Park West Informer

This year our Island homes will again be participating in the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimers on Saturday, May 25 as one Andrews team under the name the Andrews Rockstars. All funds raised by team members will be matched dollar for dollar by Andrews Senior Care. We have set a fundraising goal of $5,000 as we are looking to surpass our donations from last year.Together, with the Alzheimer Society of Canada, we can make a difference.

Click here to donate or to join our team. Our ProTem family will be participating as the ProTem Memory Keepers. Click here to support them.

THEATRE, ART AND MORE!

ABOVE & BEYOND

Check out this month's Above and Beyond winner | p 10

Check out our photos from Young at Heart’s performance, painting classes and exercise. | p 4-6

RESIDENT RECIPES

PET THERAPY

‘QUITE IMPRESSIVE’

Andrews of Stratford residents watched April eclipse | p. 9 ‘MY WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN’

This month we feature a decadent butter tart recipe from resident Evelyn Rafuse | p 4-5

Residents and families impacted by Alzheimer’s. | p 7-8

Spending time with animals proven to benefit seniors and people living with dementia | p 6-7

CELEBRATING AS A TEAM

I’m happy to announce we ’ ve earned the Accreditation Canada Primer designation This is a significant achievement on our journey toward full accreditation and one that you should all be proud of Without your hard work, dedication and commitment to improving the quality of care provided at our homes, this would not have been possible

Milestones like this are evidence of what we can accomplish when we work as a team Every person, from housekeeping to nursing, has a role to play in working toward the greater good It’s actually not surprising we did so well in our assessment Team work is how Andrews Senior Care has always functioned, which is why we will be celebrating as a team this month during Team Appreciation Week, May 6 to May 10

Previously, we would acknowledge Nurse’s Week or Administrative Professionals Day or Housekeepers Day separately. This was a fine arrangement, but it kept everyone siloed. With Team Appreciation Week, everyone is under the same banner, valued and appreciated for their collective efforts in making our residents’ lives better, happier and more fulfilled.

The week will be broken down in five days of activities, including a potluck, games and special treats. We will host a wrap-up event at Pony Boat Social Club on Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Remember, this week is not just about leadership expressing appreciation for the team. It’s also about team members letting each other know how much they appreciate each other For a team member struggling with stress from work or home, hearing the people they work with a daily basis appreciate them can mean more than anything I will ever say or do

With that, enjoy your week and have a wonderul month

Sincerely,

Mizan

CARE EXPERIENCE

TEAMWORK

M U S I C A L T H E A T R E

Young at Heart Musical Theatre for Seniors visited Andrews of Stratford, Summerside and Charlottetown last month. The group performed “The Rules and Regulations for Hanging Out The Wash,” a comedic play that follows two neighbours who bond over the shared experience of doing laundry.

G E T T I N G C R E A T I V E

Residents at Andrews of Stratford took part in a water-colour painting class recently. This month’s class had residents replicating a painting of birds. Programs like this allow residents of all skill levels to participate and express themselves creatively.

A C T I V E A T P R O T E M

We recently had a visit from Party Pets, who brought in a number of creatures for our residents to meet! Everyone, including our team members, enjoyed learning about the different animals and getting a chance to pet them. Thanks Party Pets for a wonderful afternoon!

‘My whole world upside down’

Residents and families impacted by Alzheimer’s

The day Bert Wilcox’s wife Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s his “whole world” was turned upside down

“I can’t describe it,” Bert said “It was sad ”

It was 2023 and Bert and Mary had been married more than 60 years The couple met in high school and had built their lives around each other Bert served in the Royal Canadian Air Force and Mary devoted her time to her community, volunteering with organizations like Brownies, The Lion’s Club and their church

In the months and weeks leading up to Mary’s diagnosis, her behavior changed She wasn’t cleaning or cooking the way she normally did Then she struggled to recognize people she’d known for years After a conversation with his daughter during one of her visits home from Halifax, Bert decided to have Mary assessed by a doctor

“She had three appointments (with a geriatric specialist) until it was decided she had Alzheimer’s and it was advanced,” Bert said.

In the aftermath of the diagnosis Bert worked hard to manage Mary’s care at home. As her condition deteriorated and she required more care, he brought in additional support.

“We brought in some day care, ” he said. “A couple hours a day on different days. Some respite time for me. But I’d go for an hour then I’d have to go back home. I felt I could do more by being home.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Bert Wilcox holds his wife Mary’s hand while during an afternoon visit at Andrews of Summerside. Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2023.

Eventually, she needed full-time care and moved into Andrews of Summerside Bert visits her twice a day, every day Despite the comfort of knowing Mary is well taken care of, Bert still struggles with the gravity of the situation

“(It feels like) the end,” Bert said “There’s no cure for this disease And you don’t know, it could be a year, it could be 10 years It’s the unknown ”

Bert’s experience is not unique Many families with loved ones living at Andrews Senior Care and ProTem Memory Care have faced similar challenges

“It’s a difficult road,” said Tanya Weatherbee, Memory Care Coordinator at ProTem Memory Care “We’ve seen first-hand the toll a diagnosis can have on a resident and their family ”

ProTem Memory Care will again this year be the top-tier sponsor of the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Moncton “We are proud supporters of the Alzheimer Society,” said Tanya “The work the Alzheimer Society does through support and education programs as well as research, is so valuable ”

In addition to sponsoring the walk, ProTem will also be entering a team under the name “The ProTem Memory Keepers ” The team will be fundraising throughout May and participating in the walk on Sunday, May 26

“This is a cause close to home for many of our residents and their families,” said Tanya “We want to show them we support them on every step of their journey ”

Likewise, Andrews Senior Care’s team “The Andrews Rockstars” will be participating in the P E I walk on Saturday, May 25 All funds raised by the team will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Andrews Senior Care

“Last year was amazing,” said Barb Pye, activity director at Andrews of Parkhill “We raised the most money I think we ’ ve ever raised Everyone was so generous. It was wonderful.”

In total, Andrews and ProTem donated $13,338 to the Alzheimer Society in 2023. This year, the teams are hoping to beat that record.

“Every year we try to do better,” said Barb. “We have greats teams at our homes and when we work together, we can do anything.”

To donate to The ProTem Memory Keepers click here. To donate to The Andrews Rockstars, click here.

Barb Pye, activity director at Andrews of Parkhill, laughs while chatting with residents during Parkhill’s in-home fundraising walk in 2023.

‘Quite impressive’

Andrews of Stratford residents watched April eclipse

Resident Clive Pirkey was sitting on the patio of Andrews of Stratford waiting for the eclipse when the sky darkened.

As the sun disappeared behind the moon, the temperature dropped. Streetlights buzzed on. Birds began to chirp. It looked and felt like twilight.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most Prince Edward Islanders, but not for Pirkey

Pirkey saw his first eclipse while living in the U S in the 1950s However, this one was more special as he was able to view it with his wife Jeanette by his side

“We didn’t see blackness like it was seen on TV, but long enough it was quite impressive,” Jeanette said “My two sisters went to the North River and they were so mystified ”

On April 8, the much-anticipated solar eclipse started its path in Mazatlán, Mexico, then moved across the U S It became visible in Canada in the afternoon

In P E I, people gathered on the west part of the Island to see it It reached its totality at 4:30 p m

In Stratford, the darkness lasted a few minutes, but for some residents like Jane Pearce, felt like it ended in the blink of an eye

“It seemed to happen too fast Though I knew it was going slow, I thought it was fast,” she said

Jane was one of the residents who watched the city getting dark from inside the home

For her, it was a new and nice experience, and now is glad she has a new story to share

“Now I’ll be able to say I saw an eclipse Overall it was a new experience, even though I didn’t fully understand it But I’m glad I was there, I really am, ” said Jane

For Pirkey, if the chance comes to see another eclipse, he wouldn’t hesitate

“It’s not something you ’ re going to wait 34 years in between to see, but what we saw, that’s not going to happen again for quite long,” he said

ABO BEY APRIL W

MAGGIE NAIR : P JOINED IN 2022

Maggie was recognized for going above and beyond

Our Above and Beyond winner for April is Maggie Nair

Maggie is a valued member of our team She’s an excellent caregiver, is kind and prioritizes exceptional people-centered care

Maggie started working as a caregiver at Andrews of Park West in 2022

For her, the most rewarding part of her job is the relationships she’s built with our residents

“It’s like another family,” she said “I feel like I am with my grandparents ” Maggie is currently studying to become and RCW

OUR OTHER HOMES

Aestos Balamut : Parkhill

Jing Lumanglas : Summerside

Charlene Gordon Roper : Charlottetown

Adrienne Lacroix : ProTem

GETTING TO KNOW. . .

NAVNEET SIDHU

Navneet has been an administrative assistant at Andrews of Charlottetown for approximately five months She’s an avid reader, enjoys cooking and loves exploring nature.

Pizza

C O F F E E O R T E A ? Tea.

My favourite movie is 3 Idiots. It suggests that success should be defined by one ' s personal goals and happiness. Don't let fear hold you back: The movie teaches us that we should not let fear hold us back from pursuing our dreams

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Life and legend of Bhagat Singh is my favourite book. The book depicts his life, his struggle and his determination brilliantly. The book not only represent the freedom fighter's struggle, but also his ideologies and his idea of a progressive nation and how he moved the entire nation W

I would like to have talent of painting

I admire openness to change, honesty, humility and loyalty in people

I would prefer to live in Canada Canada is full of incredible outdoor wonders and is famed for its natural beauty Canada has been frontrunner regarding some of the best job opportunities.

The motto of my life are weaknesses are just your few strengths unconquered Lead others, serve others and maintain integrity Be lovely, be loyal, and live enchantingly

Crystal Schriver has been a ProTem Memory Care team member for 11 years.

Pior to joining ProTem, she worked for a number of years as a cashier at Sobeys

Seeing her great uncle care for his wife and then later her father’s struggles with diabetes inspired her to go into healthcare

For her, the most rewarding aspect of the work is knowing residents are getting the care they need

“I know they’re cared for and loved,” she said

Likewise, building relationships with the residents and their families has been a personally satisfying perk of working in a small-home like ProTem

“You get close the residents that you have,” she said “Your coworkers too You get comfortable with all your coworkers “

She added, the leadership team has been supportive and collaborative over her 11 years

“They take (what you have to say) into account,” she said.

MARKING MILESTONES

Every month we will be highlighting team members who've reached significant milestones with us.

Karen Melanson has been an Andrews of Parkhill team member for 11 years

Prior to joining our team, she worked for a number of years as an office coordinator, managing everything from purchasing to day-today operations

After spending some time taking care of a woman with dementia, she decided to make a career change and became a caregiver

“This was my calling,” she said “Of all the jobs I did, this is my favourite It’s so rewarding when you do things for the residents, you make them smile and laugh It’s really a great job ”

She transitioned from caregiver to dietary aide approximately three years ago While the responsibilities differ from caregiving, the satisfaction she gets from her work is the same.

“One of the new residents that moved in, I was off work for a few days. When I came in, she said ’Karen, I haven’t seen you for quite a few days. I missed you, ’” Karen said. “That makes you feel really good. It’s pretty rewarding.”

Are You Feeling Stressed or Overwhelmed?

Take advantage of our Employee Assistance Program through Lifeworks This program is available 24/7 online or over the phone and services to help you with work, family, health, money, and life The following is information on how you can access the program:

Toll-free support line: 1-877-207-8833

TTY: 1-877-371-9978

Through their website login.lifeworks.com

Username: murphy

Password: eap

Are you, a friend or family member looking to buy or sell a property?

You could earn up to $250. Read below to learn how.

We are pleased to offer a new Referral Program between Provincial Realty and Andrews Senior Care The Referral Program will work as follows:

Each employee that retains a Provincial Realty real estate advisor, or refers a friend or family member who uses their service for selling or purchasing properties over $150,000 will receive a gift card as a token of our appreciation

For more information, please contact Provincial Realty at 902 892 2266 or email us directly office@provincialrealty ca

Jessica Gauthier Human Resources Advisor hr@andrewsseniorcare com 902-368-8520

If you have any questions for our HR team about benefits, ADP support, Immigration Program support or any other questions please contact me

Cash 50/50

DON'T MISS OUT ON THESE BENEFITS

Paid vacation time starting at 4% per year (Approximately 2 weeks)

Health and dental coverage, of which we cover 50% of the costs

A pension plan where we match your contributions of up to 4% of your salary annually

A fitness subsidy of up to $250 annually

Discounts with local companies, including pharmacies, home heating oil providers and restaurants