Kentwood Park residents Finley and Ida Hennessy prepare vegetables for residents' evening meal Jan. 17.
Home sees increase of couples in recent years
Friday January 18, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Kentwood Park has had more couples move into the home in recent years. As life enrichment co-ordinator, Linda Sheppard says she is working on creating meaningful, couple-focused programming at the home.

Currently, there are three couples residing at the 45-bed Picton long-term care home. This is a higher ratio of couples than what’s found at most small long-term care homes, Sheppard points out.

Because of the home’s small size, Sheppard is envisioning some outdoor activities aimed at the couples in the home once the weather gets warmer.

“When anyone leaves their home and comes into long-term care or even a retirement residence, there’s a loss attached to that and a very, very big one,” says Sheppard.

But when people come into long-term care as a couple, the pair is able to provide comfort and familiarity to each other. This, notes Sheppard, can help make the transition into long-term care a lot smoother.

“The fact that they are here and living together softens the impact of loss and change,” says Sheppard, adding that quality of life is greatly improved when people move in with their partner.

Kentwood Park has seen cases where spouses who were once withdrawn in their lives before coming into long-term care suddenly became more active once they settle into the home, notes Sheppard.

In one instance, a gentleman who moved in with his wife was very quiet and kept to himself. As a supportive measure, staff members encouraged him to partake in activities and programming at the home.

Today, that resident is an active member of The Boys’ Club, a men’s group which meets weekly.

“He’s spending more time around his male peers and is (happy) all of the time,” says Sheppard. “He took something entirely new that he was not accustomed to doing but he just blossomed. He’s one of the biggest supporters now of The Boys’ Club.”

Couples often find themselves doing many of the same things they did together before coming to Kentwood, Sheppard notes.

Finley and Ida Hennessy, for example, can be found helping kitchen staff prepare meals by peeling potatoes and preparing vegetables.

“I used to do this at home,” says Finley, while helping in the kitchen.