Page 8 - newsflash 1109

MAISON SHALOM - FACT SHEET
• Maison Shalom has two group homes for physically and intellectually handicapped children and
young adults. The homes are adapted for wheel chair accessibility and have elevators and
ramps. They are strictly Shomer Shabbos and are under the supervision of the Vaad Harabbonim
of Montreal (VAAD). These are the only frum group homes in Canada for handicapped people.
•
• The frum flavour of the homes can be seen in many instances: the residents are dressed
modestly; during Chanukah the lecht is lit every night; there is a sukkah built every year, and
there is a lulav and esrog present in the home throughout sukkos. In the group homes, on
Shabbos and yom tov there is that special feeling as it is in any frum family’s home.
• The Carlton/Donald Berman Residence has mostly higher functioning residents. There is a
Shabbos couple who, for many years, has been coming to the home to make Kiddush and eat
with the residents every Friday night and Shabbos lunch and to make Havdallah Motzei
Shabbos.
• The Kent/Hershey and Raisy Friedman Residence has mainly lower functioning residents who
need maximum amount of care. A Lubavitch father goes every Shabbos evening and daytime to
make Kiddush, and he makes Havdala too.
•
• Many of our residents are in wheelchairs, and are incontinent (cannot use the bathroom) ,
therefore special attention is given to their daily skin care. Each resident has an Individual Service
Plan which details their daily physical care needs, therapy, activities and community program
schedules. The young men, who are able, are taken to shul on Shabbos. There are frum
volunteers who come to the home on every Shabbos afternoon to entertain the residents.
• There is a frum cook who prepares the suppers for both homes on one location (in the Carlton
home). This way we are able to keep better control of food purchases and keep food costs and
preparation to a minimum. The prepared supper is taken over to the second home, daily. Special
diets are followed for many residents, may it be pureed or liquefied food, diabetic meals or other
dietetic adaptation. The lower functioning residents need to be fed by the staff.
• The residents are regularly taken by the staff to their medical appointments. The daily
medications are organized by the pharmacy and dispensed by the staff.
•
• A frum Coordinator- Mrs. Hindy Schecter/Friedman- and frum Administrator - Mrs. Eva Leipnik -
train and supervise the staff in clinical, and all religious observances within the homes. The
majority of the staff has been with Maison Shalom for over eighteen years. We have staff in the
homes around the clock. During the 3-11pm shift there are three staff in each home with the
residents.
• The majority of the Board members of Maison Shalom are relatives of the residents, and are
actively involved in the organization.
• Maison Shalom is under the supervision of the Quebec Social Services/Centre Miriam. We have
repeatedly received excellent evaluations about our homes and our services.

8