Steeves & Rozema Group

Waterloo Heights residents share advice to get through challenging times. In these challenging times, it can be encouraging to listen to the advice of those who have travelled the road before you. So that’s what the folks at Waterloo Heights did recently when the Waterloo, Ont. seniors living community hosted Advice Day. As part of the event, residents and team members shared their advice and encouraging words for dealing with challenging times.... Residents’ advice was written on a board, and the residents had their picture taken with it. Afterwards, the photos were printed for everyone to see. Some of the advice was funny and some was inspirational, says Waterloo Heights activity director Jacqui Reid. Jacqui says many of the residents would smile and nod their heads as they were reading other residents’ advice, which included words such as Look after yourself so you can look after others, Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and Don’t cry because it’s over; smile that it happened. Each resident got to keep their photo with their advice so it could be given to a friend or family member. Jacqui came up with the idea for the program. While she says there was no particular inspiration that prompted her to create the activity, Jacqui says she thought this would be a good time to learn from others. I really respect and appreciate how much younger generations can learn from the elderly, especially now, during the pandemic, as many seniors today have lived through similar and worse events, she tells S&R Today. In fact, Jacqui says she recommends other S&R seniors living and long-term care communities try a similar project. Advice is timeless, no matter what is happening in the world, these shared words can have a significant impact on an individual, she says. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Costume-clad pups visit Rosewood Village for Halloween. The Rosewood Village team combined two things the Sarnia seniors living community’s residents love dogs and Halloween into a single event that showcased creativity and brought lots of smiles to residents’ faces. On Oct. 30, those Rosewood Village team members who have dogs brought their canine friends to the home dressed in Halloween costumes that included a ballerina, a lobster and a cowboy.... Keeping with the spirit of the day, Rosewood Village team members also dressed up in Halloween costumes. The dogs spent the afternoon visiting residents who cheerfully petted and played with them. The canine ballerina even shared a dance with one team member. There were also an array of Halloween treats prepared by fun co-ordinator Bev James for everyone to enjoy. Rosewood Village fun co-ordinator Jenica Tanguay says residents had a great afternoon spending time with the dogs. The residents had a blast; (there were) lots of laughs at the costumes and lots of big smiles lit up the room when they got to hold and pet the dogs, she tells S&R Today. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Waterloo Heights brings Oktoberfest to residents. With one of the largest German communities in Canada, Kitchener-Waterloo has long made a pretty big deal out of Oktoberfest, and this year the Waterloo Heights team created their own version of the famous event that celebrates German culture. Kitchener-Waterloo hosts one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the world each year, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of this year’s events have been cancelled.... The event Waterloo Heights hosted was held under safe conditions, and the entertainer, who performed traditional Oktoberfest songs, played from behind a plastic screen a few metres inside one of the exterior doors at the Waterloo, Ont. seniors living residence. Of course, food is also a major part of any Oktoberfest celebration, and the dietary team went all out to provide residents and team members with an array of authentic German food, including schnitzel with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and cabbage. There was also wine and beer served, and every resident received an Oktoberfest button and a bag of pretzels, notes activity director Jacqui Reid. Waterloo Heights executive director Anna Marie Crawford wore her dirndl, a traditional Bavarian dress, and Jacqui wore a chicken suit, which was perfect for when she led her colleagues in a chicken dance for residents. Jacqui says the event was a success and residents and team members enjoyed the day. Everyone had a great time, and it was nice to still celebrate Oktoberfest here when so many Oktoberfest celebrations have been cancelled in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, she says. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Landmark Village residents treated to an in-house Tim Hortons day. A recent S&R Today story inspired the folks at Landmark Village to create a Tim Hortons drive-thru for those residents of the Sarnia seniors living community who have been missing their morning double-double and glazed doughnut. On Oct. 22, Landmark Village fun co-ordinator Brent Hart set up a Tim Hortons drive-thru window complete with authentic signage and served residents coffee and doughnuts throughout... the day. As with other S&R seniors living communities, Landmark Village residents have been missing visits to Tim Hortons since the global COVID-19 pandemic began in March. So, when team members read an Oct. 7 S&R Today story about how nearby Rosewood Village had created a Tim Hortons drive-thru for their residents, they saw an opportunity to do something special for the folks living at Landmark Village. We all saw the story that was done on Rosewood Village and wanted to create that here, so I made up a drive-thru window and picked a day and we went over and got the doughnuts and coffee, Brent tells S&R Today. Brent says the Timmies Day went over well with residents, who eagerly lined up for their coffee and doughnuts. We handed out throughout the day, (and) residents really enjoyed it, he says. Quite a few came in the morning and afternoon. We had a blast with it and it made for an all around fun day. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Pumpkin patch highlights the spirit of the season at Lanark Village. Thanks to the creativity of Lanark Village team members who wanted to make sure residents got into the spirit of the season, the Kitchener seniors living community’s front yard is adorned with a pumpkin patch that includes a hand-painted sign, straw bales, corn stalks and, of course, lots of pumpkins. The idea to create the pumpkin patch display came from Lanark Village director of wellness Margaret Smith, w...ho was inspired to do something creative after thinking about what residents might want to do for fall activities. Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, large-group activities are not possible, so team members got to work crafting an autumn-inspired display that residents would be proud to see in front of their home. There was also community involvement in creating the display, as many of the items were donated by local farmers. We recognized that with the pandemic things just aren’t normal, but that doesn’t mean that we stop having fun and fulfilling the lives of the residents that call Lanark Village home, says Lanark Village executive director Bradley Lukas, adding the display is an example of Lanark Village living the Steeves & Rozema Group’s mission of creating communities that are good for life. Our goal with building the patch was to be sure that our residents still get the true experience while being safe on our own property, he adds. While residents have been overjoyed with the pumpkin patch in front of their home, the local community has also taken notice, Bradley says. One resident told me about how she was looking at the pumpkin patch over the weekend and, as she was watching over the course of the day, she noticed three young families come and explore the patch, and each lifted their children up to get a picture too, he says. She explained the joy that this brought to her, seeing the kids out enjoying the patch. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Lanark Heights raises more than $1,000 for Parkinson Society. Lanark Heights residents and team members raised more than $1,000 for the Parkinson Society in September by participating in the charity’s Walk the Block for Parkinson’s event. The annual fundraiser was previously called WALK-IT for Parkinson’s, but the Parkinson Society chose to rebrand the event this year so people can avoid walking in large groups and stay safe during the global COVID-19 pandemic.... The Kitchener, Ont. long-term care community participates in the event each year, and residents and team members wanted to continue supporting the fundraiser by doing it safely, says life enrichment manager Melissa Abdul. Fourteen residents and team members bundled up and went for a walk around Lanark’s property, (and) this was followed by outdoor entertainment that was enjoyed by all, she tells S&R Today. Starbucks generously donated a raffle prize to help fundraise as well as money donations, Melissa adds. Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The condition affects an estimated 55,000 Canadians aged 18 and older, according to Statistics Canada. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.

Thanksgiving tree underscores the importance of resident-centered long-term care. Heron Terrace life enrichment worker Dorothy Thompson says a recent Thanksgiving activity at the Windsor long-term care community was not only an opportunity for residents to express their thankfulness, it also underscored the importance of programs being resident-centred. As part of the Thanksgiving activity, Dorothy asked residents about the things that they were most thankful for. One residen...t, Mary, asked if she could jot down residents’ responses on paper pumpkins and leaves. After the responses had been read, Mary looked over them and pondered what to do with them, Dorothy says. I was prepared to put them up with a beautiful turkey display, but she and another resident had a different idea, Dorothy recounts. Mary and the other resident, John, wanted the leaves to be on a tree. When Dorothy asked what them what the tree should look like, John drew the trunk of the tree and Mary approved. Then I jumped in to make the branches, (but) John chimed in that they were too perfect and not rustic enough, Dorothy says. He and other residents began to tear the paper into branches. ‘Perfect,’ he said. ‘Let’s hang it.’ The tree was hung on a wall the way the residents wished. Dorothy then had a suggestion for where the paper pumpkins should be placed, but the residents had other ideas. I once gain interjected and started to place the pumpkins at the base of the tree, but they laughed (and said), ‘how are old people going to read them way down there?’ The residents began placing the pumpkins higher. Once completed, they stood back, overwhelmed with pride at their accomplishment, Dorothy says. Their Thanksgiving vision was realized. Perhaps most importantly, Dorothy says there is a lesson the residents reminded her of during their Thanksgiving activity. This activity continues to remind us of the importance of resident-centred care and the meaningful ways residents continue to have input into writing their life story at Heron Terrace, she says. Do you have a story you would like to share with S&R Today? If so, please contact the newsroom at deron(at)axiomnews.com.