When Teresa visits her mom at The Village in Langley, she rarely finds her in her room.
“She’s often out for a walk or chatting with friends in the living room,” Teresa says.
Teresa’s mom has dementia, so it’s impressive that she’s able to maintain that level of independence, but The Village is well equipped to support her. Inspired by similar communities in the Netherlands and the U.S., it offers cottage-style living on five acres of secure grounds.
“She really does appreciate all the landscaping and walking paths. Residents are welcome to plant in the garden, but at this stage of her life my mum is happy to get outside and appreciate the landscaping other people are doing.”
Support to continue living a purposeful and meaningful life
Until 2019, both of Teresa’s parents lived together in an Independent Living community. Teresa’s dad had physical limitations due to Parkinson’s Disease, but cognitively he was very capable.
“Between the two of them they could make it work, but my dad did have 24-hour care coming into the Independent Living community before he passed away,” Teresa says.
Teresa’s mom was able to continue living independently for about a year, but after an accident with a cyclist her care became more complicated. She’d been prescribed pain medication to take as-needed, and remembering it was available (and when she’d last taken it) was challenging. Pharmacies can support people with memory challenges by providing medication dispensers and reminders, but Teresa’s mother’s needed more direct assistance.
“We used all sorts of strategies to give her the support she needed, but this was a new challenge,” says Teresa, who works professionally as a nurse. “Sometimes you’re at a ‘y’ in the road, and if you do nothing, things could get a lot worse. Or you can take the other path and put in supports to continue living well.”
Now in Assisted Living at The Village, Teresa’s mom gets the support she needs so she can continue living a purposeful and meaningful life. She connects with other residents at meals and during the many enriching activities, or relaxes in her private room with her cat. Care staff are eager to follow the lead of residents when it comes to building community, whether that’s enjoying a glass of wine in the kitchen, or bringing in horses and other animals for a resident who used to live on a ranch.
“Whenever you move it can be hard to connect with a new community. But The Village has a really great community of caregivers.”
Let’s Talk! Free seminar for caregivers
Verve Senior Living and The Village is hosting a free seminar on Thursday, Aug. 18 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dementia Consultant, educator and author Karen Tyrell, CPCA, CDCP will be sharing her knowledge in a presentation called Caregiver Survival Tips and Caring for You.
Reserve your seat by calling 604-427-3755! The event takes place at The Village, 3920 198th St., Langley.
Learn more about inspired senior living at verveseniorliving.com/the-village.