This project supports the Region of Waterloo's strategic focus area(s):

Then and Now: How care for the vulnerable has evolved over 150 years

The faces, places and stories of Sunnyside Home

Sunnyside Home in Kitchener is the region’s largest long term care home. This year we turn 150 years old! We believe that we are aging well. Care for older adults has come a long way since its roots in the House of Industry and Refuge.

That’s where our story began – back in 1869, with a house and farm that sheltered Waterloo County’s most vulnerable. Later it became an “Old People’s Home” (that’s what it was called in the 1920s!). Today we are a vibrant community that truly feels like home, with hundreds of visitors every day.

When you’ve been around as long as we have, you meet many interesting people and have many good stories to tell. Join us as we journey back in time with a person whose life has been intertwined with Sunnyside for nearly 80 years. Explore photographs and letters from people that give you a feel for what life was like back then, and watch our new video “Welcome Home” for a glimpse into life at Sunnyside today.