01/16/2026
Saying good-bye means creating space for reflection, remembrance, and grief.
💮 At St. Joseph’s Villa, there is a new Sympathy Corner for residents like Stefany Nikolai to remember friends who have passed. Written notes are then saved and sent to family members.
“More than a memorial, the Sympathy Corner is a place of reflection, prayer, and connection, a tangible reminder of the support we strive to offer in every moment of transition,” said Adewale Adedoyin, who leads spiritual care and the mission at St. Joseph’s Villa.
🦋 A new Room Blessing Ceremony has also been introduced to honour, provide closure, and spiritually prepare the space to welcome a new resident with dignity, hope, and compassion. The act of blessing a room offers a sacred pause, inviting peace into what comes next.
“These new practices complement other ways we have marked the passing of dear friends and residents,” said Francine Dorion, Site Administrator.
💙This includes an Honour Guard made up of staff and residents who line-up to recognize a resident, who has passed as they leave the home for the last time, as well as a board with photos of the departed.
🪽In addition, the Guardian Angel Program supports residents nearing the end of life, along with their families and caregivers. Trained Guardian Angel Companions provide compassionate emotional, spiritual, and practical support. With consent, a crocheted angel placed outside the resident’s room to signal this sacred time and invite the community to respond with respect and care.
Photos:
Stefany Nikolai, a resident, writes a remembrance at the new Sympathy Corner.
Francine Dorion, administrator, and Adewale Adedoyin, spiritual care lead, place a butterfly on a door to show it has been blessed and is ready for a new resident.
Adewale and Francine put some last touches on the Sympathy Corner.
