DAYS OF CARING
(STORIES ON PAGE 3)
SILVERA’S ANNUAL RESIDENT EVENT
(STORY ON PAGE 2)
SILVERA TIMES Silvera’s Community Newsletter - Fall 2015
QUESTION PERIOD In Question Period, we answer questions from our residents. Why does Silvera make changes in community management?
We support and encourage our employees to work across our communities, helping to build best practices in Service and strong, cohesive staff teams. Silvera is proud to offer career development for all employees.
Ellie Bromley, Community Resident Manager at Westview Community will now manage Confederation Park, Valleyview and Shouldice Communities.
Shouldn’t there always be an employee available at Reception to help me call a cab?
There are many ways that Silvera supports and acknowledges your independence as an adult. Our Reception staff provides information to residents and visitors, supports the administration needs of the community and responds to emergencies throughout the building. Calling a cab is one way you can maintain your independence and respect the work of the receptionist.
Is it part of Housekeeping Services’ duties to do my laundry? Our Housekeeping Services employees are not able to launder your personal items, including your bed pad. If you are finding your personal laundry is becoming harder for you to handle, our Community Resource Coordinators can meet with you to explore other options, including a referral to Home Care.
If I am allergic to or can’t eat certain foods, can Dining Services prepare a special meal for me?
We respect that you can manage your own dietary requirements and adjust your meal choices accordingly from the choices available within our existing menu and the salad bar. The Dining Services team can work with you through a Managed Risk Agreement, an educational tool to assist you and employees in managing dietary expectations.
Kathy Eyre, Community Resident Manager at Willow Park on the Bow and Shouldice Communities, moves to Westview Community.
Vicki Minard, Community Resident Assistant Manager at Confederation Park Community, moves to Westview Community.
Can Maintenance help me fix my TV/cable?
If you have any issues with cable, our Maintenance staff can help. If your TV is broken, you need to arrange to have it fixed as Silvera does not own the TVs.
ASK US!
Angela Scholefield, Community Resident Assistant Manager at Westview Community, moves to Confederation Park Community.
Silvera Times is happy to receive your questions. Use the Comment Cards in your community or send an email to: contact@silvera.ca (attention: Silvera Times) silvera.ca | 403.276.5541
TORNADO SCARE PUTS SILVERA’S EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TO THE TEST Dark skies and an ominous funnel cloud forming southwest of Calgary this past summer prompted Silvera residents and employees to seek shelter from the storm. In the afternoon of July 22, Silvera’s Emergency Response Plan went into action when a tornado warning went out for Calgary. “We had a good view of the sky from the administration office [on Macleod Trail], and our emergency plan helped us stay ahead of the storm,” says Health, Safety & Disability Advisor Jeremy Wood. While all of Silvera’s Supportive Living communities were on
alert, in Shawnessy, Beaverdam and Valleyview Communities and at Silvera’s Administration Office, residents and staff actively sheltered in place. The storm passed through Calgary without leaving any injuries or damage to Silvera’s buildings. Fortunately, the funnel cloud never actually touched ground within Calgary and thus was not an official tornado.
RAISING PROFILE Silvera supporter receives Calgary Award
Silvera is distributing checklists from the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) to our Independent Living residents this year as a guide to help them compile a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit. Here is the list at a quick glance. • • • • • • •
Bottled water Food Medication First aid kit Wind-up flashlight and radio External battery pack or wind-up cellphone charger Dust masks and duct tape
• • • • •
Whistle Personal sanitation items Warm clothes and blankets or sleeping bags Important documents Cash in small bills and coins
GOING TO NEWSPRINT Silvera Times is using a more cost-effective paper. That is something that is important to you and us. Thanks for the feedback.
• Entertainment
Do you know what to do in an emergency?
SILVERA’S ANNUAL RESIDENT EVENT 2015
Thanks to Silvera for Seniors, David Parker, business columnist with the Calgary Herald, recently received a 2014 City of Calgary Community Achievement Award for his contribution to promoting business and community relationships in Calgary. Parker has been a great advocate for our work, and Silvera nominated him for the award to recognize his work spreading awareness about and covering the work of Calgary non-profit organizations, including Silvera, in his business column.
GETTING READY FOR FLU SEASON In July, Sandstone Pharmacy representatives visited Silvera’s Supportive Living communities to gather data on residents’ height and weight in an effort to prepare for this year’s flu season.
Thanks, Sam! 300 residents from across Silvera’s communities enjoyed time together recently thanks to the generosity of Calgary philanthropist Sam Switzer. For the fourth consecutive year, Sam sponsored the Annual Resident Event.
Having this information on hand makes it quicker to give the correct dose of Tamiflu in case of a flu outbreak. It is also safer to do the assessment while everyone is healthy instead of during an outbreak. If you missed the Flu Prevention Clinic and you want to submit your information, please see the Sandstone pharmacist at your community.
At the event, residents are treated to a great meal and entertainment at no cost to them or Silvera. 2 silvera.ca | If you know someone who needs a Silvera home, please contact us at 403.276.5541
SILVERA’S GOT TALENT: RON CREE
DAYS OF CARING Silvera is grateful to the many organizations in our community that donate time and materials to our communities, saving us thousands of dollars and making your homes shine. Thank you for welcoming these volunteers in your community!
On June 4 a group of Repsol volunteers got busy giving the exterior of Bow Valley Community a major facelift and a good clean.
Not everyone can boast having their own fleet, but at Shawnessy Community, residents and visitors are able to admire a flotilla of intricate model ships that add a real maritime flair. The man behind the model ships is resident Ron Cree. At age 15 in the UK, Ron Cree joined the Sea Cadets and later the Royal Navy. He was encouraged by his father to read the history of the sea and the Vikings, who initiated much of what we know today regarding life at sea. He used that knowledge and his love of art to produce beautiful
models later in life when he moved to Shawnessy. “I had cancer of the liver and I thought, well, I’m not going to die and leave nothing behind, so I started building ships,” says Cree, 83. Each model is made from scratch and takes around two-and-a-half months to complete. Cree has produced five so far.
This story was submitted by resident reporter Eunice Gomke. If you are interested in contributing to Silvera Times with stories from your community, join our resident reporter group! Contact Communications Coordinator Katrine Sorensen at 403.567.5324.
SPOTLIGHT ON ADRIENNE KEHLER After working 22 years as a stylist, Adrienne Kehler has finally found what she describes as a “perfect job” running the hair salons in Silvera’s nine Supportive Living communities. “I feel like family,” Kehler says. “For me it’s not like coming to work, it’s coming to my second home.” Since Kehler’s company, Hairssentials, took over hair salon services on Jan. 1, 2014, she has worked to standardize the salons and make them a part of Silvera’s communities. To Kehler, truly being part of the community also means giving back. That’s why all the salons now have loyalty cards, where clients get $15 off a service or product after their 10th visit. Making her clients look and feel great as naturally as possible has been another priority for Kehler, who has introduced a new line of products with fewer chemicals into her salons.
Forty employees from Pembina volunteered their time for a day of landscaping, painting and cleaning at our Bridgeland communities on June 23.
VOLUNTEERING TO WIN As part of Jeux du Commerce (JDC) West 2016, a business student competition in Western Canada, students from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business partnered with Silvera and other Calgary charities to make a difference in their community. Throughout the summer, the students volunteered their time, gardening and painting in six Silvera communities. For the students, it has been an eye-opening experience to spend time with Silvera’s residents. “It’s humbling,” says Haley Pasay, one of the student volunteers.
Adrienne Kehler in Spruce Community’s hair salon Instead, natural ingredients like tea tree oil, birch bark and rosemary gently help with common scalp ailments and give a confidence boost, without risking any harmful side effects. “Hair is one of those things, from the day you’re born to the day you die, you either like your hair or you don’t,” Kehler says. “It’s a huge part of our self-esteem and how you feel.” Silvera’s hair salons are also open to Independent Living residents, residents’ family members and Silvera employees. If you are an Independent Living resident and wish to schedule an appointment, call Adrienne Kehler at 403.875.8790.
Business students are lending a helping hand with gardening at Gilchrist Manor Community.
Willow Park on the Bow residents Susanne Buhler, John Hamilton, Darlene Moir and Bridget Given have restored Willow Park’s garden to its former beauty after this summer’s hail storms. The gardeners would also like to recognize fellow gardener Henny Pedersen for her contribution to the garden. silvera.ca | 403.276.5541 3
GILCHRIST PHASE 1 – DOORS OPEN JANUARY 2016
For more information, contact Independent Living Community Management or the Administrative Team.
SILVERA’S FEDERAL ELECTION CONNECTION CAMPAIGN Seniors are Canada’s fastestgrowing demographic. During the 2015 federal election campaign, Silvera is inviting all candidates to connect with residents in our communities in the weeks leading up to Election Day on Oct. 19.
FEDERAL ELECTION
CONNECTION 2015
Be sure to let candidates know your concerns with respect to housing, health and quality of life, and remember to vote!
POWER OF ATTORNEY 101 What is it?
How do I make one?
A Power of Attorney is a document that gives someone else the right, while you’re still alive, to act on your behalf with respect to your financial affairs. This can include paying bills, depositing and investing money on your behalf, and selling your house.
In Alberta, a Power of Attorney must be in writing and must be dated and signed by both the donor and a witness, in the presence of each other. You do not need to use a lawyer, but you may wish to do so, especially if your affairs are complicated.
Why should I get one?
Our Community Resource Coordinators (CRCs) can help connect you to legal resources that can advise you on making a Power of Attorney. Call 403.390.3988.
By preparing a Power of Attorney, you can ensure your property is managed by someone who knows you and what you want, someone you trust to act in your best interests, when you can’t make decisions for yourself, e.g. in case of an accident or an illness like dementia.
MEETING WITH THE MINISTER
Silvera CEO, Arlene Adamson, Alberta’s new Minister of Seniors, Sarah Hoffman, and Silvera Board Vice-Chair, Kelly Ogle, met this July to discuss how Silvera and the Province can work together on addressing the housing needs for seniors.
Adapted from Making a Power of Attorney by Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta
SILVERA’S VALUES OUR PURPOSE To give seniors the respect they deserve and make it great to be a senior. OUR VISION Silvera will be the leading advocate and caring provider of affordable homes and services for seniors to live in place with dignity.
Editor: Silvana Saccomani
OUR VALUES Service: Supporting residents’ wellbeing and quality of life. Respect: Honouring each other. Teamwork: Working proudly to become better together. Safety: Committing to the safety of our residents and colleagues. Creating Homes… By helping residents feel welcomed and connected. Making a Difference… In a caring way.
#804, 7015 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary, AB T2H 2K6 (t) 403.276.5541 • (f) 403.276.9152 contact@silvera.ca • www.silvera.ca
4 silvera.ca | If you know someone who needs a Silvera home, please contact us at 403.276.5541