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April 21, 2006
It all began with a dream
The Louis Brier marks 60 years as a home for countless Jewish
seniors.
EVA COHEN
Sixty years ago, to have a home for the Jewish elderly was just
a dream in Vancouver.
The current building at 41st and Oak is, in itself, a celebration
of a dream come true for the Vancouver Jewish community.
"The vision of the people who built this place was a great
one," said Peter Kafka, CEO of the Louis Brier Home and Hospital.
"The residents are thrilled with the place and they really
drive what goes on here."
There are more than 280 residents on the Snider Campus for Jewish
Seniors, which includes the Louis Brier and the Harry and Jeanette
Weinberg Residence. The latter will be celebrating its third anniversary
in May. The success of the Weinberg is proof of how much the campus
has proven the need for assisted living, which is a relatively new
concept to British Columbia, said Kafka.
"There is a long-range planning committee here for 2010 and
beyond," said Kafka. "They determine the needs for seniors
in the community. It is an aging population and there are a lot
of needs."
Kafka said he hopes that the Vancouver Jewish population continues
to grow and that the city and the home can provide supportive housing
as needed.
Although the campus has a focus on Jewish culture, the Louis Brier
Home is not limited to Jewish residents. Unlike the Weinberg Residence,
which is private, the Louis Brier Home is within the British Columbia
public health system, so there are non-Jewish residents. The home
offers monthly interfaith services and a Christmas lunch.
"Eighty-five per cent of our residents are Jewish," said
Kafka. "We have values in Jewish culture and program our activities
around these values."
The home is completely kosher, with separate kitchens for meat and
milk and a mashgiach (kashrut supervisor) who is in every
day. The staff are taught about kashrut and every food delivery
is checked to make sure that all of the contents are strictly kosher.
"Very few of our line staff [in the kitchens] are Jewish but
they are very respectful," said executive leader of resident
support services Sharon Parker. "We do also have non-Jewish
staff applying specifically to the Louis Brier as opposed to other
homes, because they enjoy the culture and can speak Hebrew and Russian
to the residents."
Parker said that she sees the kosher aspect of the home as an advantage
over other homes. She said that it gives more variety to residents
– who are generally served homemade foods, as opposed to the
canned and frozen foods provided at other homes.
Similar menus are offered at the Weinberg Residence. There is a
smaller, separate kitchen in the Weinberg wing but the main meals
are made at the Louis Brier kitchens. Three meals are provided a
day for all residents, regardless of what level of care they are
in.
Another aspect that is unique to the Louis Brier over other seniors'
homes in British Columbia is that the home takes in residents from
around the world. The Louis Brier is the only Jewish seniors home
west of Winnipeg, so residents come from all over the Prairies and
from the northern United States. As well, residents are brought
into the home by children who have lived in Vancouver for a only
a short time. These residents come from such places as Eastern Canada,
Israel and South America.
With such a large range of Jewish backgrounds and faith, the Louis
Brier offers a comfortable atmosphere for everyone. There is a synagogue
in the Louis Brier that holds regular minyans and optional services
for any interested residents. Commandments such as "Honor thy
Mother and thy Father" are written on Hebrew-language signs
in the hallways, creating a unique living area for residents.
With its 60th anniversary fast approaching, the home has just completed
a national accreditation process. Every three years, residents,
staff, family and board members are interviewed to assess the home's
level of success. The Louis Brier was found to be above the national
average, said Kakfa.
"The summary showed that we are doing very well," said
Kafka. "Staff are very happy to be here and feel very supportive.
They gave very positive surveys."
As the Louis Brier looks to the future, the issue of limited space
is one that needs to be addressed. The waiting list for the Weinberg
Residence is two years and many of the current occupants have been
living in the residence since it was built.
"A typical stay in assisted living is two to three years and
the Weinberg Residence is showing that assisted living is working,"
said Weinberg leader Vanessa Trester. "Our next challenge is
getting more people in."
Eva Cohen is a freelance writer living in Ottawa.
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