Silvera times Winter 2017 by Silvera for Seniors

PREVENT FALLS. WALK LIKE A PENGUIN!

SILVERA TIMES

QUESTION PERIOD: WHAT IS RESPECT? Respect is one of Silvera’s core values and an important part of the way we interact with each other. In the fall, several activities took place at our SL communities that focused on respect. This crossword was one of those activities. Enjoy this crossword with the value of respect in mind. 2

THE CALGARY HERALD CHRISTMAS FUND: A UNIQUE GIFT

3 5

The fund was developed voluntarily by Herald employees in 1991 and benefits 12 local non-profits each year. Donated funds help support vulnerable populations in our city.

As part of this year’s appeal, Silvera residents were featured in print, online and in a video featured on the Herald’s website.

16 17

18 21

22 24

From left, Calgary Herald deputy editor Monica Zurowski and editor Jose Rodriguez, Arlene Adamson, CEO of Silvera and Kelly Ogle, Chair of Silvera’s Board of Directors. Photo: Gavin Young / Postmedia

SAM SWITZER – A COMMUNITY LEADER WITH A HEART OF GOLD

28 28 30 31

As one of Silvera’s biggest supporters and a generous Calgary philanthropist, Sam Switzer wears his heart on sleeve. And while his foundation and financial support may be coming to an end, his impact on the lives of our residents and the services we provide will live on.

36 37

Answers

20. RANDOM 22. CATS 24. MARILYN MONROE 26. TEAM 29. VALUES 31. UNITE 32. DANGERFIELD 35. CURTSY 36. RUDE

25. Learning and using someone’s ______ is a respectful way of communicating. 27. Put ones faith or confidence in. 28. Before you criticize a person, walk a mile in their _______. 30. Canada culturally; a picture or pattern made by arranging small pieces together. 33. Silvera Value #2, is “Respect: __________ each other”. 34. To show appreciation in words. (2 words) 35. Showing politeness in one’s attitude and behaviour towards others; Common _______. 37. To be consistent in performance; dependable. 38. American patriot died in 1818; look up to. 39. To consider deeply; ability to anticipate needs and wishes. 40. To recognize the nature, worth and good qualities of someone.

Down 1. KEEP YOUR WORD 2. TOLERANT 5. EXCUSE 6. YELL 10. EARNED 12. CONSIDERATE 15. LISTEN 16. BOORISH 19. DIGNITY

Editor: Carly Appleton

23. LEND A HAND 25. NAME 27. TRUST 28. SHOES 30. MOSAIC 33. HONOURING 34. THANK YOU 35. COURTESY 37. RELIABLE 38. REVERE 39. THOUGHTFUL 40. APPRECIATE

Across 3. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (2 words) 4. What you do if you accidently hurt someone’s feelings. 7. The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. 8. The magic word you say when you have a request from others. 9. A possessive and courteous valediction. (2 words) 11. Conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue; guided by a sense of right and wrong. 13. A relationship of mutual affection. 14. “Treat others the way they want to be treated” (2 words) 17. Term out of respect for him. 18. In the practice of tolerance, one’s _____ is the best teacher. –Dalai Lama 21. Hit song, “Respect” by Aretha _________. 23. To help or contribute. Brownie Motto (3 words)

“Silvera is honoured to have been chosen as a recipient,” says Silvera CEO Arlene Adamson. “It goes without saying that Silvera wouldn’t have been recognized if it weren’t for the important needs of the residents who call Silvera home and the dedication of our staff.”

If you’ve been reading the Calgary Herald, or tuning into our social media channels, you’ll know that Silvera was chosen as a recipient in the 2016 Calgary Herald Christmas Fund. Despite the challenging time our city is facing, the fund was a huge success this year, raising $881,522.38 from 2,587 donors. Silvera’s share of the proceeds were $80,466.25, which will go towards programs and services for supportive living residents.

Across 3. GOLDEN RULE 4. APOLOGIZE 7. EMPATHY 8. PLEASE 9. RESPECTFULLY YOURS 11. ETHICAL 13. FRIENDSHIP 14. PLATINUM RULE 17. MISTER 18. ENEMY 21. FRANKLIN

Down 1. Uphold what you promise to do; follow through on what you say. (3 words) 2. Being willing to allow opinions or behaviour that one does not necessarily agree with 5. We are respectful when we say “______ me.” 6. To raise one’s voice loudly 10. Respect is ______, not given. 12. Thinking about the rights and feelings of other people; showing kindness toward others. 15. To lend an ear. 16. Opposite of well-mannered; crude, coarse and insensitive. 19. Something it’s good to lose with. 20. ______ act of kindness. 22. Winston Churchill said “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. ______ look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” 24. Who said “Respect is one of life’s greatest treasures.” (2 words) 26. A group of people who take action together; come together to reach a common goal. 29. A person’s judgement of what is important in life. 31. To join together, to become one or as if one. 32. American comedian known for the phrase “I don’t get no respect!” 35. Formal gesture of respect made only by women. 36. The opposite of polite.

Silvera’s Community Newsletter - Winter 2017

#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

As a token of our appreciation and to honour Sam for the incredible work he has done not just for Silvera but for our city, Silvera nominated him for a Caring Canadian Award for which he was a chosen recipient by the office of the Governor General of Canada. “We wanted to demonstrate our gratitude in a way that would showcase him as a great Canadian,” says Arlene Adamson, CEO of Silvera. “He’s a man of great humility who comes from humble beginnings. He understands that he has been blessed and that not everyone can attain wealth in their life time. To have that understanding and generosity for seniors who have limited income, there really is no better demonstration of a caring Canadian.” As an avid champion and supporter of Silvera, Sam’s contributions have enabled us to broaden our services with his support to our annual resident event. Because of his generosity

over the years, we have been able to host the event for all residents from our independent living (IL) and supportive living (SL) communities at no cost to them. When seniors live on a limited income they often don’t have the opportunity to attend special events. It is because of Sam’s sponsorship our annual resident celebration is our largest event and a special day for all.

Born in Calgary in 1926 as an only child to Polish immigrants, Sam began working at the age of five to help his struggling family out. His adventure in the business world began when he constructed a retail building on the land behind his family’s grocery store. From there, he blossomed as a businessman and went on to build apartment buildings, hotels and shopping malls.

“We’ve hosted the event at the Alazar Temple, Heritage Park and the BMO Centre. The event has grown in attendance over the years and is a great way for all of our residents from all of our communities to come together, make friends and be celebrated,” says Arlene.

“The mark his life’s work has left on our city is remarkable. He has shown his heart by giving so generously to many charities, and here at Silvera he demonstrated that seniors matter. We are all going to age and we hope everyone will open their hearts like Sam did and give to ensure seniors have affordable housing and the supports they need to age with dignity,” says Arlene. “I want to thank Sam and his family for their friendship, contributions and for helping make Silvera a great place for our residents to live.”

Aside from his support of Silvera, Sam and his late wife Betty started the Sam and Betty Switzer Foundation in 2007 and have since supported a number of charities throughout the city. It began as a way to give back to the city he helped build.

silvera.ca | 403.276.5541

SILVERA’S GOT TALENT: VIVIAN WICKWIRE Vivian Wickwire has created art all her life. As a young girl growing up on the prairies in Saskatchewan, she pressed flowers and sketched when she wasn’t busy hauling grain to the elevator on her family’s farm. It’s clear that art is her true passion if you look around her home at Silvera’s Westview Community. Pieces of her work cover nearly every wall, and an artist’s studio is set up in her bedroom. “I took art classes through correspondence after my five children were born,” she says. “Back then it cost $15 a month, which was a lot, but I loved it!” After completing her classes, Vivian worked as a professional painter, painting murals for nearby towns, commissioned pieces for clients, and publishing two books portraying Saskatchewan and Alberta grain elevators. “It was my son’s idea that I paint the elevators,” she beams with pride. When Vivian isn’t painting, she stays busy with the many activities available at Westview. “I love it here, I’m always so busy,” she says. “I like the exercise classes, spending time with the other residents and, of course, helping out with the painting classes.”

ANNUAL LICENSING AND ACCOMMODATION STANDARDS AUDIT: THE RESULTS ARE IN In January, the Government of Alberta conducted its annual licensing and accommodation standards audit at Silvera’s nine supportive living (SL) communities, and the results are in. The auditor was impressed with our organization, the professionalism of our staff and the way we operate. “Silvera performed very well,” says regional manager Fred Burrill. “Seven out of nine SL communities were fully compliant, with two having minor things to fix. The work to bring these communities up to government standards is already underway.” Some of the minor fixes include kitchen modifications and repairing an area where some water had previously leaked. Staff had already begun to address these issues before the audit. The provincial auditor speaks directly with residents and staff at each SL community and looks at policies covering everything from lease procedures and the storing of resident files to kitchen practices and building maintenance.

In addition to the 32 standards on their checklist, the auditor may also dig into issues based on complaints received, or trends within the senior housing industry. After the audits were completed, Fred sat down with the auditor and received praise for Silvera. “She was impressed with our dining services, Active Aging program, our staff’s commitment and professionalism, our administrative processes, and that residents seemed engaged and happy with the services we provide,” says Fred. The reports are public and available online by visiting: bit.ly/2kIubxS

Trivia night at Aspen Community with the Calgary Canucks junior team Hockey fans at our Aspen community scored big when the Calgary Canucks junior hockey team paid them a visit for a fun-filled hockey trivia night! “It was wonderful to see the excitement and the interactions between the two generations,” says Sandi Montford, Aspen community manager. “The residents had great stories to share and the Canucks were very enthusiastic and attentive.” Coby Mack, Canucks defenseman who recently relocated to Calgary from the US, said it was a great opportunity to learn more about the community. “The residents had a lot to share with us and not just about hockey, but about life too,” he says. “It was fun to get out and meet people in the community.”

Suncor lends a hand through Days of Caring This past fall, dozens of Suncor employees rolled up their sleeves at our Willow Park on the Bow and Austin Nixon communities to help get the gardens winter ready and prepped for this year’s planting season. They also helped prepare for Canada’s 150th birthday celebration by planting Canada 150 tulip bulbs to help mark the big milestone. “We were able to get our hands dirty and make a difference,” says Sandra Else, business process analyst at Suncor and the organizer of the Austin Nixon

team. “It was neat to have a connection to the community and help make spaces a little nicer for the residents.”

couldn’t have done ourselves,” she says.

Willow Park resident Bridget Given says she enjoyed working with the Suncor volunteers.

Suncor participates in several days of caring annually as part of its partnership with United Way Calgary.

“They were quite impressed with our grounds and helped us clean out our garden and prep for this year, something we truly appreciate and

We would also like to thank Suncor for their recent contribution of a television set to our Shawnessy Community.

Comfort Closet program launches A new way of donating to Silvera, our Comfort Closet program has launched at our supportive living communities. Through the Comfort Closet program, Silvera donors will provide residents with toiletries and personal care items when they need them most.

CANADA’S 150TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

“Sometimes residents need a little extra help to make it through the month,” says Nadine Maillot, manager of fund development and volunteer services. “They may come home after a hospital stay and be unable to shop, or a few unexpected expenses might pop up.”

This year marks Canada’s 150th birthday celebration and at Silvera were planning some great activities at our communities to help commemorate the birth of our beautiful country.

This is where the Comfort Closet program comes in. It ensures each of our supportive living communities always have everyday items on hand.

To begin preparing, volunteers have planted approximately 1,500 Canada 150 tulip bulbs at both IL and SL communities. Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming activities and celebrations!

GIVING COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

The program is funded through donations from the community, as well as a legacy gift willed to Sivera by a generous donor. Appreciation goes to all the individuals and organizations who have donated to the program (especially Yoga Santosha for their generous contribution).

Holiday giving - Silvera Cares Bags Volunteers from Packers Plus planted Canada 150 tulip bulbs at our Dream Haven community.

RESIDENT SURVEY UPDATE Thank you to each of you who took the time to complete the resident survey in December, your feedback is valued and appreciated. Our staff is currently in the process of compiling the results and they will be shared with you in an upcoming issue of the Silvera Times. We thank you for your patience! 2 silvera.ca | If you know someone who needs a Silvera home, please contact us at 403.276.5541

During the holiday season, local Silvera supporter Michelle Trach donated 25 Silvera Cares bags to our supportive living communities. Each bag included a crossword puzzle book, a Jamberry product, a Walmart gift card, candy, socks, a pen and lip balm. “I hope my gesture brought some joy and holiday spirit to some of the wonderful residents,” says Michelle.

silvera.ca | 403.276.5541 3