Rosebridge employees open arms wide at Christmas time
Friday December 21, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
Rosebridge Manor staff members support residents without relatives and people who have dementia year-round, but at Christmas they provide special attention to make people who reside there feel loved.

The Jasper long-term care home's life enrichment co-ordinator Kathy Barr says employees do this by including residents in festivities and reaching out to seniors on an individual basis.

“All of us try to make them feel they are part of our family at Christmas time,” says Barr, a trained specialist in individualized care approaches.

“We have staff involved to purchase gifts. Staff help residents open presents on Christmas morning.”

On Dec. 25, residents and their families are invited to a special meal, which will be served in the home’s newly-decorated dining room dressed with festive décor.

Rosebridge Manor’s Kori Bigelow, nutritional care manager, came up with the idea of holding a silent auction this year to help pay for the additional gifts and festivities for the holidays. The Nov. 22 event was a fun one that generated $650 for the residents’ Christmas fund, Bigelow earlier told the OMNIway. Employees and relatives stepped up by donating about 50 items including baked goods, crafts and clothing.

The money raised enables Rosebridge staff to buy extras for residents at Christmas time and presents for those seniors who don’t have family.

“It’s to make the residents’ Christmas more special,” Bigelow said.

With plenty of live entertainment throughout December, that involves a large chunk of the life enrichment department’s budget, noted Bigelow, adding, the event helped put more money in the bank.

From staff Christmas concerts and carolling, entertainment has been plenty.

On Wednesday, Rosebridge rented a bus to take residents on the annual Christmas lights tour in Smiths Falls. The local Civitan club hosts an event providing refreshments for seniors afterwards.

Rosebridge Manor volunteers delivered a guitar and flute classical concert for residents Thursday evening.