Note: This is the second in a three-part series about the closure of Niagara Health’s long-term care home.
Sparkly pom-poms are shaken as staff and residents line the hallways beneath a giant farewell banner. Hearts in throats, the music begins to play as the departing resident turns the corner.
A getaway car – usually a family member’s vehicle – waits outside to take them to their new home.
Farewell celebrations have become a new tradition since residents began leaving Niagara Health’s Extended Care Unit (ECU), located at the Welland Hospital.
In February 2026, the hospital made the announcement that the more than 50-year-old facility would officially cease operations due to aging infrastructure that no longer meets modern fire, safety and accessibility standards. The long-term care home will close once all residents are safety transitioned to new long-term care homes.
“Just before a resident is set to leave, we do an announcement to gather everyone in the front lobby to say goodbye,” says Kaitlyn Bos, Programs Manager, ECU. “We set up the karaoke machine to play the song super loud and cue it up for when the resident comes down the hallway.”
Once the journey to the front door is complete, a staff member reads a farewell poem, giving each resident a personal goodbye.
“I always ask residents first if they would like to have a farewell celebration before organizing them,” says Bos. “Most residents want one, but some are shy and like to leave quietly, or feel like it’ll be too emotional for them.”
For those who say yes, Bos then asks them an important question: What song do they want played when they leave?
Popular choices have included Green Day’s Time of Your Life and Johnny Cash’s Walk The Line. When the farewell celebrations first began, staff always played Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.
“We originally chose Sweet Caroline because we wanted a song that we could change the lyrics to,” says Bos. “We were able to change the name ‘Caroline’ to the name of the resident leaving the home. It added that extra personal touch.”
Over time, the farewell celebrations evolved. In addition to residents choosing their own song, they are also given a gift package to take with them to their new home, which includes a blanket, a notepad and pen, travel toiletries, treats and a commemorative placemat.
“We originally chose Sweet Caroline because we wanted a song that we could change the lyrics to. We were able to change the name ‘Caroline’ to the name of the resident leaving the home. It added that extra personal touch.”
The placemats are handmade by staff that say, “We will miss you” and include signatures from staff and other residents. Once the placemat is full of signatures, Bos laminates it and puts it into their bag.
While Bos fills the farewells with fun and pizazz, there are many logistics that need to be sorted before they happen.
Typically, residents will get a call from Ontario Health atHome stating there is an available bed for them at another long-term care home. The resident has 24 hours to accept the bed, and if they do, the ECU is notified about their acceptance. After that, the discharge process begins, which includes working with families to confirm the date and time of discharge, arrange transportation if necessary, co-ordinate packing their belongings if they need help and faxing their charts and medication to their new home.
Before parting ways, Bos asks residents if she can take their photo to add to the Farewell Friends wall in the lobby. Just beneath the wall is a table with a memory book for residents and their loved ones to write messages about their time at the ECU as well as old newspaper articles about the home.
“The farewell celebrations have been very emotional, both for the residents and for staff. The feedback has been great. When one resident left recently, he was so touched and confided, ‘I didn’t know how many people liked me.’ It’s been really positive.”
“The farewell celebrations have been very emotional, both for the residents and for staff,” says Bos. “The feedback has been great. When one resident left recently, he was so touched and confided, ‘I didn’t know how many people liked me.’ It’s been really positive.”
Bos, who has worked in the ECU for 13 years, says some residents have been there longer than her – the longest of whom has been there for more than 20 years.
“We’re truly a family here,” says Bos. “We’ve all developed friendships with the residents and have gotten to know the families as well. It’s often the children of residents picking them up to take them to their new home, and they always thank the staff for their hard work and talk about their experience here.”
In addition to organizing the farewell celebrations, Bos is also responsible for managing referrals for residents to community services, participating in committees and decision-making that helps improve resident’s quality of life, operating monthly council meetings, co-ordinating students and volunteers, and booking entertainment.
Most recently, the farewell celebrations have been a bittersweet highlight of Bos’ role.
“It means a lot to be able to mark the residents’ last moments at the ECU and see them off on their new journey,” she says. “I’m usually the one that’s crying because I’m emotional. I’ve never not cried.”
She says several staff members have come in on their days off to say goodbye or video called in to participate in the farewell celebrations.
“It’s moments like these that reflect the genuine relationships that have been built over the years, and the impact residents and staff have had on one another,” says Bos.
