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Nov. 4, 2005
Moving to Weinberg is easy
Staff help make new residents feel at home in apartment building.
KYLE BERGER
Like many other senior citizens, Olga Schwartz had to be convinced
by her children to make the move from independent living to assisted
living. But shifting her world from a private apartment to her new
life at the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Residence was much more
positive than she expected.
"I knew that I was getting old, but I never thought of coming
here," Schwartz said from her third-floor Weinberg apartment.
"I felt very independent. But my kids said, 'Look mom, you
can't stay alone,' and they were very logical about it.
"It was a wise move," she continued. "It wasn't very
difficult to move in and there is always something going on."
Vanessa Trester, leader of the Weinberg Residence, explained that
a lot of care is taken to ensure that new residents feel comfortable
before they even move in.
"The most important thing is meeting with the person before
they come and doing as many pre-tours as possible," she said.
"We give the resident as much information and help them plan
as much as possible before they move in, so that once they arrive,
it is more of an orientation within the residence.
"Families often have a lot of very basic questions, like what
movers to use or how the phone system works," she continued.
"The more information they have in advance, the more relaxed
they will all feel about the move."
The resident will meet with Trester, the nurses and a program co-ordinator
in order to set up the resident's daily schedule and ensure that
all of their needs are met. Residents can always meet with Trester
to discuss any adjustments that may be necessary.
"A new resident needs to be really supported for a good month
to six weeks," Trester said. "And from there, it never
stops."
Schwartz, who has been a Weinberg resident for a year and a half,
has enjoyed the social programming, yoga classes, food and various
other extra-curricular activities that are featured on a daily basis.
But she is most appreciative of the constant supervision and assistance
that she is offered by the staff.
One of Schwartz's most gratifying moments came after she accidentally
fell in her own bathroom at two o'clock in the morning. After pushing
the emergency button kept around her neck, she was attended to within
minutes.
"Then, a few minutes later, someone else appeared to check
my pulse," she said. "They take good care of me here."
The Weinberg Residence is a modern facility made up of apartments
for residents who benefit from an assisted living lifestyle and
private rooms for residents requiring multi-level care. It is located
next to the Louis Brier Home and Hospital on the Dr. Irving and
Phyliss Snider Campus for Jewish Seniors. More information can be
found online at www.louisbrier.com or by calling 604-261-6922.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
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