Carleton Place Manor dedicated to providing outstanding atmosphere and care for residents
By JEFF MAGUIRE
There is a snowman in the yard and with Christmas just around the corner the stockings have been hung by the fireplace with care. This week the Christmas tree goes up. Does this sound like a typical Carleton Place home in December to you? Well, you are close to right!
Carleton Place Manor is definitely a home and from all accounts a very popular one. But with 106 current residents and 63 dedicated and hard working staff, it can’t be classified as typical. Imagine you are on a permanent holiday – a never ending cruise if you prefer. In exchange for a monthly fee, residents of the popular seniors’ residence on Arthur Street have their every need looked after. Just as you do when you’re on vacation!
Their suites (most are more like apartments) are cleaned, their laundry is done, all of their meals are provided and if they are unwell the nursing staff (there are 20 at the manor) are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a high level of individual care. “Their (residents) only concern when they get up in the morning is – what am I going to do today,” Life at Carleton Place Manor is anything but boring! There is a full range of activities, entertainment, special meals and events year-round.
The month of December, in particular, features a constant round of entertainment and dinners related to the holiday season. And residents don’t have to be concerned about the winter weather, because everything happens within the four walls. But just as it is in the community in general, events and activities are entirely optional. Residents can take part in as much or as little as they choose. Whenever they wish they can retire to the comfort and privacy of their suites, secure in the knowledge staff will regularly check on their well being.
Mail is delivered to each unit, family and friends come and go and if they are able residents spend part of each day in the town in general, just as they would if they were living on their own. Carleton Place Manor is a community within a community!
Last week Rochman and marketing director Liz Taylor spoke to the Record News EMC at length about the ongoing success story that is Carleton Place Manor. They also took the newspaper on a tour of the building that reveals why it is such a popular destination for retirees or senior citizens who require varying levels of care.
Rochman is thrilled with the success of the residence which first opened its doors eight years ago in what, believe it or not, was originally a hardware store. Two years later the current owners, Kingsway Arms, took charge. Based in the Toronto suburb of Vaughan, the firm operates 12 seniors’ residence across the country. Most are in Ontario, although Kingsway also has residences in Quebec and British Columbia.
Quality care
As Shelley Johnson, the director of care at the manor says, the company’s first and only commitment is to its clients, the residents themselves. “We are committed to delivering quality care,” says Johnson whose personal passion for the job is evident. Johnson comes from a long-term care background and although she has only been at Carleton Place Manor for three months she is already completely sold on the facility. “I really enjoy working with the residents,” she says. “They are such great people. “When I go home I know I have accomplished something,” she says proudly. “She sings too,” chimes Office Manager Tracy Latreille. “It’s true – I do sing,” Johnson laughs.
She says her singing ability comes in handy at the manor where staff and residents interact on a daily basis, sharing in the many special events and activities the residence is famous for.
Rochman says one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing how well residents do after moving into the manor. “Many have lived alone. They are (often) depressed, or coping with other (physical) health problems.
“When they come here they thrive due to the socialization,” the executive director underlines.
She cites examples of individual residents who came into Carleton Place Manor full of trepidation about what they felt would be a lifestyle change they couldn’t cope with. “They’re only here a short time and suddenly they are active, involved and enjoying life.”
Her biggest concern is that many seniors “wait too long before coming in.” Rochman says that can mean “a shorter stay” followed by a possible move to a long-term care facility. Former Carleton Place mayor Melba Barker is the head of the residents’ council at Carleton Place Manor. She says that although she and her late husband Alan were saddened to leave their own home in Carleton Place, circumstances dictated the move. “We both came here from the hospital. We had been sick at the same time. “We realized that we had to make a decision (about the future). We made the decision together,” she explains, saying that helped them make what, at first, was a painful transition. They went through the usual problems associated with downsizing and having to part with some treasured possessions they were unable to accommodate in their new, smaller surroundings.
However, they adapted to the change and enjoyed interacting with other residents, many of whom they already knew. Mr. Barker, the founder of Alan R. Barker Funeral Home, was a World War II veteran and highly respected businessman. His wife went into municipal politics, rising to the top job in the community – the mayor’s chair. Mr. Barker died in 2005. Since then Mrs. Barker has become immersed in the residents’ council which meets to discuss various issues and liaises with staff on behalf of all the occupants of Carleton Place Manor. She is high in her praise of the residence.
Above and beyond
“If someone asks what I appreciate most – the food, the housekeeping, the care – I tell them that it all boils down to the staff,” she emphasizes. She says staff members at the manor do an excellent job, going above and beyond the call of duty. Rochman agrees saying, “It takes a special person to work with seniors. It (attitude) has to come from the heart.” As for the council the director says, “It gives residents a voice.”
Despite dealing with a number of issues and concerns during her tenure on the residents’ council, Mrs. Barker says it is “a much better job” than being mayor of the town. “It’s much easier here than trying to keep taxes down,” she chuckles.
Rochman and Taylor feel the atmosphere in the manor is its main selling point.
“There is an ambience here,” Rochman states. There is a warm, homey atmosphere highlighted by the beautiful fireplace, lots of comfortable chairs and an organ on one side of the expansive front lobby area. Hazel Wylie, who has lived at the manor since it opened, sat down to play the organ last Wednesday, as resident Raymond Labonte listened.
There are activities at the residence every day except Sunday, including exercise classes. There is bingo, a regular ‘Happy Hour’ (complete with favorite libations) and birthday parties are another regular feature. Summer-time events garden parties and outdoor barbecues.
This time of year there is a list of residents vying to play pool. The library and tuck shop are favourite stopping places and the first floor library comes complete with a modern computer connected to the world-wide web.
There is also a second storey catwalk, connecting the two main resident wings of the manor, which is a favourite quiet place. There are lounge chairs and a fireplace. The monthly events calendar lists regular church services including Catholic, United, Anglican and Free Methodist. Their van carries residents to outside activities including lunch at local restaurants or perhaps swimming at the Carleton Place pool. On Dec. 13 and 20 Christmas Light Tours of Carleton Place are planned. The manor has its own monthly, in-house publication ‘Manor of Speaking’ which carries announcements and lists all of the activities and events.
Meals are a special occasion at Carleton Place Manor. Breakfasts are varied and there are two separate and distinct choices for every lunch and dinner. Residents can make their daily selections from a list left at their table in the dining room the day before.
Taylor stresses the food is very healthy and Rochman notes if people don’t like either of the meal choices, staff will go to great lengths to make sure they’re satisfied. “There is always chicken available, or we will even do scrambled eggs if that’s what someone wants. We always meet the commitment,” the director notes. She says the manor is very much “a meat and potatoes place”, because that is what residents want. Meals are “all made from scratch” and the menu is set up on a four-week cycle. Rochman rolls her eyes when she says “the desserts here are fabulous”. “It’s hard to lose weight,” she laughs.
Meetings are held once a month during which residents can voice any concerns they might have about the food. Dietary supervisor Peter Kosmas heads a kitchen staff of 21. He works closely with the resident’s to achieve their dietary needs, based on individual health issues.
Holidays busy
As mentioned, Christmas and New Year’s is a seemingly endless string of special events with traditional seasonal food playing a prominent part. The residence managers will host a dinner during which they serve the food and this week (Dec. 3) the annual Christmas residents, family and friends dinner was scheduled, complete with cocktail hour. Each resident can invite up to four guests. The band 4X3+1 will entertain.
Special events are also planned for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s. Santa and the Elves will visit and there will be more live entertainment. Cliff and Betty O’Keefe are among several happy residents who spoke to the EMC. They moved to Carleton Place Manor 15 months ago. The couple had lived in several Ontario centres including Burlington and nearby Clayton in Mississippi Mills. But they chose to live closer to one of their three daughters Helen Patterson, who along with her husband Gerry, are long-time Carleton Place residents.
Mrs. O’Keefe, a war bride from Scotland (she met her husband while he served overseas during World War II) can’t say enough about the manor. “We love it here,” she says, flashing a wide smile.
The O’Keefe’s live in a double unit complete with a kitchenette and gas fireplace. “It’s really just like an apartment,” she observes. There are a total of 114 units. A number have been doubled up and there is even one triple unit that features 980 square feet of living space. Units on the upper floors feature balconies.
Mrs. O’Keefe says she and her husband love to go out and sit in the courtyard during the spring and
summer. There is a screen door leading from their unit and an outside thermometer tells them the temperature year-round. The O’Keefe’s particularly love the English gardens which are carefully tended – and guarded – by a gentleman (a resident) who hails from, very appropriately, England.
The couple particularly enjoys the social aspect of life at Carleton Place Manor. She says they have made “many friends” in just over a year.
“I talk to everyone. If they don’t talk I think maybe they are deaf,” Mrs. O’Keefe says emphatically.
The O’Keefe’s also like the pet friendly atmosphere and during our visit she fawned over Scooby, Rochman’s small dog who accompanies her everywhere and is a popular fixture at the manor. Mrs. Barker also has a pet cat, called Timmy, and marketing director Taylor says that although there’s a size limit pets are welcome and are “an extremely important psychological factor.” Therapy dogs, Angie a Golden Retriever and Cody, a Golden Labrador, also make regular visits to spend time with the residents.
Carleton Place Manor is “family friendly” and many visitors bring their pets as well which adds to the atmosphere.
In fact ads are printed in local newspapers inviting people from the community in general to visit the manor on certain days, mainly for special events. Of course the manor is all about individual care.
Some suites are currently reserved for hospital patients who are sent to Carleton Place Manor to convalesce after surgery including hip and knee replacements and coronary bypass operations. “We work closely with the hospitals, especially those in Ottawa,” Rochman observes. “We provide excellent care for the seniors who live here,” she stresses. As for the hospital patients, Rochman proudly notes that some end up staying permanently.
Taylor explains the cost to live at Carleton Place Manor isn’t a problem, especially once people consider the daily cost of living they would face elsewhere. “Liz provides people (prospective clients) with a break down of what it costs to live each day (outside). There is a multitude of expenses,” Rochman states. “We consolidate all of it into one price. People can actually save money by moving here.
“It’s a wonderful place to live,” Rochman concludes.
