GEM Health Care Group

11/14/2025

Next up on our Melville Lodge feature, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on one of the facility’s wonderful residents, Bernice Williams.

Bernice is a familiar face at Melville Lodge and is known for her warm smile and easygoing nature. She regularly takes part in the facility’s recreation programs, with exercise sessions and weekly Bingo being among her favourites. These activities offer a great way to stay active and connect with others.

She’s pictured here with the facility’s Recreation Programmer, Nik, during a recent afternoon at the Lodge.

Thank you, Bernice, for being an amazing addition to our Melville Lodge community!

11/12/2025

Earlier this week, the Yarmouth Heights facility hosted a fun Nighttime Community Bingo event!

The event was enjoyed by all, congratulations to all the winners!

11/12/2025

The Yarmouth Heights facility held an honorary Remembrance Day Ceremony for staff and residents.

The facility highlighted their very own who have served, Greg Smith, Vincent Doucet (with wife Elena Doucet), Charles Campbell, and Wayne Kehoe.

11/11/2025

This Remembrance Day, GEM Health Care would like to recognize the service and legacy of Wallace “Wally” Clarence Strickland, a man whose life reflected dedication, leadership, and quiet strength.

Born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, on April 12, 1930, Wally joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at just 17. His years in uniform marked the beginning of a lifetime of service to his country and to his community. After his military career, he continued to give back through his work with the Yarmouth Regional Housing Authority, as a founding member of YACRO, and as a member of the Yarmouth Town Council. He also served as Commanding Officer of the Yarmouth Air Cadet Corps, guiding and mentoring countless young people.

For more than six years, Yarmouth Heights has been Wally’s home, where he remains a valued member of our community, always ready with a story, a smile, or a kind word.

Today, we reflect on Wally’s remarkable life of service and on all veterans who have given so much for others. Lest we forget.

11/11/2025

This Remembrance Day, we stand together in gratitude for the veterans and service members who have protected our country and our values.

We remember their courage, their sacrifice, and the peace they fought to preserve.

Lest we forget.

11/10/2025

Last Wednesday, Melville Heights recognized Veterans Week with a presentation from Amanda Kelly of Veterans Affairs Canada. The event also featured a speech from the facility's own Marguerite Kelly, whose husband was wounded in battle in 1945. Additionally, Mrs. Kelly’s son, Dennis, spoke about his father and uncle and their years of service.

11/10/2025

Halloween festivities also made their way to our Whitehills facility, featuring a Cops & Robbers theme and fun activities!

11/10/2025

Melville Garden's very own Ruby received an awesome shout-out for her creative and authentic Halloween costume!

Way to go, Ruby!

We just have to share this photo we received from a lifelong PEI Potato Lover ❤️.

This is Ruby, 91 years young, all dressed up for her nursing home’s Halloween Carnival. Her family put together this adorable potato-themed outfit just for her!

Ruby grew up in Ellerslie, PEI, and started working on potato farms during the harvest season in 1958. She even met her husband in the fields! 🌾

Decades later, Ruby still eats PEI Mashed Potatoes every chance she can get! Her love for PEI Potatoes is everlasting. 🥔

11/10/2025

For our first feature in the Melville Lodge series, we are excited to introduce you all to LPN, Kim Myles (AKA Kim Smiles).

Kim began her career at Melville Lodge in 2002 as a Personal Care Worker. Her dedication to supporting residents was clear from the start, and in 2007, she joined GEM’s first program to become a certified Continuing Care Assistant.

Never one to stop learning, Kim continued to advance her skills by enrolling in NSCC’s first online Licensed Practical Nurse program in 2009. She graduated in 2012 and has been a full-time LPN ever since.

Known for her kindness, teamwork, and steady positivity, Kim is a valued member of the Melville Lodge team, always ready to support her colleagues and provide exceptional care to residents.

Thank you, Kim, for your commitment to the care of the facility’s residents and for being a true team player!

11/08/2025

November 8 stands as a moment of reflection and gratitude for the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples, whose bravery and service from the earliest days of Canada’s history to modern conflicts have helped shape and protect our nation.

Thousands of Indigenous people proudly served in uniform during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Many Indigenous communities also contributed to our country’s war efforts in other ways.

By honouring Indigenous veterans, this day helps restore the recognition they have long been denied. It invites Canadians to deepen our understanding, strengthen respect, and advance reconciliation by acknowledging the courage and contributions of Indigenous peoples across our shared history.

For more information and learning resources, visit: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans

11/07/2025

As we wrap up this year’s Next In Care Bursary series, we want to thank everyone who’s helped make this program possible and supported our recipients along the way.

This program was started by GEM's co-founder Gloria Hussian, the bursary was created to encourage learning and growth within GEM and to help ease some of the challenges that come with pursuing further education. Since then, it’s grown to support even more team members across our network who are dedicated to advancing their careers in care.

Congratulations once again to this year’s ten recipients, and thank you to our community for continuing to help us invest in the people who make great care possible

11/06/2025

For the month of November, we are happy to highlight yet another one of our wonderful facilities, Melville Lodge!

Part of the Melville Ridge Retirement Community, Melville Lodge offers Level 2 nursing care in a bright, open setting surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens.

Residents enjoy freshly prepared meals, 24-hour on-site nursing care, and a variety of recreation programs designed to make each day engaging and meaningful. From music and pet therapy to community events, gardening, and intergenerational programs, there’s always something happening that brings people together.

At Melville Lodge, quality care and a strong sense of community truly go hand in hand.

Stay tuned for features on staff, residents, and volunteers!

Learn more about the facility:

Melville Lodge Halifax, Nova Scotia Melville Lodge is a level 2 nursing care facility that is home to 123 Residents requiring nursing home care. Our Community Melville Lodge is part of the Melville Ridge Retirement community that is surrounded by elegantly groomed gardens, providing a visually appea...