Willows Christmas dinner generates touching moment for nutritional care manager
Friday, December 23, 2005 -- Natalie Miller
A Willows Estate resident who is bedridden joined her co-residents Wednesday for the Christmas meal, the only time of the year she eats in the dining room.

During the meal, she motioned nutritional care manager Gary Rose to her side, hugged and kissed him and wished him a “Merry Christmas.”

“That’s what it’s all about,” says Gary.

Gary’s staff of nine prepared a traditional turkey dinner for the home’s 84 residents. Six of the nine staff members, who weren’t working Wednesday, volunteered to help put the meal together. “It is a big event,” says Gary. “All the staff come in and help.”

All residents are brought from their rooms to take part in the meal with their varying dietary needs being met by the nutritional care department.

The administrator serves the meal.

While festive dinners require more effort the residents express their appreciation, says Gary. “You’re doing something special for them. It makes it all worthwhile.”

He says although some residents have dementia they still know it’s Christmas time. Because some people don’t leave the home to visit around Christmas time it’s important to make it special for those residents, says Gary. “They’re human the same as we are. They have Christmas like we do.”

The nutritional care department at the Aurora long-term care home will prepare a turkey dinner for Dec. 25 as well. “That’s the residents’ request,” says Gary.