HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-12-10, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10,1997. PAGE 7.
Town and Country updates in new facility
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Ensconced in a beautifully rejuve
nated home, Town and Country
Support Services of Huron County
(TCSS) is prepared to enter the 21st
century with renewed energy.
Soon to celebrate its 20th anniver
sary, the recently-renamed Town
and Country Support Services, one
of the first agencies of its kind,
which offers support to the elderly
and infirmed, moved to a new home
at the renovated Wingham train sta
tion in late September.
"We just love it," says Jean
Young, executive director of the
service.
With quarters becoming cramped
in the old location on Victoria
Street, Young says TCSS began
planning for a move five years ago.
"When Town and Country was
first developed, we looked at the old
station, but at that time, with no
with new thermal panes for
improved energy efficiency.
"It is a nice place to work," says
Young.
Fundraising by the organization
over the last five years allowed
them to not only purchase and com
pletely renovate the building, but
upgrade the computer and phone
services at the same time.
With the updated equipment,
Wingham TCSS is now connected
to the other Huron County locations
in Exeter and Clinton, by computer
network, allowing for better client
service and information sharing.
The efficiency of billing and payroll
is also improved.
A protected internet service adds
to the benefits for clientele. As an
example, Young says if a service
user falls ill during the night and the
usual caregiver is not available, a
TCSS staff member, who has taken
home the laptop, can quickly tap
into the service's record to find an
money, we could not make the pur
chase," she says.
However, as fate would have it,
20 years and few owners later, the
station once again went on the mar
ket at the time TCSS was prepared
to relocate.
Having been used as a storage
facility and engine repair shop, con
siderable interior work was required
though the building itself was
sound.
To provide more office space, a
second floor was created below the
barrel ceilings, once hidden by a
drop ceiling.
The renovations were completed
by craftspeople from Brussels,
Wingham, Teeswater and Lucknow.
The steel shake roof was contracted
to an award-winning Guelph com
pany which specializes in the new
method.
In remodeling the station, workers
utilized the natural woods still in
good shape in most sections, to
maintain a warmth and nostalgia in
the building.
"The floors are maple, the trim,
oak and the ceiling, cedar, says
Young.
appropriate alternate.
Through the updating of the tele
phone system, customers may now
take advantage of voice mail after
hours or when a staff member is not
available.
The most frequently used service
is still personal support/homemak-
ing, says Young. Support workers
provide personal care, meal prepa
ration, housekeeping, homemaking,
shopping and escorting clients to
doctor's appointments.
Respite, which offers a relief to
the full-time caregivers is also quite
popular.
Clients of TCSS are given three
options of dietary support from the
well-known Meals-on-Wheels at a
cost of $5 per meal, to frozen meals
($4) delivered bi-weekly and the
dining out program ($7) which pro
vides a social outing for seniors.
For those seniors needing some
one to do odd jobs such as cleaning
storage spaces, window and wall
washing, moving heavy furniture,
floor care, painting or carrying
wood, coal or water, help is avail
able.
Assistance is also offered for the
Renovated surroundings
Staff of Town and Country Support Services in Wingham is welcoming clients to a recently
renovated and updated building. The agency moved into the old Wingham train station in
late September, allowing for improved client services and more room for staff.
TCSS served 1,850 clients last
year with the majority being
seniors, many over 74.
Anyone wishing further informa
tion on the services provided by
Town Country Support Services
may call the Wingham office at
357-3222.
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Where children's rights come first.
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HEARING AID CLINIC
MARK MclNTYRE
Hearing Instrument Specialist
will be at
Brussels Medical Centre
373 Turnberry, Brussels
(enter at rear of building)
Wednesday, December 17
Call for your appointment 1-800-236-5514
We service and sell all makes of Hearing Aids.
We also have hearing aid batteries
and do hearing tests.
MclNTYRE HEARING AID SERVICE
289 Huron Street, Stratford 271-9322
weekly chores such as cleaning,
laundry and shopping.
Other services include transporta
tion and, at no charge, visitation and
telephone reassurances.
Any damaged wood was replaced
with extras from a redesigned con
ference room area, she adds.
Even the windows have remained
the same, though repaired and fitted
The staff of Town and Country Support Services are
enjoying more spacious surrounding at their new home in
the old Wingham train station.
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