When people reach an age where they no longer feel comfortable living alone, or when it becomes difficult to carry on with daily household or minor personal tasks, an assisted or supportive living facility can be an option.
This type of elder housing evolved to its present state during the 1990s and Carefree Manor in 100 Mile House, owned by Peter and Margaret Newman of Victoria, has been providing this service for seniors for a decade.
On Aug.13, Carefree Manor will be celebrating its milestone 10th anniversary in style, with a big birthday party and the public is invited to enjoy a piece of cake, a barbecue, giant garage sale, raffles, prizes and even some entertainment to top it all off.
It’s a big event, requiring many of the residents to pitch in, and Mel Torgerson, the facility’s general manager, thinks they’ve got plenty to be proud of.
The facility is home to approximately 35 residents, with 19 privately- funded units and 17 that are funded by Interior Health Authority.
It truly is a home for its large family of senior citizens who have the company of other people every day and enjoy the level of independence that is comfortable for them.
A staff of 17 includes licensed care aides and a registered nurse, who provides professional oversight, maintains round-the-clock assistance for residents.
People enjoy home-cooked meals that are prepared in the onsite kitchen and are personally taste-tested by Torgerson.
He’s not a chef, but he is trained as a care aide and worked in that field for a short while before coming on as general manager at Carefree. Previous to being a care aide, he spent 18 years on the police force on the Lower Mainland, leaving that job when he felt the need for a big change.
Meanwhile, a nutritionist/dietician makes sure the meals served at the facility are well balanced and that any special needs of their residents are met.
Torgerson says that often when seniors live alone, their eating habits can be poor, but after a few weeks of having meals prepared for them, a marked change in their condition is often noticed.
It’s not always easy for senior citizens to make the transition from their own home to a group facility, he adds.
“Sometimes there’s a little anxiety and sometimes they may feel that their family is trying to push them into a facility. Sometimes there is outright resistance, but after a period of time, people settle in.”
Often, family members are concerned about their elderly loved one’s nutrition, hygiene, the dangers of living alone and the possibility of depression as a result of the lack of socialization when they live alone.
“Once here, the families know they are being well taken care of and their social needs are being met. We make a concerted effort in making residents welcome and feel comfortable and see the positive changes come over them.”
He says some people are unsure about leaving their home of many years, their beloved pet or their belongings. Others, he adds, are ready to leave the hassles of running a household behind them.
Del and Mary Lutsiak have been married for 65 years, but this past June, they decided that at 86 years of age, assisted living was a wise option.
At one time, the couple lived in a house directly across the street from Carefree Manor, but most recently they were living in Fort Nelson. With no assisted living facilities there, they came home to share a one-bedroom unit that includes a separate living area.
It was difficult selling a lifetime’s worth of belongings, says Del, but assisted living gives them peace of mind.
“We know that somebody is here all the time. We’d been eating a lot of TV dinners up to that time and now we have home-cooked meals again.”
As with similar senior facilities, there is a long list of organized activities to keep residents as busy as they want to be.
Barb Wilson is the activity co-ordinator, but before that, she was a home care aide. She went back to university to become qualified for her current position and has been there since 2005.
“I love my job. The people here are so awesome and they’re like living history. I learn more from them than they do from me.”
She takes care of co-ordinating things, such as exercise sessions, the weekly bingo games, pub nights, and outings in the facility’s 10-seater van, which also has space for two wheelchairs.
“People don’t have to miss out on events,” Torgerson says, adding Wilson often organizes trips to local concerts and other community events, and occasionally, the van takes its passengers to the casino in Williams Lake or out to enjoy a picnic somewhere.
Many of the residents participate in an annual garage sale held at Carefree Manor each summer and it’s become one of the most anticipated days of the year.
On Aug. 13, at the 10-year celebration, most will be helping out somewhere, whether it’s working at the garage sale tables, selling home baking made by their family members, or flipping burgers on the barbecue.
“There’s lots of excitement with all of the people coming in. We hope to have a big crowd,” says Torgerson.
The party starts at 9 a.m. and goes until 3 p.m. and everyone in the community is welcome to drop by.
