Linda Collins, Kelly's Home Care Centre manager, and Trendix representative Don Venator, demonstrate a fourwheeled scooter in the new showroom. Jane Boyle, Kelly's Home Care sales representative, assists customer Cora Cummings as she tries out her just-purchased Leisure Pedic bed. Also, Home Care Programs have been undergoing some changes which are resulting in shorter patient stays at hospitals and a rise in home rehabilitations, adding further impetus for expansion. To accommodate the escalating demands of customers and home care professionals in the area, home care became a separate entity in June 1986 with the launch of Kelly's Home Health Centre, operating from a 1,650 square foot building at 415 Bridge Street East, adjacent to the flagship drug store. Eventually, however, this space could not handle the requirements effectively, as the store became too crowded and it lacked sufficient accessibility. Paul Kelly saw a move as inevitable. "In order to operate as a professional Home Care Centre, we had to move into a building that was barrier free and wheelchair accessible." And Mr. Kelly had the perfect site -- the former St. Joseph's Church, which he had purchased back in 1972. Perhaps, he had an emotional attachment to the old establishment. After all, he was married there and three of his children were baptized there. In August 1993, Mr. Kelly decided to renovate the old church, creating a new 4,000 square foot facility at 415 Bridge Street East. With the addition of a full-line oxygen and respiratory service by Medigas, Kelly's Home Care Centre has firmly established itself as a one-stop total home care shopping centre. The original building which housed Kelly's Home Health Centre has been completely removed and the space has been utilized for extra parking purposes. As for the decor, Kelly's is paying particular detail to making the shopping experience as pleasant as possible, making the store extremely spacious, complete with wheelchair accessible washrooms and an automatic door entry system as the main entrance for total accessibility. "We endeavored to give it a home-like appeal with a warm, comfortable atmosphere," says Alan Kelly. While Kelly's has focused on the aesthetics of the enlarged establishment, it has not done so at the expense of other aspects of the home care business. Linda Collins, who joined Kelly's in September 1992 and is now Manager of the new facility, reiterates that providing professional, high quality service remains foremost at Kelly's. To accomplish this, Kelly's has on staff factory-trained service technicians, and certified fitters for orthotic supports, breast prostheses, custom-made and ready to wear surgical support hose. Also available are two private fitting rooms for consultation. A unique feature in the new store is a bathroom safety equipment area. Demonstrations of equipment such as water-powered bath lifts and other safety equipment are provided by staff. Kelly's extensive product line includes footcare, surgical and support garments, sports medicine supplies, diabetic products, T.E.N.S. care, mobility aids, seating, positioning, and posture products, ostomy supplies, disposable and reusable Incontinence care products, bathroom safety equipment, aids for daily living, hospital beds, adaptive clothing for special needs, and Enteral feeding. Kelly's will provide free in-home demonstrations for those who require the service. Because of the demand for in-home services, Kelly's offers a fleet of eight delivery vehicles to service the needs of both the Home Care Centre and the Drug Store. Kelly's is a contracted equipment supplier to the Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Home Care Programs, and they service the counties of Frontenac, Lennox-Addington, and Northumberland as well. Over the years, Kelly's has prospered by heralding the trends and meeting the needs of the local population. Its tradition of impeccable customer service and long hours is testament of its community commitment, and will continue for many years to come.