

Dear family members and friends of Andrews of Parkhill,
We had a lovely January at our home
Our residents took part in games, music and got to try virtual reality goggles courtesy of Lobster P E I
This month we will celebrate Islander Day, Valentine’s Day, do manicures, play games, and fit in some relaxing movie time It’s going to great a month!
I hope you all have a wonderful February, a fun Valentine’s Day and a happy and safe Islander Day!
Sincerely,
Natacha Landry
E L E B R A T I N G 2 5 Y E
Andrews of Summerside celebrated 25 years of caring for Islanders on January 17. The home initially opened in January 2000. Residents, current and former staff as well as former residents’ families were invited to take part in the festivities. It was a wonderful afternoon.
Resident at Andrews of Stratford had fun playing games with Grade 6 students from Stratford Elementary. Students spent their morning playing cards, Jenga, checkers and even learning crib! Intergenerational experiences like this are so important and are a great way to connect with the community!
Andrews of Stratford resident Sarah MacQuarrie started painting after she had her first child and kept it up for most of her adult life.
“I found great treasures in it,” she said.
Now retired, Sarah doesn’t paint like she used to but instead finds creative release in art classes led by activity director Sharon Woods-Bryenton
“It gives me something to do,” Sarah said “I continue painting, in a sense, but I like to see little things come alive ”
Sarah is far from the only resident who feels this way Residents at all our Andrews and ProTem Memory Care homes find comfort, purpose and belonging in the art therapy classes provided
“Doing something creative can help boost mental health by stimulating different parts of the brain and provide a sense of accomplishment and improve self-esteem,” said Annelize Malan, activity director at Andrews of Summerside
Annelize organizes multiple art and craft projects a month and tries to mix up different mediums to keep residents interested
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“Arts and crafts are not just painting a picture, but can be anything from knitting, sewing, painting to coloring,” she said. Most recently, residents worked on creating snowflakes using Q-tips and glue.
Andrews of Summerside resident Adele Gardiner was a professional quilter who ran a successful business selling quilts around the world She’s now a regular at art classes, always willing to try something new or challenge her skills
“I’ve done crafts all my life and I’m always looking for new ideas,” she said
Adele added, the social aspect of art classes is another positive
“I enjoy getting together with all these people,” she said
For Beulah Waite, who also lives at Andrews of Summerside, the classes are a great form of mental stimulation “You got to keep your mind working,” she said
The benefits for people living with dementia can be even more profound A report published in December in Scientific American showed working on an art project can lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, improve cognition, sleep and mood
“There’s definitely a relaxation component,” said Adrienne Lacroix, activity director at our dementia care homes in Moncton “The after-effects are very beneficial ”
In addition to improvement in mood and overall sense of well-being, the art classes also provide a sense of accomplishment “They feel so proud,” Adrienne said “Just seeing that sense of pride is fantastic ”
Adrienne’s program focuses on learning about an artist first, then showing a documentary on the artwork and then providing an opportunity for the residents to express themselves. She plays classical or relaxing music and emphasizes the creative journey over the end result.
“We have residents who have their masters in art or were artists themselves,” she said. “But even residents who have no art background thoroughly enjoy it.”
Art and craft classes are a part of regular activity programming at all our P.E.I. senior care homes as well as our dementia care homes in Moncton. To see more about what each home has planned this month visit www.andrewsseniorcare.com or www.protem.ca.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we asked resident couples as well as residents and their spouses, what they appreciate most about each other. Here’s what they had to say:
Ron Burnell & Jean Proffitt - Andrews of Parkhill
“She’s very lovey-dovey.” – Ron “He has a caring personality. Good looks.” – Jean
& Mary
“What I appreciate most is all the years we spent together. Her smile, her looks of course, just everything about her.” – Bert
Roger & Lorraine Arsenault (Married 64 years) - Andrews of Summerside
“Sixty-four years and I don’t think we went to bed one night where we
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A L E N T I N E C O U P L E S
Clyde and Jeanette Pirkey (Married 61 years)Andrews of Stratford “She puts up with me.” - Clyde “How much he loved and supported me in our move to Andrews. I wouldn’t have done it without him.” - Jeanette
Sheldon and Ruth MacNevin (Married 67 years) – Andrews of Park West “She was the perfect wife as far as I’m concerned. No matter what I tried, she was always there.” – Sheldon “He was kind enough to hang on to me.” - Ruth
Sudoku
The object of the puzzle is to fill the remaining squares, using all the numbers 1–9 exactly once in each row, column, and the nine 3 × 3 subgrids
Weekly 50/50 draw in support of support not for profit groups including Murphy's Pharmacies Community Centre and the Holland College Athletics Department Anyone can play for just $2/week
Every month our team and residents recognize one team member for showing exceptional care
PAYNTER : PARKHILL JOINED IN 2021
Paula was recognized for going above and beyond.
Our Above and Beyond winner for January is Paula Paynter
Paula is energetic, caring and positive She’s friendly and personable with the residents, always going the extra mile We are thankful she’s part of our team.
Paula has been cooking with Andrews of Parkhill since 2021 Prior to joining our team, she worked for 19-and-a-half years as a general manager at Tim Hortons in Summerside, P E I
Paula said the best part of her day is being around people “I like working with people,” she said.
Outside of work Paula enjoys walking and spending time with her partner of 13 years and her son
Take a look at some of our activities planned for this month!