Rooted in culture, Finnish Resthome has cared for local seniors for five decades

The Ontario Finnish Resthome Association’s buildings for seniors, located in a quiet woodland setting at the corner of North Street and Second Line East, has been rooted in Sault Ste. Marie for over 50 years.

The concept of a Finnish rest home for the Sault started with Lauri Kovalainen of Windsor, who in the early 1970s was providing personal care to a stranger and later to his wife.

Kovalainen envisioned a way of providing care to seniors in a home with an emphasis on Finnish cultural traditions. 

Through Kovalainen’s contacts in Sault Ste. Marie, the first meeting of what became known as the Ontario Finnish Resthome Association took place on Sept. 1, 1971.

By January 1973, OFRA had bought 27 acres of land at the corner of North Street and Second Line East. OFRA had almost 800 members at the time with some mortgaging their homes to help make a Finnish resthome a reality.

Suomi Eesti Maja, an affordable-living senior housing project, opened in September 1976.

Suomi Eesti Maja's amenities include a sauna, an exercise room, a woodworking room, a crafts room, a games room and a wellness clinic.

OFRA went on to build an assisted-living facility named Kotitalo for seniors with more complex care needs in June 1982. 

Kotitalo serves seniors who need help due to medical issues or disabilities.

Its upper floors have common living and sitting areas decorated with plants and flowers. The ground floor has a large common sitting area with a fireplace, piano, TV and guest table with a view of the centre courtyard pond.

Through fundraising the Mauno Kaihla Koti Nursing Home opened in February 1991. 

It provides 24-hour nursing and personal care services.

Having built a reputation of providing good care for seniors and seeing a need for independent living accommodations for them, OFRA’s Board of Directors decided to build another independent apartment building named Uusi Koti, that building opening in November 2016. Uusi Koti quickly filled up with residents and guests could enjoy two daily guest suite rentals for family and friends visiting OFRA residents.

Uusi Koti is a senior's independent living facility, with one two-bedroom apartments for seniors. Its amenities include a sauna, a tub and treatment room, a fitness room, a woodworking hobby room, an arts and crafts room, a computer literacy room, a library and reading room, a games room, a community therapy room and a private party room. 

Contrary to a misconception that one must be Finnish to live or work at OFRA, the complex serves seniors of all backgrounds and nationalities. 

Though it remains to be seen what will happen with OFRA’s plans for a redeveloped Mauno Kaihla Koti long-term care home after figures provided by contractors showed costs to be a staggering three times higher than first hoped for, fundraising efforts to make that project a reality continue and OFRA is still running as a place for seniors to live and enjoy their senior years, offering fun programs on site and group outings using the wheelchair accessible OFRA bus.

As of early January, Mauno Kaihla Koti nursing home had 27 semi-private rooms and nine private rooms housing a total of 63 residents.

There are 135 units in Suomi Eesti Maja, 111 units in Kotitalo Supportive Housing and 85 units plus two guest suites at Uusi Koti.

The OFRA site includes swings and benches for residents and visitors to enjoy.

As of early January, there were 393 residents living at OFRA, the complex staffed by 197 employees.

Mary Turpela is a resident of the Ontario Finnish Resthome Association’s Mauno Kaihla Koti.

Born and raised in the Sault by Finnish immigrant parents, Turpela, now 95, was involved with OFRA when it was in its planning stages over 50 years ago.

“I’ve been there to support it in any way I could,” Turpela said in a recent chat with SooToday.

In her senior years she moved into OFRA and helped the organization's Ladies Auxiliary whose prime goal is to raise funds for the association.

“I like to take part in activities here. I like singing very, very much. We have a reminiscing group and I like that because my memory is quite good,” Turpela said, adding she likes being in the company of several fellow residents she knew in her earlier years.

She enjoys Finnish get-togethers at OFRA that include singing and enjoying coffee, tea and pulla as well as watching old Westerns on TV.

She enjoys sitting outside the nursing home in the summer months and going on outings in the association’s bus with other OFRA residents and viewing fall leaves, Christmas lights and visits to Bellevue Park.

“I like it very much. This is my home. I’m very comfortable here,” Turpela said.