Willow Newsletter - The Willow Foundation

FALL 2009/WINTER 2010
Registered Charitable No. 86903 1385 RR0001
GLADYS BARROW – 100 Y EARS YOUNG!
Gladys Barrow’s family was very persistent about asking
her to come over to Canada from her native Manchester,
England. Her response was “I don’t know, I’ll think it over”.
Mind made up, she sold up, got all the necessary
documents and flew over to Canada all on her own!
On Gladys’ wall on Trafalgar at Allendale hang messages of
congratulations and honour from both the Governor
General of Canada and the Queen, in celebration of her
100th birthday on March 20, 2009. When asked about her
children she told me, “3 boys, a little girl who tragically
drowned, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren”.
“Pretty good for 100”, she says proudly.
Family vacations back in Manchester were mostly day trips,
“Mother didn’t like to stay out overnight”. The family always
kept cats as pets, “for the mice y’know, Mother was always
very house proud”.
Gladys and her husband of 37 years, William, were married in Manchester.
William loved to entertain at the Manchester Palace, a nearby nightclub and
both Gladys and William loved to go out dancing. She vividly remembers the
parties that happened everywhere when WWII ended.
Very soon after moving to Canada Gladys moved into the Tam’O Shanter
apartments in Scarborough where she and her friends played bingo, went on trips
and out dancing into the wee hours of the morning. With a big smile she
recounts one trip to a winery with one of her friends who “liked a drink or two”.
At the end of the tour there was lots of wine to sample and Gladys tells me “they
had to carry her out”.
On Gladys’ birthday, the doctor came into her room and said “Well, well, well, I
didn’t expect to see anything like this…” and Gladys replied “Why, what’s wrong?”
and he replied “Nothing, nothing at all”. And that is how I felt as I left Gladys
that day, resplendent in her pink blazer and her welcoming smile. When I asked
her about how she felt on reaching 100 years of age, she told me “I don’t like too
much fuss, I’m just like everybody else”. Gladys may not see too well of late, but
her spirit and her sense of humour are firmly in place and she is a delightful
addition to Allendale.
Board of Directors
Kristin Courtney ~ Chair
Brian Dobson ~ Director
Lisa Forbes ~ Director
Bob Hilton ~ Director
Roger Lapworth ~ Director
Scott McNabb ~ Director
Harry Patel ~ Director
Sheldon Wolfson ~ Director
Punster’s Corner
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• A poet who writes
backwards writes
inverse.
• A teacher confiscated a
large elastic band from
students because he
said it was a weapon of
math disruption.
• A bomb thrown into a
kitchen in France
results in Linoleum
Blownapart.
Opening Gambits
nnnn
• How many
grandchildren do you
have?
• The Apollo moon landing
~ hoax or fact?
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
GREETINGS FROM CHAIR CARR
If you are a resident or have a family member living at Allendale in Milton, Creek Way Village in
Burlington or Post Inn Village in Oakville, you may be familiar with the work of the Willow
Foundation. The Willow Foundation has many dedicated volunteers who work hard to raise funds to
support programs and purchase new equipment for our three Regional long-term care homes and
our Adult Day Programs. To date in 2009 the Willow Foundation has raised over $30,000.
In addition to fundraising events organized by the Willow Foundation, a number of the social events
that are organized for the benefit of our residents and clients are as a result of the planning and
support of the Willow Foundation. Regional staff work closely with the foundation’s volunteers to
identify opportunities to improve the comfort and enjoyment of our residents and clients. A big
part of making Allendale, Creek Way Village and Post Inn Village feel like home for residents is the
sense of community that is shared amongst residents, staff and family members.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that have generously donated their time or
money to the efforts of the Willow Foundation. Your efforts and contributions truly help enrich the lives of the residents at Allendale, Creek
Way Village and Post Inn Village and those in our Adult Day Programs. I would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the Board of Directors
of the Foundation. Your commitment to the raising funds for seniors in our community is outstanding and very much appreciated.
ACTIVIT Y PEST!
Why do they come to my door and ask, “Do you
want to play Bingo?”
“No thanks, I’ll pass – can’t you see I’m trying to
sleep?
Now leave quietly without a peep.”
Who is back the very next day?
“Would you like a manicure?”
I say “Okay”.
Or I tell her, “Maybe I will on another day.”
“Ah, she’s gone – there is quiet – all right! Now, it’s
just me and The Price is Right. Knock Knock! Can
you guess?
Yep! She’s back – the Activity Pest!
“We’re having a party. Please, won’t you come?”
“If I go this time, will you leave me alone?”
She tries to get me in the mood
And bribes me with a little food.
So I tag along – to this party I go.
There are people dancing, and what do you know?
I’m talking and eating and enjoying the show!
I guess these activities aren’t so bad.
In fact, the party helped me forget feeling sad.
So, if you get a knock on your door
And it’s the Pest, try not to ignore
Believe it or not, her intentions are right.
To get us out of our rooms
And into the spotlight!
CREEK WAY FUN FAIR
The Willow Foundation frequently participates
in events at each of the long term care homes
and on June 13, 2009 partnered with Creek
Way Village for its Fun Fair organized by Emily
Sforza, Life Enrichment Supervisor. The event
brought residents and staff along with their
families, the Creek Way Parkview Day Care and
community members together to enjoy a day
of fun activities and games.
The Willow Foundation provided the music for
the day and as accordionist Peter Baumann set
the tone, some of the residents and their
family members were seen dancing to his lively
music. Food was in plentiful supply – hot dogs,
hamburgers, popcorn and chips, cotton candy and Tim Horton’s coffee.
Some of the residents had never tasted cotton candy before and said it was
really fluffy and “melt in your mouth” good to eat.
Willow also provided the Bouncy Castle which was busy all afternoon. At
the end of the event, the Creek Way staff and volunteers all went in for a
bounce! The children loved the balloon animals
and the Home Depot craft area. Home
Depot donated woodworking kits and
the children created and took their
planes, birdhouses and boxes home
with them. There were five ponies for
children to ride and the seniors were
encouraged to get close and pet them.
The residents got a kick out of the face
painting, not knowing if the outcome
might be pirate, princess, butterfly or
snake on a small face!
The weather cooperated and there was no
rain (unusual for this summer!)and the
sun was actually seen during the afternoon of the event.
A good time was had by all!
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
STRAWBERRY SOCIALS
June means
strawberries,
the beginning
of summer and
Strawberry Socials
at Post Inn, Creek
Way and Allendale.
This summer was
no exception.
We welcomed the
beginning of
summer at all
three residences
in fine style –
with pink and white balloons
fluttering everywhere and strawberries, cake and
ice cream for everyone.
At Post Inn Village, the 3rd floor kitchen was a beehive of
activity as residents and life enrichment staff were hard at
work preparing the boxes and BOXES of strawberries for
the event – another truism was evident – “Many hands
make light work”.
Entertainment is one of the best parts of these
celebrations and Peter Baumann and his accordion
provided songs that brought back many memories at Post
Inn Village and Creek Way and we all enjoyed the George
Grossmann duo at Allendale.
As the day of the
festivities gets
closer, we
anxiously scan
the weather
reports and this
year the
unofficial prize
for the best
weather has to
go to Allendale.
The courtyard
Erin Scannell, Sylvia Hankus, Nick Gauthier, Andrea
was full of
Butler and Kristin Courtney
residents, staff
and guests all completely enjoying one of the best
summer days with sunshine and warmth in plentiful
supply. Each year at the Allendale Strawberry Social, the
Michelle Gauthier Memorial Bursary for continuing
education in health care is presented to an Allendale staff
member. This year’s recipient was Sylvia Hankus, pictured
above with the Gauthier family and Kristin Courtney, Chair
of The Willow Foundation.
At Creek Way Village we had to move the event indoors
because of some very black clouds but we had a
wonderful time nevertheless and I think the strawberries,
cake and ice cream tasted particularly summery on that
occasion.
NEWFOUNDLAND
KITCHEN PARTY
Lots of anticipation preceded
the Newfoundland or
“Newfie” Kitchen Party on
March 4th. There was no
doubt in anyone’s mind that
it would be “some fun”.
The Willow Foundation
joined with Kailo to present
“The Cobblestones” direct
from an Upper Canada tour,
and special guests for the
party included Oakville Councillor
Jeff Knoll, Director of Services for Seniors, Sheldon Wolfson and
Administrator for Post Inn Village, Henri Konig. These guests
were ceremoniously made “Honourary Newfoundlanders” with a
detailed ceremony which included eating jampan, drinking
screech and kissing the cod. Lori Rogers, the irrepressible Kailo
Coordinator, did the honours.
Halfway through the event Lori was called away and in the
interim her long lost “brother” John complete with sou’wester
joined the festivities (many report that he bore more than a
passing familial resemblance!) and entertained us with tales
of ‘ome.
Lori then returned and read a reassuring letter from her
“mudder” the text of which is reproduced below:
Dear Daughter,
Just a few lines to let you kno w that I ’m still alive. I am
writing this slo wly becau se I kn ow you can’t rea d fast. Yo u
wo n’t kno w the hou se w hen yo u com e hom e, we’ve moved.
Abo ut yo ur father –he has got a lovely new job. He has 500
men un der h im - he cuts grass at the cem eter y. Yo ur sister
Mar y ha d a baby this mor ning. I haven’t fo un d o ut yet
w hether it’s a boy or a gir l so I don’t kn ow w hether yo u are an
aunt or an uncle.
I went to the doctor o n Thursday an d your father came with
me. The do ctor put a small tube in my mo uth an d told me n ot
to talk for 10 minutes. Yo ur father offere d to buy it from h im.
Yo ur uncle Patrick dro wne d last week in a bar rel of Newfie
screech at the local club. So me of his workmates trie d to save
him but he fo ught them off bravely. They cremate d him an d it
to ok 3 days to put the fire o ut. It only raine d twice this
week, first for 3 days, then fo r 4 days. We had a letter fro m
the un dertaker. He said if the last paym ent o n yo ur
gran dmother’s plot wasn’t pai d in 7 days, up she co mes.
Yo ur loving mother
P.S. I was go ing to sen d yo u $5, but I alrea dy seale d the
envelo pe.
Lori Rogers recently moved back home to her beloved
Newfoundland.
LORI, YOU WILL BE HUGELY MISSED!
We hope Newfoundlanders are treating you well and “long may
your big jib draw”.
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
GOLF ANYONE?
The 7th Annual Willow Foundation Golf Tournament which took place under
beautiful sunny skies at Crosswinds Golf & Country Club in Burlington on Friday
May 29th, 2009 was an outstanding success! Our heartfelt thanks and
congratulations to each sponsor, golfer, prize donor and volunteer whose
contributions helped to raise $22,683.78 after all expenses in support of our
seniors and disabled adults.
Gary Carr, Chair of Halton Region , Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, Burlington Mayor
Cam Jackson, Oakville Councillor Roger Lapworth (our esteemed emcee of the
evening program), Burlington Councillor Carol D’Amelio, Jane Fogal, Councillor
for Halton Hills, and Milton Councillors, Jan Mowbray, and Mike Boughton, along
with Ted Chudleigh ~ MPP, Halton and his wife Sandy joined us for golf.
The Region of Halton was also represented by Adelina Urbanski, Commissioner
of Social and Community Services, and Sheldon Wolfson, Director of Services
for Seniors who was a much appreciated volunteer for the day.
Chair Carr 3rd from left and teammates Blair McArthur, Tom Potts and
Bob Rivers
Special guests for this year’s tournament included Dave Devall, recently retired
Weather Specialist for CTV News, Pat Foran, CTV Consumer Reporter, Bill Hutchison, CTV Late News Anchor and Lance Brown, CTV Sports.
There was quite a commotion when Dave Devall stepped up to the registration table. He graciously stood for many photos with several of
the volunteers.
We are extremely grateful to our Tournament Sponsors who were an integral part of the success of this event:
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsor
Raffle Sponsor
Media Sponsor
Hole In One Sponsor
Tournament Sponsor
Beat the Pro
Gift Bags
Media Coverage
Tournament Jackets
AV Presentation
Medical Pharmacies
Quality Inn and Suites
Hampton’s Restaurant
MEDIchair Halton
Scotiabank
Retro Rock Lounge
Budds BMW
Oakville Conference & Banquet Center
Investors Group
Golf Clearance Warehouse
Wave 94.7
Oakville Beaver
Burlington Post
CTV News
Crosswinds Golf & Country Club
(presented to winning foursome)
Martin Jackson
Steve Pearson of Medical Pharmacies 2nd from left (Gold Sponsor)
and teammates Theresa Pitre, John McLaughlin and Mark Barley
Thank you to the following companies who sponsored a hole:
Active Health Management
Appleby Place
Barney Henderson
Billings Court Manor
Car Lounge
The Faithful Attendant
Glen Schnarr & Associates Inc.
Home Instead Senior Care
Johnson Diversey Canada
King City Group Ltd.
London Excavators & Trucking
Mattamy Homes
Nurse Next Door
Retire At Home
Retro Rock Lounge
Roxul Canada
Ward Funeral Home
Whiz-A-Top Services
Our thanks to those who sponsored as a Friend of The Willow Foundation:
Cam Watson & Associates
J. Scott Early Funeral Home
Canada Bread
London Excavators
Halton Regional Police Assn.
Maple Reinders
Satish Palisseri 3rd from left of Quality Inn and Suites and Mike
Paralavos of Hampton’s Restaurant (Silver Sponsors) and teammates
Peter Lewis and Kevin Slean
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
Special thanks to the following companies who donated silent auction, raffle and golf prizes:
Apple One
East Penn Canada
Loblaws – Oak Park
Roger Lapworth
Art Gallery of Ontario
Eclipse Medical
Maple Leafs Hockey Club
Royal Ontario Museum
Barcode Application Systems
Fifth Avenue Jewellery
Massage Chair at Work
Sandman Signature
Benefit Partners
Glen Abbey
Medical Mart
South 202
Boston Pizza
Glencairn Golf & CC
MEDIchair Halton
Spoon and Fork
Brampton Flying Club
Hippo Tours
Mr. Greek Restaurant
Starbucks
Burlington Lions Club
Jade Gardens
Naylor Group
The Keg
Cam Jackson ~ Mayor,
Joyce Savoline ~ MPP,
Nexidea Health
Theatre Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Obus Forme
Turtle Jack’s Muskoka Grill
Carafe Wine Makers
Just Wine
Oliver and Bonacini
Whole Foods
CN Tower
Kelsey’s Restaurant
Ontario Place
Woodbine Entertainment
Cobble Beach Resort
K-Promotions
Optical Trends 4U
Conservation Halton
Larry Fieler
Panago Pizza Milton
Crosswinds Golf & CC
Laserquest
Retire at Home
Our thanks to the following cheerful and energetic volunteers who assisted in making the entire tournament run smoothly:
Shelley Adams
Hasan Davar
Cathy McCartney
Bob Beechey
Pat Deley
Randy McCartney
Bernice “Willow” Birch
Janice Evans
Scott McNabb ~ Tournament Chair
Julie Colven
Shirley Flatt
Dariana Parischev
Kristin Courtney
Andrea Gossman
Christine Pearson
Melody Courtney
Bob Hilton
Sheldon Wolfson
WINNING FOURSOME
Roger Lapworth ~ Ward 4 Councillor, Oakville and
teammates Bill Hutchison, CTV News Anchor, Brian Dobson
and Lance Brown, CTV Sports (not pictured here)
Dave Devall, CTV News Weather Specialist (ret.) and
teammates Martin Jackson, AV Coordinator, Pat Foran,
CTV Consumer Reporter and Bill Caldwell
Nick Gauthier 3rd from left of Scotiabank (Raffle
Sponsor) and teammates John Winser, Dave Lawlor
and Bob Beckerson
Eighth Annual Golf Challenge
Thursday May 27th, 2010
Special thanks to Warren Moon, Heather Myronyk and the staff of
Crosswinds Golf & Country Club who work tirelessly each year to ensure
that every tournament is an event to remember!
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
WHAT ARE.....THE ADULT DAY PROGRAMS? ~ MILTON PLACE & FRIENDS LANDING
The Adult Day Programs provide social, intellectual, recreational and physical programs in a structured, supervised group
setting for adults living in the community. The program benefits those who may be frail, elderly, physically challenged,
disabled or memory impaired to maintain their independence and also offers a respite for caregivers.
The program operates Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants book one to five days per week.
Both Milton Place and Friends Landing have a Day Program Coordinator who oversees each program and program assistants
who carry out the day-to-day programming. We also are fortunate to have wonderful students and volunteers on a regular
basis. Please feel free to stop in and visit us! To arrange a tour or for more information about Milton Place or Friends Landing,
please call Carol Fendley at 905.825.6000, ext. 8168 or Laurie Maratovich, ext. 8027.
ALLENDALE GETS
A NEW T.V.
Upcoming Events
nnnn
December
2009
Tree Lighting Ceremonies
& Spirit of Giving
Campaign
The Willow Foundation was pleased to donate
a 37” flat screen T.V. for the newly renovated
lounge area of Allen on the 2nd floor of
Allendale. The residents really enjoy the
opportunity to spend time together and
socialize.
nnnn
FRIENDS OF THE WILLOW FOUNDATION
Donations to The Willow Foundation enable us to continue supporting and enriching the lives of seniors and disabled adults in Halton
Region. We would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge and thank the following individuals who have generously made
donations in memory of or on behalf of a friend or relative currently residing in one of Halton Region’s long term care homes or participating
in an on-going program. CARP also made a donation to The Willow Foundation in appreciation of Halton Region Chair Gary Carr and
Sheldon Wolfson, Director of Services for Seniors, who spoke at their annual meeting. We apologize for any inadvertent omissions. Please
feel welcome to contact us if your name should appear on the list below.
James & Shirley Archdekin
B. F. Goodrich
Ken & Audrey Ball
David Batchelor
John & Alexandra Beal
Anne & Peter Bedford
Jan Bell
Durk Belsyma
Pat & Glenn Benham
Margit Bennett
Roger & Debbie Bouchard
Janet Boyd
Tamara Brady
Janice Brown
Alyne Burns
M. Caldwell
James Carey
CARP
Jean Casarin
Margaret Chee
Community Development
Halton
Sandra Corbett
Penelope May Cormier
Joan Cornfield
John Crisci
Margaret Dennis
Robert Dye
Sharon Elkerton
Estonian Society of
Kitchener
Barbara Evans
Frances Eves
Kathleen & Harry Ferguson
Joyce Flewelling
Jane Fogal
Barbara Ford
Bob & Doreen Ford
Ray Ford
Pauline Fries
Jackie Gainer
Donna Galbraith
Janice Galbraith
Mary Garvey
Marni Gibson
Joyce Hagevic
John & Maureen Hall
M.J. Halstead
Frederick & Janet Harney
William Harris
Darryl Hayes
Dorothy Heintzman
Richard Hewitson
Brian Hibbert
Linda Hickey
Reverend Ralph Hodgson
Louise & Don Holloway
Olive Horvath
Isobel Howden
Sheila Irving
Keeley Family
Dorothy Kingston
Kathryn Lambertson
Reverend Carole Langlotz
Thelma Leggo
Gail Little
Brian Marshall
Jane Marshall
Sally Martyniuk
Joyce Mattick
Ginette McGilvery
Jean McKendrick
Mr. & Mrs. Meehan
Robert Miller
Jennifer Mirosolin
Margot Murray
Stan Nicholson
Ont. Municipal Services
Association
Helen O'Reilly
Stanislaus O'Shea
Cecil Patterson
Jean Pike
Steve Pigeon
Sally Pincock
Christopher Ramshaw
Brian & Phyllis Prescott
Regional Office of the
Chair & CAO
Sheila Rhodes
Veronica Richmond
Colleen Rivers
Robert Baldwin Social Fund
Roberta & Rick Rowley
Royal Bank
M. Ruutopold
Sandra Sargent
William Shuttleworth
S. Slimmon
William Smelser
Linda Smith
Ray & Brenda Smith
Ron & Marie Stehr
Barbara Taylor
Moira Taylor
Jeannette ThompsonCockton
Trinity United Church
Patricia Troke
Eileen Tucker
Carlo & Janice Tulipano
A. Vahtta
Shelley Varley
Stephen Warwick
Arthur Waters
Cynthia Waters
Julie Wheeler
Kimberley White
Jack Whitteker
Elizabeth Whyte
Sarah Wilkins
Annette Yardley
In memorium gift cards are available at all local Halton Funeral Homes as well as at the Foundation office - Post Inn Village 203
Georgian Drive, Oakville Ontario L6H 7H9, Tel: 905.825.6000, ext.4049, Fax:. 905.257.0042, agossmann@willowfoundation.ca
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE WILLOW FOUNDATION?
The Willow Foundation is a non-profit, registered charitable organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Funds are
raised through community initiatives as well as donations from individuals, service clubs, community organizations and businesses
to further enrich the quality of life for seniors and disabled adults in the Halton Region’s three long term care homes. These
include Allendale in Milton, Creek Way Village in Burlington and Post Inn Village in Oakville, as well as the Adult Day Programs in
Milton. Through the kindness and generosity of our donors, The Willow Foundation is able to provide financial support for annual
life enriching social events, education, equipment, special needs and various building projects.
We offer a number of opportunities to support The Willow Foundation including:
Annual Fundraising Events
Our annual fundraising events include our Charity Golf Challenge and our Spirit of Giving Campaign during the Christmas season.
We are also very thankful to benefit from third party fund raising events that take place in the community where funds raised
are donated to The Willow Foundation. These events not only raise funds to assist The Willow Foundation, they also provide an
opportunity to involve family members and others within the community in a meaningful way. We welcome suggestions with
respect to hosting, participating in, sponsoring, or donating to an event.
Annual Giving
Annual donations are vital to The Willow Foundation and provide the majority of our funds.
In Memorium Giving
In Memorium gifts to The Willow Foundation make a tremendous difference in the lives of many seniors and disabled adults in
the Halton Region. A memorial card is sent to the next of kin to acknowledge the In Memorium gift.
Planned Giving
We continue to expand our planned giving donor base through the generosity of those who donate on a continued basis. Planned
giving allows a donor to make a substantial gift and at the same time provide valuable tax benefits. Methods of planned giving
include pre-authorized giving programs and charitable bequests.
We appreciate the kindness of the many individuals who support The Willow Foundation and would like to take this opportunity
to thank our supporters very much for their generosity which ultimately benefits the lives of many seniors and disabled adults.
We simply couldn’t do this without you.
DONATION FORM
Registered Charitable No. 86903 1385 RR0001
Allendale & Adult Day Programs (Milton)
Post Inn Village (Oakville)
Creek Way Village (Burlington)
Thank you for your donation of $
Date:
In Memory/Honour of:
Name:
Address:
City:
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Province/State:
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Expiry Date
Signature:
Ì I would like information on pre-authorized donations.
Ì I would like to sign up for The Willow Foundation newsletter.
Please forward a condolence letter to the following address:
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Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region
♥ IN TOUCH: THE WILLOW FOUNDATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER ♥
LIFE ENRICHMENT THERAPIST ~ JULIE SCHWIEG
Julie Schwieg is a Life Enrichment Therapist at Creek Way Village in Burlington and the first thing you notice about her is
her smile!
As is often the case with Life Enrichment Therapists, Julie has worked with seniors from high school onwards. A co-op
teacher in high school arranged a placement for her at a long term care home and she has never looked back. Seneca
College’s Social Work and Gerontology program soon followed. During college, Julie worked part-time as an Activity
Assistant in Oakville. Her favourite part of that experience was making the participants laugh any way she could!
The VON Alzheimer’s day program was Julie’s next stop. While at VON, she obtained her bus license so she could pick up
clients and bring them to the day’s activities. She remembers that her favourite part of the day program was the arts and
crafts periods. The Hamilton Art Centre often came and introduced new ideas to the seniors. Notable among these projects
were botanical printmaking, drying, pressing and framing. Completed projects were then put on display for everyone to see.
Julie worked at both Post Inn Village and Creek Way Village on a part time basis prior
to beginning full time at Creek Way Village. Julie’s voice is full of enthusiasm
as she describes the types of activities she is involved in with the seniors. Her
favourite programs are off-site bus trips. Some of her favourite destinations
thus far have been: Betty’s Restaurant, Crawford Lake, Chateau Des Charmes
Winery Tour, Balley Grace Horse Farm and the Butterfly Conservatory.
Julie’s responsibilities also include planning therapeutic programs on Creek
Way’s special care unit called Escarpment. She finds that baking with the
residents often brings back memories and encourages reminiscences. Residents
also participate in various “memory and participation inducing” games, as well
as joining in an intergenerational program with the on-site Parkview Day Care.
Both residents and the children benefit from these activities!
Every day for a Life Enrichment Therapist is an extremely busy one. At any one
time Julie tells me, there are five calendars for the different units on the go at
Creek Way, chock full of activities and programs for residents, designed to
encourage and entice participation and an enhanced quality of life for Creek Way
residents.
SKUNKED!
I walked past the back door late one evening and smelled the
familiar smell ~ SKUNK in the back yard! My next thought ~
where was Raleigh?
A quick call out the door resulted in one stinky dog hurrying
inside. Then it was all hands on deck, with my husband
wielding the nearest “people” shampoo bottle with wild
abandon and one of my sons and I hauling water in a
makeshift bucket brigade. Raleigh just looked very wet and
confused ~ She thought she had found a new backyard friend
and for her troubles she was getting an unwanted shampoo
and drenching by continuous buckets of water. Raleigh’s
response was to project a perfect bedraggled and forlorn look
which only spurred my husband on to greater heights of
“more water, more shampoo, MOVE IT!” commands. People
shampoo will not fix skunk smells ~ and Saturday afternoon
saw a repeat of the above scenario with “anti-skunk”
shampoo. Her coat is certainly soft but if I get close I can still
smell the unwanted intruder in her fur and I have taken to
accompanying her outdoors late into the evening with a huge
flashlight scanning the area for more skunks. Apparently the
entire family lives two doors down and babies abound.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Seniors and Disabled Adults in Halton Region