Multiple disciplines brighten days for residents
Ryan Rogers

Belly dancing, piano playing and baking are making a comeback at the Village of Taunton Mills, where personal-care aides (PCAs), registered practical nurses (RPNs) and managers are breaking away from their traditional roles and contributing with recreational programming to build more meaningful relationships with residents.

It wasn’t long ago when assistant general manager of long-term care Emily Vasey walked off the elevator en route to the Dunlop neighbourhood of the Whitby home when she came face to face with a crowd of belly dancers tapping their toes and clapping their hands to music.

Kinesiologists, PCAs and family members were joining in with the residents and Emily says “there is no better story to demonstrate our shared and meaningful activities than when we have all disciplines involved in brightening the days of our residents and improving their quality of life.”

Engaging all disciplines to share their skills by contributing to the recreational programming is helping residents connect with staff members in meaningful ways.

Through these various activities, residents are able to see personal support workers or nurses in a different light, Emily says, helping them to bond more deeply and develop stronger relationships.

A major component of the organization’s mandate is to foster a social model of living in each of the villages, and promoting cross-functionality of team members while providing clear opportunities for shared activities are two ways to achieve that goal.

"Going outside of the box and trialing new things and being leaders in the senior-care sector, that’s just something as an organization that’s engrained in us,” says Emily.

“That’s what we want to try and achieve.”

The expanded approach to recreation programming is giving team members at the village license to break outside of their traditional roles and through that process, Emily says she’s noticed a significant boost in morale.  

She’s looking forward to seeing the concept entrenched in the culture of her home as it expands throughout the year.

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