tablets in the home for those who prefer. Please drop your completed survey at the front office.

2025 Resident and Family Engagement Survey

Please respond to the questions provided in the survey either as the resident or on behalf of the resident, if you are a person of importance. Responses for the resident should reflect your observations and experiences during your time with them.

As we are in the midst of winter weather, we have noted that winter footwear in the home is creating a slipping hazard for residents, staff, and visitors, due to snow melting off the boots.

We encourage you to bring a change of footwear, or you can apply the boot covers provided at the front entrance of the home. We have added a bench and an area for you to place your boots when visiting.

Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe in the home.

As we enter this season of gratitude, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our team members for the exceptional care they provide to residents in our home.

We kindly remind families and visitors that team members are not permitted to accept personal gifts, including gift cards or money. However, if you wish to recognize or celebrate a team or department within the home, this is absolutely welcome and appreciated.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Ridgley, Administrator, at administrator.pines@muskoka.on.ca.

Lost & Found: If your loved one is missing any items, we have a lost and found to the right of the laundry room. See the picture above. The next time you visit your loved one, we encourage you to check the lost and found.

Labeling Items: If you have purchased new items for your loved one, please take them to the laundry department for labeling before leaving them with your loved one. If they are not labeled first, there is a potential that the items will be lost. This includes items like bedspreads and pillowcases that you might bring in. If you are unsure if it needs to be labeled or not, please check with our experts in the laundry department.

Below is information from the Ontario Association of Residents' Councils regarding the Residents' Bill of Rights. For more information, click on the links below or visit the website at the bottom.

The formation of residents’ rights afforded to all persons living in long-term care homes, began in the early 1950’s and grew to 29 distinct rights. The Ontario Residents’ Bill of Rights is embedded in our provincial legislation, the Fixing Long-Term Care Act (FLTCA), 2021(External link), and accompanying Regulations (O. Reg. 246/22)(External link)

All long-term care homes in Ontario (including those formerly known as nursing homes, municipal homes for the aged, and charitable homes) are governed by the Fixing Long-Term Care Act. The requirements in the LTCHA ensure that residents of these homes receive safe, consistent, and high-quality resident-centered care in settings where residents feel at home, are treated with respect, and have the supports and services they need for their health and well-being.

•Residents’ Councils review and promote the Residents’ Bill of Rights. The following resources are some of the supports available to provide a deeper understanding of the rights.

•Access the English Residents’ Bill of Rights here(External link)

•To access an English video/audio version of the Residents’ Bill of Rights click here(External link).

•To access translations of the Residents’ Bill of Rights in different languages, click here(External link).

•To learn more about enhancing Residents’ Bill of Rights Education at your home, check our Through Our Eyes

The theme for the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, “Fostering disability‑inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” underscores the essential role that persons with disabilities play in shaping thriving, equitable communities. It highlights that true social development can only be achieved when everyone is fully included and empowered to participate in all aspects of society.

Focus:

This year’s theme builds on the commitments reaffirmed at the Second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025. It reinforces a central truth: meaningful social progress is impossible without the full inclusion, participation, and leadership of persons with disabilities.

Call to Action:

The global community is urged to work toward a just, inclusive, and equitable world by dismantling the barriers that persons with disabilities continue to face—particularly in employment, social protection, accessibility, and other key areas of daily life. Advancing disability inclusion is not only a matter of rights; it is a catalyst for broader social progress that benefits everyone.

For more information, please see: https://www.who.int/campaigns/international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities

We are pleased to share that, in collaboration with Public Health, the Oak Home Area outbreak has officially been declared over. During this period, six residents experienced symptoms, with three testing positive for C. difficile. We are grateful to report that all affected residents have fully recovered, and all isolation precautions have now been lifted.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire Oak team for their exceptional work in containing the outbreak. Your coordinated efforts ensured the situation remained limited to six residents and prevented further spread throughout the home.

We would also like to recognize our laundry and housekeeping teams for their outstanding dedication. Your commitment to enhanced cleaning protocols and meticulous environmental management played a vital role in eliminating spores and safeguarding our home. This successful outcome would not have been possible without your hard work.

Finally, thank you to all family members and visitors for adhering to proper processes and procedures throughout the outbreak. Your cooperation supported our residents and helped shorten the duration of the outbreak. We truly appreciate your partnership in maintaining strong IPAC practices within the home.

Please reach out to Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead, if you have any questions. stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca or ext. 4752