Fonds - St. Jude's Anglican Home (Vancouver, B.C.) fonds

Having received endorsement from the Diocese of New Westminster to establish a home for elderly persons, St. Jude's Anglican Home was established in Vancouver as a society under the B.C. Societies Act in May 1948. Its immediate objects were to purchase the St. Jude's Home of Rest for the Aged property at 4325 Willow St., Vancouver, and to operate it as a home for aged persons, men and/or women. Though the admission of men into the home was proposed several times, St. Jude's remained primarily a home for elderly women, either old age pensioners or women of more independent means. Since 1978 men were also accepted. The society is managed by an elected Board of Directors, whose function is to "conduct the business, discipline and management of the Society and its affairs, ..." Other members elected are: the President and Vice-president, the Secretary and the Treasurer. Ad-hoc committees were formed to serve ongoing and occasional functions, such as Management, Admissions and Applications, Building and Nominating Committee. A Superintendent or Matron was in charge of the domestic administration which includes: the admission of the residents, purchasing supplies, and having general care of the residents. The responsibility of the Management Committee was given to the Superintendent in 1957. The position was created from the start of operations, with Miss Margaret Steel being the first to serve from 1948 to 1955. In 1955 the Board of Directors realized a need to provide care for sick or infirm residents and tried to find solutions through various expansion projects. In 1978 the Board decided that St. Jude's would join the B.C. Ministry of Health's Long Term Care Program, thus initiating a significant change in the Home's administrative structure. The last Superintendent left in 1979 and a new administrator took over in 1980. A Director of Nursing, later Director of Resident Care, was nominated and by 1981 the residents were also served by a dietetician and activities coordinator. A new constitution for the Society was drawn in January 1980 which reflected the changes and the new role of the provincial Ministry of Health in St. Jude's affairs. The Board of Directors maintained its control over the Home within the lines of provincial government policy. The Minister of Health was authorized to appoint one or two persons to the Board of Directors. The constitution specifically outlined the name and the functions of four committees - Executive, Finance, Residents Consultation and Nominating Committee. The Administrator acted as the Board's direct representative in the management of the Home and was responsible for submitting plans regarding staff organization, personnel policies and finances; participating in hiring and discharging employees; supervising the maintenance of buildings; executing Board's policies. A close link between the Diocese of New Westminster and St. Jude's Home was maintained through the participation of clergy in the administration of the Home and in the spiritual life of the residents. The Archbishop is Honorary President of St. Jude's and many of the Board of Directors are members of local Anglican parishes. The chapel is regularly used for communion services. Since 1948, the Board has been also assisted in the Home's administration by St. Jude's Women's Auxiliary. Its name was changed in 1958 to the St. Jude's Guild and then dissolved in 1968. The Auxiliary and the Guild conducted fundraising activities, helped with domestic administration and provided entertainment services to the residents. These functions were continued until 1979 by other groups, such as Altar Guild, Entertainment Guild, and Chapel Guild. The St. Jude's' building was restructured and a new facility was opened in 1991 to provide particular care for residents suffering from dementia.