By: Christie Hollingsworth, Community Engagement Officer, St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre.
For many older adults, leaving the hospital brings as much anxiety as relief. The question isn’t just “Am I better?” but “Am I ready?”.
At St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre (SJCCC) in Cornwall, that question is met with a resounding yes. Through an approach that blends rehabilitation, real-life readiness, and post-discharge support, SJCCC helps patients not only recover but return home with purpose, strength, and confidence.
With 58 rehabilitation beds and occupancy rates hovering between 93 - 97%, SJCCC is a hub of healing. Patients come from both the hospital and the community, and each one is met with an individualized plan built around their goals for life at home, not just medical recovery. This proactive planning ensures patients and families are prepared for the transition, reducing unnecessary hospital stays (ALC days) and emergency department visits.
In 2023, SJCCC expanded its therapy space, allowing for more equipment, more simultaneous sessions, and greater access to care. Structured, scheduled therapy ensures every minute is meaningful, helping patients progress quickly while reducing wait times and length of stay.
At the heart of the program is the belief that true recovery means being able to live independently again. That’s why patients spend time in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Apartment, a home-like space where they practice tasks like cooking, bathing, and managing day-to-day activities. It’s a safe place to fail, learn, and grow, so they don’t have to do it alone at home. Discharge is treated not as an endpoint, but as a handoff to the next stage of care.
The results speak volumes: on average, patients improve by five points on the Barthel Index, a key measure of daily independence. And with recreation therapy built in, patients reconnect with the activities and relationships that make life worth living.
The Impact
Between April 2023 and March 2024, SJCCC admitted 420 patients, delivering over 880,000 therapy minutes, with an average stay of 46.68 days.
One year later, following the therapy space expansion and program enhancements, admissions rose to 487, therapy minutes reached nearly 982,000, and the average stay dropped to 40.36 days. This means more people received more care in less time, healed faster, and returned home sooner.
Leaving SJCCC doesn’t mean leaving care behind. Through its Remote Care Monitoring (RCM) program, the Centre supports 60-70 patients at a time in their own homes using digital tools. Patients track their own vitals and symptoms, while clinicians monitor remotely, offering guidance and reassurance. It’s a virtual safety net that extends care beyond hospital walls, reducing emergency visits and readmissions while helping seniors manage their health independently and confidently.
RCM’s success is built on partnerships. Paramedics, clinics, and local healthcare providers work closely with SJCCC to provide ‘wraparound’ care. In the past year, the program helped connect 26 patients with primary care providers, strengthening long-term health outcomes. Recognizing the needs of Cornwall’s bilingual population, SJCCC also expanded French Language Services, ensuring care feels not just effective, but personal.
What makes SJCCC unique isn’t just the programs, it’s how they’ve grown. This model wasn’t imposed from above; it evolved organically from the needs of patients and families. By blending traditional rehabilitation, modern technology, and strong community partnerships, SJCCC delivers what every patient deserves: the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Today, the Centre offers more than “rehabilitation”. It’s a place where older adults rebuild their lives, where integrated care extends beyond the hospital, and where going home doesn’t feel scary; it feels right.
The future feels bright! Because at SJCCC, no one is discharged without a plan, a team, and the confidence to face the next chapter.