Staff and residents celebrate the third anniversary of the opening of Masterpiece Southland Meadows and recently winning the Chamber of Commerce's large business of the year award. From left are Alysha Isberg, Maria Garforth-Bles, Ken and Valerie Sauer and Tim Garforth-Bles, president of Masterpiece Care Corporation.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
It was a celebration of the third anniversary of the opening of Masterpiece Southland Meadows, as well as recently receiving a special award.
Tim Garforth-Bles, president Masterpiece Care Corporation, says the first two years were filled with the excitement of a new seniors residence and this year has been an opportunity for new initiatives.
The COVID lock down required some creative thinking but the building was already ideal.
“The building lent itself to COVID,” said Garforth-Bles.
The dining room is big enough to comply with safe distancing requirements, he said.
Garforth-Bles says he hired a full-time employee to improve the physical fitness of residents. It has paid off. Some who had struggled to comb their hair can do that again and a lot more.
“We’ve got seniors with muscles in their 80s,” said Garforth-Bles.
Masterpiece began showing movies three times a day in its theatre to limit the number of residents to 15, keep them distanced from each other, and provide enough opportunities for everyone to attend.
They were given permission for a live band to play in the entrance to the building while residents sat a floor below in the dining room but could still see and hear the music.
The government’s decision to no longer allow staff in seniors’ residences to work in more than one facility posed some challenges. Some staff were working overtime to meet the needs of residents in June and July.
The Chamber of Commerce large business of the year award, presented last week, was the icing on the cake at the celebration on Wednesday afternoon.
