While we may be fatigued about COVID-19 and its constant presence in the news, there continues to be an influx of research and data that can make us wonder how this will all conclude. With the Delta variant on the rise and the fourth wave of Covid-19 underway in Canada, this is not the time to let our guard down. Let’s continue to stay healthy and follow the public health indicators.
The health and safety of our residents and staff is still our top priority, so our sanitation and PPE requirements for staff and visitors will continue. Take as much time as you need to adjust, and reach out to friends, family, or even to us for help and support if you are feeling overwhelmed or unsure of things. There are great people just a phone call away.
Take care and be safe. We are getting through this together!
Farid Damji | Co-Founder & Principal
Optima Living
www.optimaliving.ca
Wellness Moments Series
It's important to take time out of every day to focus on wellness. Let Optima Living help!
Have a look at our Wellness Moments series. In our first instalments, we cover support networks and how important they are to seniors and those who love them. In the video above, we discuss what role support networks play in key life points.
Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more great resources.
Aster Gardens' Suites Are Filling Fast
The beautiful community of Aster Gardens has been open for just over four months and suites are filling up quickly.
Book your COVID-safe personal tour by calling Linda at 780.902.7837. You also visit astergardens.ca/tours to take virtual tours of floors and suites!
Meet Wisteria Place's New Chef
Meet Mike!
A big Wisteria Place welcome goes out to Chef Mike. He has been trained on all the new equipment and he will be breaking into the new kitchen. In preparation for new residents, Chef Mike will be trying out his menu creations with the staff.
He brings a wealth of experience in cooking to Wisteria Place, including a focus on using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients where possible.
Chef Mike says, "I am ready to undertake a new challenge at Wisteria Place to provide your daily nutrition. I am honored to “welcome you home” soon into your home and for you to experience my creativity through your indulgence in food."
Wisteria Place Opens September 1st
Last month, Wisteria Place hosted local dignitaries in preparation for our grand opening on September 1st. The guests included Kenny Chiu, MP, Ms. Kelly Greene, MLA Richmond-Steveston, and Grant Ikuta, Minister at Steveston Buddhist Temple.
The development of the suites are mainly complete, the Peace Garden is being finalized, and eye-catching art has been installed in the lobby area. We are looking forward to welcoming residents to their new home at Wisteria Place very soon!
Sagebrush Gardens
The garden is in full bloom over here at Sagebrush - lots of peas, beans, lettuce, potatoes, herbs, and more! The kitchen has already used their fresh leaf lettuce a few times in salads, as well as some of the herbs and onions for other meals.
Norman Manor Windowbox Flowers
The Norman Manor team got together in June and planted flowers in all the residents' window boxes for them to enjoy. The residents were so happy to enjoy beautiful, flower-filled views from their windows.
It was a great team effort, with the assistance of Wilma Wahl from Chilliwack Lifestyles, to make the residents feel at home!
Hawthorne Stampede Celebrations
Last month we celebrated Stampede Week at our Hawthorne community in Cochrane! We had a petting zoo and Stampede-themed party on July 15th and all of our residents had a wonderful time.
Webinar: Building Support Networks In Challenging Times
This month, we offered a webinar on building support networks during challenging times, featuring Optima Living Principle Ali Shivji, our University of Alberta knowledge partner Dr. Adrian Wagg, and from the University of Alberta's Department of Family Medicine, Dr. Jasneet Parmar.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see it or click the video above!
Sweetgrass Gratitude Journals
During Covid, mental health has become a pertinent theme within our lives. So on August 5th, the Sweetgrass community participated in #Steps2MentalWellness, a program that ran from August 8-25. Residents that attended the activities expressed their thanks by naming three things they are grateful for and completing gratitude journals.
Resident Profile: Dave Gibson, Wild Rose
Dave Gibson was born in Hardisty, Alberta in 1930 and is the youngest of three children. Dave is an avid traveler, having visited all of the continents. He especially enjoyed friendly New Zealand!
Dave owned a TV store for 27 years and was the landlord for the famous Tiki Tiki lounge in Edmonton, even starring in one of their nationwide commercials. He loves music, downhill skiing, and plays the four-string banjo and the ukulele (pictured above). The black and white photo above shows him with his best friend and best man during a charity event at Klondike Days.
Dave has a daughter, Jennifer, with his ex-wife Linda, with whom he still has a close friendship. Dave is one of our residents at Wild Rose in Edmonton, Alberta.
Baby Shower Fun at Riverside Manor
Riverside Manor in Hope, B.C. held a baby shower for Clinical Lead, Danielle Westwick. It was their first party since the beginning of COVID-19 and everyone had fun!