Honouring the people who make long-term care feel like home

CANADA, June 13 - It takes a special kind of person to work in long-term care.

From cooks and cleaners to care workers and recreation teams, every person who walks through those doors becomes part of a larger story, and it’s a story filled with compassion and joy. 

These are the people who show up with patience and care, not just to do a job, but to make the lives of the more than hundreds of Islanders who call Prince Edward Island’s public and private long-term care facilities home.

June 13 marks PEI’s first-ever Long-Term Care Day. 

The day is an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of Islanders who provide care in the province’s nine public and eleven private long-term care homes, supporting more than 1,300 residents through their skill, kindness, and heart.

To mark the day, we wanted to know from those who have chosen careers supporting PEI’s long-term care community this simple question: What does working in long-term care mean to you?     

The answers say a lot. 

“It doesn’t feel like I’m going to work,” said Resmi Raju, a registered nurse at South Shore Villa in Crapaud. “I think of it like I’m coming in to see my family each day.” 

Resmi has only been with the Villa since 2023 but says the impact it has had on her has been lasting. 

“It’s meaningful, rewarding work even when it’s stressful,” she says. “You’re surrounded by people who care, and you’re caring for people who’ve become like family.”

Christian Lane, the cook at South Shore, feels the same way. 

“We’re feeding people in their home,” he explained. 

“It means more to me than just working in any other kitchen, and I know it means more to them. We learn the residents’ names, their stories, their favourites.” 

When Christian and his girlfriend had a baby and went to visit the Villa, residents dropped everything to meet his new daughter. 
“It made them feel even more like family to me.”

At Riverview Manor in Montague, Claire Gosbee, a student nurse and Resident Care Worker, finds joy in the smallest of moments.

“I love tucking residents in at night, giving them warm blankets,” she said. “Seeing that look of comfort on their face… that’s the best part of my day.” 

For Claire, the relationship is mutual.

“They give me someone to laugh with, share stories with. They help me, too.”

Her colleague, Jennifer Garnhum, agreed. After 17 years of working at Riverview Manor, she still lights up when talking about her work. 
“We advocate, we comfort, we celebrate. The residents are everything.”

Occupational therapist Karen Nabuurs at Summerset Manor in Summerside, says the care goes beyond physical support.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to connect with someone who can’t speak, but whose body language tells you everything,” says Karen. “That connection — that understanding — it’s powerful.”

Rami Katmouz, a rehab assistant at the same facility, put it simply:

“Even the smallest things we do can make a huge impact Taking the time to visit, to talk — that matters. It matters to them, and it matters to me.”
At Whisperwood Villa in Charlottetown, Joseph MacMillan, the Director of Activities, sees his job as more than planning, it’s about taking the time to form relationships with the residents, even though it can be hard.

“To be good at this job, you need to be close to the people,” he says. “But that closeness also means it hurts more when someone passes. That part never gets easier. Still, it’s incredibly rewarding to be there during those final days. Even after residents are gone, they stay with you. It’s a beautiful thing.”

For Dave Moore, director of dietary services at Enhanced Living in Charlottetown, which includes both Whisperwood Villa and Garden Home, his purpose is clear: 

“I love the idea that I can make someone happy by providing them their meals in this last phase of their life. So, whenever things get tough or someone seems challenging, I try to remember that this is my opportunity to bring some joy by giving them good food, and that’s absolutely my favourite part of this job.”

Without fail, each time a staff member was asked what working in long-term care meant to them, their faces lit up. You could see the memories playing across their faces. The memories, the connection, the joy that comes with a career in long-term care.

On Long-Term Care Day, a heartfelt thank you goes out to all those in the field. Their meaningful work leaves a lasting impact, felt throughout the community every day.