The residents at Canada鈥檚 first ever publicly funded long-term care home based on the concepts of a dementia village are ringing in the holidays for the first time in its short history, and they are doing it with joy and whimsy. Since its opening last July, Providence Living at The Views in Comox has been called home by its 156 residents - slightly more than half of which have dementia.
Providence Living at The Views staff have revealed a kind of mini-Advent calendar of holiday activities and elements. Here are a few windows onto a charming world of seasonal surprises.
Move over Anna Olson: Canada鈥檚 next star in home-baked goodies is rising like a perfect cake! Janny Parks, age 95, could host her own HGTV baking show. Merry, energetic and bright, she is Providence Living at The Views鈥� baking phenom. She bakes most days (including bread), capitalizing on her stand mixer that is, for her, an essential part of her household鈥檚 kitchen. Using an old recipe book she鈥檚 had for years, she鈥檚 already been busier than one of Santa鈥檚 elves, creating delicious treats for other Providence Living at The Views residents and staff.
鈥淚 love sharing my favourite recipes and keeping everyone smiling,鈥� said Parks.
Born in Holland, she moved to Canada at 19 years of age, married and had four sons. Years before moving into The Views at St. Joseph鈥檚 and eventually Providence Living at The Views, she actually volunteered at The Views. In addition to pursuing her lifelong passion for baking, she is renowned for her artistry in knitting and crocheting.
鈥淲atching Janny take charge of the kitchen, setting her own schedule, and sharing her talents with others perfectly illustrates our belief that residents should direct each moment,鈥� said Kelley Romeril, director, site operations, Providence Living at The Views. 鈥淚n traditional care homes, residents rarely have the opportunity to continue their everyday passions. Here, Janny's baking shows how our Home for Us care model supports residents in maintaining their independence and purpose.鈥�
The private resident living space of Providence Living at The Views consists of 13 households, each configured to accommodate up to 12 residents in private suites. Each suite has its own bathroom, and the individual households are outfitted with a kitchen, laundry room, dining room, and living room where residents can choose to participate in making meals and baking, and in other normal household activities like tidying and laundry.
For the residents at Providence Living at The Views, the holidays just wouldn鈥檛 be the holidays without a Christmas tree. Under the old institutional model, one tree might be considered sufficient for the entire long-term care home. Under the Home for Us (H4U) model, Providence Living at The Views鈥� unique division into 13 households presented a fresh and unprecedented opportunity to obtain one for each household. Staff reached out to businesses in the Comox Valley, requesting Christmas tree sponsors. Local businesses responded with glee and greenery. Providence Living at The Views extends heartfelt thanks to those businesses and individuals for their generous donations to the following households:
Arbutus House received a tree from Matt Zacharias Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty. All d茅cor was chosen by Zacharias鈥� nine-year-old son who helped him decorate the tree along with his parents and Arbutus House residents. Dogwood House and Cedar House each received a tree from the Auxiliary Thrift Store. Dolphin House received a tree from the Comox Valley Raiders Youth Football Club Junior Bantam Team and Westview Ford. The tree was trimmed by the Junior Bantam Team coach and players with a black and silver design (Raiders colours) with custom Raiders ornaments. Eagle House received a tree from Mark Vicary of Van Isle 3D Printing by XYZ Designs. Hemlock House received a tree from Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation. Huron House received a tree from Jane Denham Real Estate Group. Hummingbird House received a tree from the Comox Valley Newcomers鈥� Club. Orca House received a tree from the Courtenay Little Theatre. Theatre staff made decorations - paper chains and ornaments - with the residents. Otter House received a tree from Architype Millwork & Cabinets. Raven House received a tree from Providence Living at The Views staff member Carly Foster who also took on the decorating. Seal House received their tree from the board of Comox Valley Raiders Youth Football Club Junior Bantam Team. The tree was decorated with homemade football ornaments with the residents adding their own Seal House-themed baubles and Wolf House received their tree from the Island Health Home Care Services community support workers. A team of three brought treats and coffee to residents and visited with them after they decorated together.
On Dec. 23, a Santa sleigh full of holiday festivities and decorations was unloaded onto Providence Living at The Views鈥� primary gathering place, Main Street, which already boasts an in-house grocery store, hair salon, bistro, medical office, art studio, multipurpose room, wellness centre, and community hall. Fun holiday activities were lined up for residents who each received a passport, giving them access to everything from a hot chocolate bar, Christmas photo booth, musical entertainment, and games.
The warm and home-like way residents at Providence Living at The Views are enjoying the holidays is due in part to the newly developed H4U care model, which has been fully implemented since the long-term care home opened last summer. Incorporating best practices from around the world, this made-in-BC care model was jointly created by Providence Living (PL) and Providence Health Care (PHC). Sensitively designed to meet the needs of seniors in long-term care, H4U emphasizes that emotional connections matter most, home is not a place, but a feeling, and that residents direct each moment.
