Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac

04/08/2026

An important update to our community regarding CUPE Strike:

We have been informed that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will commence a legal strike effective Monday, April 13th, at 7:00 a.m. The Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac is one of 22 long-term care homes across Nova Scotia where a labour disruption is expected to take place.

The current labour dispute reflects an ongoing negotiation between CUPE and the funder, the NS Government. The collective agreement expired in 2023. We respect the collective bargaining process and hope a mutually agreeable resolution is reached as soon as possible.

Residents and Families should be aware the following services will be affected:

Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) and Environmental Services:
Essential services will continue. The health, safety, and well-being of our residents remain our priority. During the strike period, CUPE employees will continue to work under our Essential Services Agreement at a reduced [capacity/staffing level], supported by non-striking employees, non-unionized staff, and management.

Dietary Department:
Menus will be simplified. Meals will continue to be provided to all residents, and medical dietary requirements will be maintained. Mealtimes may be adjusted either a little earlier or later to the usual times.

Recreation and Rehab services:
Non-essential programs and activities — including recreation and social programming — will be temporarily paused.

Maintenance:
Work will be limited to essential tasks/repairs only as needed.

Business office hours:
Hours will be reduced so that Admin staff can assist in other areas. Adjusted office hours will be shared by end of this week.

Visitors are welcome, families can visit and spend time with their loved ones. Families can continue to support their loved one as per usual and can still take their loved ones out or home as per usual.

Employees will be present with picket signs around the main entrance. Access to the facility for visitors and families will remain as usual.

We appreciate your understanding, patience, and continued support as we navigate this period together.

04/08/2026

Job posting!

04/04/2026

Happy Easter weekend to all of our friends and family, from all of us at the Villa. 🌸🐰🐣🪻

We celebrated throughout the week with a variety of activities including:
Easter egg painting
An Easter Tea, featuring some sweets made by our lovely kitchen staff.
And our first "Tales & Tots" group program partnered with Parents' Place Yarmouth Family Resource Center.

What are some of your favorite Easter memories and traditions?

04/02/2026

🌸 It’s that time of year again! 🌸

The Villa Spring Fling is officially happening, and we’re excited to welcome a variety of local vendors to share their unique and creative goodies with our community!

This event also features a delicious Rappie Pie Sale! 🥧🍞
So guests can enjoy a taste of tradition while supporting local makers and small businesses.

If you, or someone you know would like to be part of this community event, we’d love to hear from you!
Reach out to book your spot.

04/01/2026

Our Villa Star for the month of March is Hannah Allen! ✨

Hannah is a Recreation Programmer, fresh out of college, who joined our Recreation Therapy team full-time in January of this year. In such a short time, she has already built meaningful connections with both our residents and staff.
She is truly an asset to our team and our community.
Thank you Hannah, for being the bright, bubbly, kind-hearted soul that you are!

Other nominees this month include: Jomon Jacob, Rachel Thibeault, Jacquie Butler, Roseanne Muise, Kathy Ogden, Jarrett Sabean, Michelle Gaudet, Linda Hurlburt, Ray Bastien, Jen MacNeil, Norine LeFave, Joanne Deveau, Roseann Johnson, Trudy Smith, Dawn Boudreau, Ashley Hanf, Lisa Hurlburt and Veronica Hopkins!
Great job everyone, keep on shining ✨️

03/31/2026

We are super excited to be partnering up with Parents' Place Yarmouth Family Resource Center!

Our first Tots & Tales is happening tomorrow afternoon.
This is a free community event.
We'd love to have you join us

Join us for a heartwarming afternoon at Tots & Tales 💛

On April 1st from 2–3 PM, little ones and their parents are invited to The Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac for a special storytime where seniors read children’s books or share memories from their childhood. It’s a beautiful way to connect generations through the magic of stories.

Bring your favourite stuffy or cozy blankie, get comfy, and let’s get reading together! 📚✨

03/20/2026

We want to thank everyone who showed up and joined in on our two community events that we were so happy to host this week!

Our March Break Movie was a hit for both residents, families and friends.

And our first monthly tea party with Parents' Place Yarmouth Family Resource Center was a fabulous turn out.

We look forward to sharing more time together and connecting even more with our community, friends, family and neighbors.

P.S: Happy First Day of Spring 🌱🐰🪺🪻🐣

03/19/2026

We are looking for a Resident Care Navigator to join the VSJ team. If you are looking for a great place to work please apply!

03/17/2026

Happening Tomorrow!

Our first Tea Time with Tot's.

We are thrilled to be partnering with Parents' Place Yarmouth Family Resource Center bringing community together ❤️

Toddlers ages 2-5 and parents are invited to a tea party with the seniors at The Villa St. Joseph! Dress as princesses, princes, or in your finest attire, and bring a teddy or doll to join the fun.
No registration is required, and parents must attend with their children.

03/13/2026

A little late to post, but it's better late than never!

Our Villa Star for February is Laurie Steadman!

Laurie has been working at the Villa for 38 years now, and she goes above and beyond her role as a Dietary worker. Laurie shows great empathy and compassion for her residents and she is a caring voice for those in need.

Congratulations Laurie! ❤️🎉
Thank you for your many years of service and continuing to be a member of the Villa Team.

We would also like to recognize other staff members who we're nominated in February:

Irene Saulnier
Kaitlyn Saulnier
Jarrett Sabean
Kiley Smith
Michelle Gaudet

Thank you all for the hard work and dedication you put into making our home and work environment a better place.

03/04/2026

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of our dear former colleague, Lori Hanf, who devoted 23 years of dedicated service to the Villa Saint-Joseph du Lac.
Over the course of Lori’s career she served first as an Administrative Assistant where her kindness and steady presence helped support our daily operations, our residents and families we serve. She later took on the important role of Staff Scheduler and Environmental Services Manager, ensuring our residents received consistent and compassionate care. She led with pride, teamwork, and a deep commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming home for our residents.
Her dedication, work ethic, and genuine care for both residents and staff left a lasting impact. She was more than a colleague - she was part of our family.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working alongside her. Her legacy of service and compassion will always be remembered within our walls.

03/02/2026

Looking to fill your calender with some fun community activities during March Break?

Join us for a FREE movie screening in our Great Hall.
Thursday March 19th at 10 a.m.

And of course, there will be popcorn 🍿 😋