Erin Meadows nursing director considers culture change journey
Kristian Partington

Denis Zafirovski has given much thought to the changing philosophies at Erin Meadows over the past year as the village’s nursing-care director, and he says while much progress has been made towards a more social model of living, there’s plenty more work to be done.

Looking back to January 2011 when the village began working on its operational goals of empowering residents and celebrating diversity in village life, he says there have been many successes.

Honouring diversity in village life is one of the operational goals at the Village of Erin Meadows, and residents have been empowered to help design activities that do that. Chinese New Year celebrations are a great example.

Dialogue among team members and residents has been key to each success, he says, such as when the village held learning circles to hear from residents what empowerment means to them.

“It was interesting because what we thought might empower residents is not what they thought, so that was something new and we’ve tried to implement that feedback,” says Denis.

One thing that was heard clearly from residents was that they wanted to be involved in the design of recreational activities, and they also wanted to have opportunities to be involved in their community in volunteer capacities.

What’s interesting, he notes, is that in implementing these wishes and empowering the residents to choose their involvement in village and community life, achieving other aspirations, such as honouring diversity and fostering authentic relationships, comes naturally.

Prime examples are the recent celebration of Chinese New Year at the home and the Village Olympics, each of which brought everyone from the village together in a shared sense of community. 

As he looks forward, he says there is still more work to be done to ensure all team members and residents at Erin Meadows understand what is at the root of the changing philosophy at Schlegel Villages — a better life for seniors who call the village home.

The creation of a village advisory team, comprised of families, residents and team members will help the village on its journey towards meaningful transformation, he says.

As more people understand the changes underway within the organization towards a social model of living, the greater the momentum will be, he says.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact 800-294-0051, ext. 24 or e-mail kristian(at)axiomnews.ca.