UNITY — Activity is a vital part of the day-to-day life for both Parkview Place senior assisted living residents and Prairie Branches clients. The essence of community is enhanced when fostering relationships and that is the intention in the activity partnership between these two centres.
“The Prairie branches clients and their staff have visited Parkview Place six or seven times now in the last year,” Parkview Place Manager Paula Sittler, says.
“We are trying to plan one visit per month right now. I call the staff, Heather, or Kim, and we plan for an afternoon activity.”
Sittler said the partnership has engaged in interactive, engaging activities like bowling, reindeer races and May 2 target shooting. The afternoon is always finished off with a light lunch and social.
The Prairie Branches clients get to be out in the community, while Sittler says their residents get to enjoy an afternoon of friendly competition that includes lots of laughter.
“Our relationship with Parkview has been growing over the past several years,” Prairie Branches Unity location staff member Heather Hackinen says.
“We started by doing some volunteer work through our Independent Living Program. We helped with outside raking and yard clean-up. Just before COVID is when the fellows in our day program really struck a bond with some of the residents over there.”
The Prairie Branches clients and staff would host a weekly coffee sale at their day program on Main Street Unity prior to the pandemic and loved to welcome guests for a muffin and visit.
“One of the Parkview gents brought a birdhouse, to that coffee event, that he had cut out and packaged up for us to build and paint. He then took Iain Stubbington out and they hung the birdhouses at the airport. Iain continued visiting Mr. and Mrs. Slater, Parkview residents, on a weekly basis, and then when we were in the midst of COVID, they would have window visits. They still visit back and forth when time allows,” says Hackinen.
Prairie Branches said their clients are now on the regular invitation list from Parkview Place as Sittler lets their group know what upcoming activities are and the PB folks can add it to their calendar.
“All of the fellows at the Prairie Branches Day Program look forward to the Parkview days as it’s always so much fun,” adds Prairie Branches staff.
“One of the best parts of this relationship is that the men in our Day Program are truly enjoyed by the residents at Parkview and when they don’t attend, they are missed. That is what being part of our community is about.”
“You’d be hard-pressed to find a more supportive, compassionate group of people,” Sittler says.
Several of the Prairie Branches clients work in the community. Client, Iain comes to work at Parkview Place for an hour each week helping staff by taking out the trash and recycling as well as sweeping the entrances, helping to prepare for activities and any other jobs they may have lined up for him.
“Iain’s smile and good nature are contagious; he can light up any room he walks into,” notes Sittler.
