Friday, January 13, 2023

Dear Resident or Family Member,

We remain committed to providing updates to our residents, families, and staff at AgeCare. As such, we are providing weekly updates to keep you all informed on what is happening in our communities and organization-wide.

1. Alzheimer’s Awareness Month - Stepping Up to The Challenge

2. Help Prevent the Spread
3. Recreation Calendars
4. New Opportunities

Download Weekly Update (PDF)

Alzheimer’s Awareness Month - Stepping Up to The Challenge

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, a campaign designed by the Alzheimer Society of Canada, to help people understand the challenges of this illness, and take action to support those living with dementia and their caregivers. According to the Alzheimer Society, more than 500,000 Canadians are currently living with dementia, and this number is expected to reach nearly one million within the next decade.

At AgeCare, we have developed a comprehensive Dementia Strategy founded on our person-centred approach to care, and with a vision to provide excellence in dementia care and service in our communities. To date we are proud to say we’ve made tremendous strides, offering a five-month staff dementia care training program called ‘AgeCare Moments;’ creating calm and peaceful living and activity spaces as well multi-sensory rooms; and in the coming months embarking on a pilot collaboration with Alzheimer Society Calgary (ASC) to provide education and training to family members living with or supporting someone with dementia.

Moments That Matter

AgeCare’s Moments That Matter program is a five-month training program offered to staff who care for and support our residents living with dementia.

“The program is based on best practices and leading-edge dementia research and resources from around the world,” said Jennifer Grusing, Director Education Services. “Along with exploring the physiology of dementia, participants are taught ways to build relationships with residents and family members, communicate effectively with individuals living with dementia, and to create engaging and vibrant communities every day.”

To date, nearly 600 AgeCare staff from various disciplines have graduated from the program, and a new program is about to begin in February.

Dementia Village

Among our many prized Dementia Strategy projects, we have turned our focus to the evidence-based findings that highlighted the importance of well-designed environments for dementia residents. To that end, we recently embarked on a dementia village quality improvement project, with an aim to create an enabling environment that can support our residents with wayfinding, navigation and meaningful activities.

Some of our dementia village concepts currently implemented, include: activity boxes to support sensory stimulation; elaborate artwork and signage to aid with orientation and wayfinding; themed ceiling and living room murals, painted entry doors, and many other initiatives designed that make our neighbourhoods warm and inviting, as well as safe and easy to navigate.

Collaboration with Alzheimer Society of Calgary to Support Caregivers

This February and March, AgeCare will collaborate with ASC, providing space in two AgeCare facilities so ASC can offer its program, ‘Coping with Caregiving’ to family members and those in the community. This fits with our person-centred philosophy of care, and builds on our belief that in valuing people living with dementia, it is important to educate and empowering their loved ones who are also impacted by dementia.

Help Prevent The Spread

At AgeCare we understand that it is our responsibilitiy to do all we can to protect ourselves, and the vulnerable people who count on us daily to keep them as safe and well as possible. Vaccines for respiratory illnesses are one of the simplest and most effective ways we can do this.

Thank you to those who recognize the importance of getting vaccinated and have gone out of your way to ensure you have received all the vaccines you are eligible for. Together we will do our part in taking care of ourselves and our communities.

Other ways to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and Influenza are:

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
• Wash hands often with soap and water thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home if you are feeling unwell.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Let’s all do everything in our power to keep ourselves and our most vulnerable loved ones safe and well!

Individuals 5 years and older can get their Influenza vaccine at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine at participating pharmacies, some community medical clinics and select Alberta Health Services sites.

For more details call 811, or visit a walk-in clinic. 

**Additionally, all seniors older than 65 can get a free enhanced Influenza vaccine this year. Enhanced influenza vaccines (FLUZONE® High-Dose Quadrivalent) give seniors better protection against influenza than standard-dose vaccines. Enhanced influenza vaccines stimulate stronger immune responses, compensating for the natural weakening of the immune system that occurs with age.

Recreation Calendars

Our recreation team works hard to create engaging activities that enrich the mind, body and spirit. We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the risk of transmission while having the least impact on our residents' well-being.

Please note that communities with an exposure or outbreak may have different recreation restrictions. Contact your community or sign up for email updates to stay informed on the latest information.

For our AgeCare communities from Revera, your Activity Pro Family Portal is still available for you to access. You can log in with your usual username and password at online.activitypro.net/users/login/agecare.

If you are a current resident family member and don't yet have a username and password to access your loved one's Activity Pro page, please contact the community directly and ask to speak to the recreation team. They walk you through the steps needed to access the family portal.

View the Recreation Calendars for your AgeCare Community:

AgeCare Bow Crest

AgeCare Columbia

AgeCare Glenmore

AgeCare Jasper Place

AgeCare Mckenzie Towne

AgeCare Midnapore

AgeCare Miller Crossing

AgeCare Mount Royal

AgeCare Orchard Manor

AgeCare Riverview

AgeCare Sagewood

AgeCare Seton

AgeCare Skypointe

AgeCare South Terrace

AgeCare Sunrise Gardens

AgeCare Valleyview

AgeCare Walden Heights

New Opportunities

Did you know AgeCare is hiring?

Great opportunities for caring people. From health care aides to food services to recreation to administration and more, we are looking for dedicated and caring individuals.