Summerside Tribune

UPDATE FROM SUMMERSIDE

Dear family members and friends of Andrews of Summerside,

We had such a fun month at our home We hosted Young at Heart theatre company, participated in Earth Day activities, did crafts and enjoyed the last Tim Horton’s coffee social of the winter

This month we will be celebrating Mother’s Day, Victoria Day, holding out first ice cream social of the season and fundraising for the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s

Wishing you all a great May and a very happy Mother’s Day

Sincerely, - Kim

Team member Laura MacArthur, an LPN, and resident Anna Doucette

a laugh while walking to lunch at Andrews of Summerside

KIM JAY, RN : DIRECTOR OF CARE

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 R T A N D A C T I V I T Y

Andrews of Charlottetown residents took part in exercise classes and painting sessions with activity director Heather Campbell. Both activities are important for residents’ wellbeing. Exercise helps with stability and promotes physical independence while art classes stimulate residents’ creativity.

‘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 7

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

ABOVE & BEYOND APRIL WINNER

Jing

Our Above and Beyond winner for April is Jing Lumanglas

Jing is a dedicated member of our dietary aide team She is always willing to help out where and when she’s needed, whether picking up extra shifts or donning an apron and handling the cooking We are fortunate to have her at Andrews of Summerside

Originally from the Philippines, Jing moved to Prince Edward Island after visiting on a tourist visa At the time, her sister, already an Island resident, convinced her to stay permanently She joined Andrews just over three years ago, a decision she’s glad she made I’m always happy,” she said of her time at Andrews The residents are very kind ” Outside of work, Jing keeps busy by going to the gym and practicing Zumba, a cardio-based fitness program based on dance

GAMES

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

Community Cash 50/50

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