Advancing Practice
Four registered nurses at Shannex licensed long term care communities in Nova Scotia are now able to prescribe medications and treatments under the supervision of physicians. Through the inaugural cohort of the program, these team members participated in Dalhousie University’s Certificate in Registered Nurse Prescribing course which saw them attend in-class lectures and complete 200 hours of clinical practicum over the course of 12 months.
The program is a collaboration between Shannex and the Health Association of Nova Scotia to create a model program for organizations across the province.
Smart Care
More Shannex licensed long term care communities in Nova Scotia are using Tenera Beyond Care, a smart nurse call system that supports resident safety, security, and improves emergency response times. This innovative solution also provides data and analytics to optimize workflows, improve care planning and create detailed reports for residents and their families.
Flexible Pathways
The Shannex IEN to LPN Transition to Practice Program is an innovative and supportive process that allows internationally educated nurses to confidently transition into nursing practice in Canada. Delivered at a newly designed and developed healthcare learning space in West Bedford, learners participate in a six-week, in-person comprehensive nursing refresher, with a focus on caring for the aging adult in Canada’s health care system. To date, 72 team members have participated in the program.
Building Belonging
We are creating a workplace culture where every person feels seen, heard, and safe to express themselves. Last year, our Learning and Development team facilitated five workshops and training modules that had more than 625 voluntary completions. Our team continue to celebrate and recognize the diverse cultures in our communities through various events and celebrations which help build a sense of community.
Meet us at Moody Hall
Moody Hall, a licensed long term care home in Bedford N.S., opened its doors in November 2024. This beautiful new community is a “first” for a number of reasons. It is Shannex’s first standalone home in 15 years and it also features our first Main Street concept in Nova Scotia. Already in place in a number of our homes in New Brunswick, Main Street is a vibrant and purposefully designed social hub that encourages independence, community spirit and connection.
Culinary Excellence
We know that food and dining are foundational to residents’ quality of life, and we are committed to providing an exceptional dining experience by regularly seeking feedback and updating menus to ensure we’re delivering high quality meals every day. Our long term care communities regularly change their menus to provide a variety of options for residents. In advance of menu changes, we host regular food tastings to ensure the residents can provide feedback before finalizing the menu. We also feature seasonal themed meals with a special menu, decorations, music and entertainment.
Healthy Aging Starts Now
Shannex is leading the way to a healthier future for aging adults with total donations of $3.5 million to three universities in Atlantic Canada. Through Dalhousie University, University of New Brunswick, and Mount Saint Vincent University we’re investing in research, programs, and education in the following areas:
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to inform decision-making and policy planning at every level of the healthcare continuum
- Improved support and care for individuals during transitions as they age
- Opportunities for specialized nurse and caregiver education
- Innovations for food and nutrition for seniors
- Strategies to improve overall wellness and quality of work life for long term care staff
More Than Meals
Shannex’s annual Service Excellence Awards recognize team members for exceptional work. Each year, the Shannex Cares Award for Community Impact goes to an individual who goes above and beyond in service to the community and this year’s recipient does just that. Debby Manual received an award for her dedication to serving community members. With nearly two decades of selfless volunteer work with Meals on Wheels, she has exemplified compassion, connection, and lasting impact.
Sustainable by Design
Over the past year, Shannex opened three new licensed long term care communities — one in Nova Scotia and two in New Brunswick. Consistent with our commitment to sustainable design, these homes boast environmentally friendly features. A heating, cooling and ventilation system provides full building energy recovery. For example, heat generated by the system can be repurposed to support temperatures in other areas of the building. Heat pumps allow individual controls in each suite for heat and AC and built-in technology supports monitoring and reporting to track energy usage and savings.
Growing Green
Shannex is a proud participant in the Clean Foundation ThrivingForests Program which saw us plant trees at three of our Nova Scotia locations: Parkland at the Lakes in Dartmouth, Parkland Cape Breton, and Parkland Truro. Each site was evaluated to ensure suitability for planting, including local wildlife, slope, and soil composition resulting in the planting of just under 6,000 trees. Shannex is committed to helping the Province of Nova Scotia and the Clean Foundation to reach their goal of planting 21 million trees and Canada’s goal of two billion trees by 2031. This is just one of the many ways we continue our commitment to environmental stewardship and give back to our beloved planet.
