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A Lifetime
of Meaning
Our residents do not leave behind
their treasure of knowledge and experience, dreams and
aspirations when they come to live at Kirkhaven. As care
providers,
it is our duty to find the ways to adapt equipment, routines and the environment—whatever
it takes—to enable our elders to continue lifelong ambitions and pleasures. |
When most people think of “nursing home activities”,
they probably think of crafts and BINGO and the occasional
holiday party. But at Kirkhaven, we want to reach a little
deeper. After all, these are women who raised families and
ran households through WW II and men who worked their way
up from production lines to the corporate boards. These are
individuals of great experience with a lifetime of accomplishment.
That’s
why we try to incorporate our residents’ previous
life experiences into their daily activities—what
they choose and take pride in doing.
All the familiar
activities of daily living, like cooking, cleaning and
gardening, are packed with meaning and sensory stimulation.
Even those suffering from mid-to-advanced stage dementia
can perform many of the tasks they used to enjoy if we
adjust to their needs—just a little more assistance,
a little more prompting, and a little more environmental
adaptation.
After
all, when our elders lived at home, even if they had
retired long ago from the workplace, they still fulfilled
important roles. Grandmas looked after the kids, so Moms
could cook dinners. Grandpas tended gardens and kept
home appliances in good repair. They had responsibilities.
They were needed.
Being
productive isn’t about earning money; it’s
about being vital and useful. Everyone has
gifts to give. Our community is Kirkhaven, and we want
to empower our
residents
to be active, useful, productive members, so they can shine
forth with the abilities they’ve acquired over a
lifetime.
-Amanda D. Brown,
Executive Vice President and Administrator
| Kirkhaven is a |
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community. |
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