GEM Health Care Group, Halifax, NS (2026)

03/23/2026

The next feature in the Yarmouth Heights series is a small volunteer who makes a big impact.

Five-year-old Roxy Taco Calupa has become a bit of a regular around the home. She joins residents on walks, hangs out for some company, and has a way of brightening people’s days without even trying!

Residents often say Roxy gives them that extra push to get up and get moving, and that the walks are always better when she’s along for the ride.

Thank you to sweet Roxy and her owner, Kim Munroe (Administrator/Director of Care), for sharing her loveable spark with the community!

03/21/2026

March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

This day was established in response to the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa in 1960, when 69 people were killed while peacefully protesting apartheid laws. It serves as a reminder of the real and lasting consequences of racial discrimination, and why efforts to confront it must continue.

With our founders, Syed and Gloria Hussain, immigrating from the Philippines, GEM was built on collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds.

In our communities, we see every day that environments built on respect, dignity, and fairness are crucial for upholding our core values of creating comfortable, engaging spaces, providing uncompromising care, and fostering connections among people.

Today, we encourage reflection and reaffirm our shared responsibility to challenge racism and continue working toward more inclusive and equitable spaces for all.

03/18/2026

The Melville Heights community looked great in green during their Irish-themed St. Patrick's Day celebration! ☘️🌈🎶

The afternoon featured lively Irish music from John Lindsay Botten, along with Irish-themed puzzles and a variety of sweet treats.

A special thanks to the Melville Heights team for organizing the event and creating a fun atmosphere for everyone!

03/18/2026

St. Patrick’s Day was a great success at Yarmouth Heights! 🍀

The community festivities featured a mobile tattoo parlor run by team members Ruby and Tanya, delicious treats, and a "Do Your Best Irish Jig" contest!

In keeping with the St. Patty's theme, the treats included homemade cupcakes, Mint Oreos, Lucky Charms, and a variety of beverages such as orange-lime punch, green apple juice, and festive non-alcoholic wine and beer options provided by the kitchen team.

A job well done to Yarmouth Heights! 🌈💚

03/17/2026

Our next team member featured in the Yarmouth Heights series is Braxton Phillip, Personal Care Worker.

Braxton started at Yarmouth Heights in May 2025 as a casual while completing his Nursing degree at Dalhousie University. After graduating, he plans to stay in Yarmouth and continue his nursing career in the community.

He was drawn to Yarmouth Heights because of his interest in working with the long-term care population. He said the best part of his job is building connections with residents and being part of their everyday lives.

Braxton is the oldest of three children to his parents, Natasha and David. Between working as a personal care worker, a teaching assistant, and a cashier at Bulk Barn, he sure knows how to keep busy!

When he does get some downtime, he enjoys collecting Pokémon cards and reading books of all sorts of genres.

Thanks, Braxton, for your dedication to residents and for being a great addition to our Yarmouth Heights team!

03/12/2026

With St. Patrick's Day around the corner, Yarmouth Heights had a blast celebrating their Irish roots!

D’Bunch stopped by to perform some of their favourite Irish songs and help get the community in the spirit for St. Patrick’s Day. Residents enjoyed the music and sang along to the tunes. ☘️

03/12/2026

In our Yarmouth Heights March feature, we are introducing you all to Yvonne, a community member who is always on the go and makes having fun and creating memories a priority!

Yvonne Box has called Yarmouth Heights home for nearly seven years. She first moved into assisted living, where she lived for five years, before transitioning to the Long-Term Care unit almost two years ago. Over that time, she has become a familiar and well-loved presence in the community.

Yvonne likes to keep busy and is a regular at recreation programs, especially anything involving music. You’ll often find her encouraging others to join in as well. Her friendly nature and willingness to connect with people have made her someone many residents consider a good friend.

Family has always been an important part of Yvonne’s life. She was married to Gerald Box, and together they raised two children, Pamela and Steven. Steven’s wife, Sandra, is very close with Yvonne and feels like a daughter to her. Since Sandra works at the hospital, she’s able to stop by often for visits. Yvonne is also the proud grandmother of four grandchildren.

Before retiring, Yvonne worked for about 20 years as a secretary at the School of Nursing. Outside of work, she volunteered at her church and helped with Red Cross fundraising, which never failed to bring her joy.

One of Yvonne’s pastimes has always been travelling, and her all-time favourite adventure was her trip to Portugal. It’s a place she still talks about to this day and hopes to visit again.

Yvonne’s kindness, friendships, and enthusiasm for staying involved continue to make a positive impact on the Yarmouth Heights community, and we are so lucky to have her!

03/11/2026

Yarmouth Heights recently received its Trishaw bike from Germany and had it out for its first ride, thanks to the team at The Meadows. The Meadows and Yarmouth Heights share a strong collaborative partnership through the Cycling Without Age program.

A Trishaw bike is a three-wheeled bicycle designed to carry passengers in a comfortable seat at the front while a pilot pedals from behind. It allows residents to safely enjoy the community's fresh air and scenery.

For seniors and those with limited mobility, rides like these offer many benefits, including increased social connection, reduced feelings of isolation, improved mood, and a safe way to experience the outdoors.

Resident Mavis Nickerson-DeWolfe was fortunate enough to enjoy a sunny ride along the Yarmouth waterfront.

A special thank you to the facility's occupational therapist, Taylor Corning, for taking Mavis out for a spin and for helping get the bike ready for the season!

03/10/2026

For our Yarmouth Heights March feature, we are extending our gratitude and appreciation to one of the community’s well-known volunteers, Tanya Deviller.

For the past two years, Tanya has been an active volunteer at Yarmouth Heights, generously contributing her time and energy to a wide range of community events. She has supported initiatives such as the Ice Cream Social, Mayor’s Tea, Bingo, Karaoke events, Trivia Nights, magic shows, and Toonie Clothing Sales. She also brings her cat, Bud, for visits with the residents, which they adore!

On top of these initiatives, she quarterbacked the community's cherished partnership with Port Maitland Elementary, where students sing Christmas carols, make Mother's Day gifts for residents, and create special-occasion cards for residents. This partnership is important for both the students in the school, who gain an understanding and appreciation for the senior population, and for the seniors, who benefit from the students' kindness and thoughtfulness.

Outside of her volunteer time with Yarmouth Heights, Tanya is an elementary school principal with over 25 years of experience in education. She is actively involved in other areas of the Yarmouth community as a volunteer with the Yarmouth Exhibition, Agricultural Committee, Duke of Edinburgh Awards Program, 4-H, SeaFest, Ducks Unlimited, Curling, Southwest Fusion Volleyball, and school volleyball, PTA President at Ecole du Wedgeport, President of Les Petis Copains, and leads community food drives.

Tanya is well known around Yarmouth Heights for her energy, flexibility, and her ability to connect with just about any resident. Despite her large role in several other community groups, she has been someone the team can count on to step in when support is needed, always bringing a positive attitude and a genuine care for the people around her. We are truly grateful for the way she shows up for residents and the GEM team, helping create the warm, welcoming community that Yarmouth Heights is known for.

03/09/2026

On March 6, Yarmouth Heights honoured nine remarkable women leaders from the community: Irene d’Entremont, Pam Mood, Marilyn Francis, Rose Carroll, Nicole Albright, Brenda Hattie, Andrea LeBlanc, Brandi Belliveau, and Darlen Mooney. These women were recognized for their significant contributions to the Yarmouth area.

The community's residents, Mary Roberts and Ann Thibeau, presented each honoree with a small token of appreciation for their efforts in making Yarmouth a better place for everyone.

The tea event was organized to celebrate International Women’s Day and brought together so many wonderful women from the community.

We would like to congratulate these ladies on their ongoing commitment and dedication to making Yarmouth such a great place to live. 🫖 ☕️ 👒

03/08/2026

Happy International Women’s Day!

We can confidently say that GEM would not be able to achieve its remarkable work, quality of care, and accomplishments in the care sector without the contributions of the women on our team.

In every role and capacity, they demonstrate both fierceness and compassion to ensure our unwavering goal of providing the highest quality care is met day in and day out.

This year’s theme, "Give to Gain," reflects what we observe in our communities and offices. When women are supported, trusted, and given the opportunity to lead, everyone benefits, including residents, families, teams, and communities.

To the women of GEM, including team members, residents, volunteers, and more, we are proud to acknowledge this special day and celebrate each and every one of you.

03/06/2026

At GEM Health Care, diversity isn’t just something we talk about. It is a non-negotiable in our facilities that changes the way we care for residents and support one another, in all the best ways.

Many of our GEM team members bring values from their own cultures that shape how they approach the work, and that has a visible impact on the atmosphere in our communities.

This month, we’re highlighting MJ and Dennis Salvatin, CCAs at Yarmouth Heights, who have been part of the team for almost two years. Both were drawn to this field because they’ve always had a passion for helping others, especially seniors. They shared that in their Filipino culture, caring for elders is deeply respected, so working in continuing care felt like a natural fit and something they’re proud to be part of.

Over the past couple of years, they say the job has helped them grow a lot by building stronger care skills, learning how to support residents and families through different situations, and becoming more confident on the floor. What stands out most to them, though, are the relationships they’ve built during their time with GEM. Knowing residents feel safe and comfortable with them is something they don’t take lightly.

“In our culture, caring for elders is very important, and we try to bring that into our work every day. When residents feel comfortable with us and trust us, that means everything.”

The values of respect, kindness, and strong family connections are what they try to bring into every shift. They also enjoy sharing parts of the Philippines with coworkers, whether that’s bringing in traditional food or talking about celebrations that are meaningful to them.

Outside of work, they like to keep things simple: cooking, spending time with family, getting to the gym, and heading out to community events or exploring somewhere new. Some of their favourite moments at work have been celebrating holidays and themed events with residents.

What they appreciate most about working at Yarmouth Heights is the unwavering teamwork. They say people genuinely support each other, and hearing appreciation from residents and families makes the long shifts worth it.

Looking ahead, MJ and Dennis hope to keep learning and possibly take additional training to keep building their skills. Their advice to anyone starting in this field is straightforward: be patient, come in with compassion, keep learning, and remember that working as a team makes all the difference.

A huge thank you to MJ and Dennis for sharing their story and insights, and for caring for the residents at Yarmouth Heights as if they were their own family.

GEM Health Care Group

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