Northwood
Paving the Way toward Affordable Senior Care

Northwood’s inception was more of a social movement than a business venture. Its journey started with Edward L. Roach’s mission to find affordable housing for seniors below the poverty line in Halifax, Canada.

Today, Northwood is a legacy in the market that has been offering affordable retirement living for more than six decades. Treading in that direction, the not-for-profit company has expanded its services to include affordable assisted living services and superior home healthcare. Northwood thinks of homecare from a broader perspective.

Patient-centric care is at the heart of its high-quality homecare services. Its programs enable people to live independently in their homes with the necessary support.

Continuing care assistants, home support workers, and home support supervisors aid in seniors’ daily activities. It includes meal preparation and assistance with feeding, palliative care for terminal illnesses, and respite care to help families catch a break from caregiving. Its adult day program is known for offering individualized supervision and empathetic companionship to adults diagnosed with progressive neurologic disorders like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Often personalized homecare services tend to be more expensive than a group care setting. For instance, personalized meal preparation can be quite costly. For those living in its affordable retirement living program, Northwood offers a cost-efficient group meal program for tenants.

It’s an excellent way to reduce individualized grocery and meal costs. Individuals living in their apartments can still have access to a well-balanced meal but at a lower price, supporting their independence.

Dispelling the myths surrounding the safety and efficacy of home healthcare by keeping technology at the center of its senior care offerings is another key objective of Northwood.

For instance, seniors have a constant fear of falling, and fall detection is one of the primary tasks of home care assistants. Their jobs are simplified with Northwood’s Intouch, an automatic fall-detection device. Intouch On-the-MOVE is an upgrade of the base device, a transportable alert button that can be carried anywhere. Whether or not a care provider is in the vicinity, the device detects a fall and triggers an alarm for the 24/7 emergency response center. Family members gain better peace of mind knowing their seniors are in safe hands.

Northwood’s other technological aids include automatic pill dispensers so seniors never miss their timely medication and stove sensors that can detect smoke and automatically turn off the stoves. It also offers alarm systems to detect intruders and make living at home safer for seniors.
Northwood believes in building good reputations over great riches and always invests in its social spheres.

“Driven by our foundational values, the Dignified Living Fund program provides ongoing support to residents and clients struggling to get dental work, hearing aids, and other necessities not covered by the government, insurance, or income,” says Janet Simm, president and CEO of Northwood.

Northwood has also started a pilot research and technology project in a long-term care program where it works to understand modern technology and how it can improve the quality of life of residents. The research aims to help Northwood get a third-party, unbiased opinion and make changes to policies for better access, support for individuals, and utilization of the technology. It is working with Dalhousie University on the research side of the project, which has received funding from Age Well.

Northwood goes above and beyond to ensure its care plan is well-loved. Frequent client surveys confirm it is on the right track. It also works with government and community partners to promote the development of affordable, accessible, and age-friendly housing and address issues like elder abuse and neglect.

A perfect combination of practical and emotional intellect makes Northwood a household name in Nova Scotia’s senior care market.