Resident welcomed back to village with open arms
Kristian Partington

According to recreation therapist Caroline Kenny, Riverside Glen resident Alan Mclean loves music, ice cream, sports and lemon squares.

He likes to drink rye and eat potato chips during Friday happy hours; he loves to talk and he always knows the best restaurants to dine at.

Alan McLean was happy to be able to celebrate his 75th birthday at home at the Village of Riverside Glen after he’d been away for 8 months following a fall – he always had his sights set on returning.

And he loves his home at Riverside Glen, so about nine months ago when he had to leave the village, he was not happy about the prospect.

In April, Alan suffered a bad fall that required him to leave his home for treatment, and it soon became clear that a bed in long-term care would be necessary.

That bed wasn’t available at Riverside Glen, however, and though he had to take the first bed that became available, he never lost sight of his goal of returning to the village where he enjoyed a broad network of friends.

Over the three years he lived at the village, he grew to think of team members as extended family, so when he learned just before Christmas that he could finally return, he said the news was the best present he could have received.

The team is happy to have him back as well.

“Alan is simply amazing,” Caroline says.

“He always makes you feel good just by being in his company. He is always smiling at the world no matter how he's feeling and he always asks you how you are doing.”

He took up residence in the long-term care side of the village on Dec. 27, and he says he’s thrilled to be back with his friends, especially the staff.

“He says he feels like he’s at home again,” Caroline says, noting it’s like he never left.

On Friday afternoons, he can be found sipping a little rye over a bowl of potato chips and steady laughter around his table.

He celebrated his 75^th birthday at home in the village on Jan. 22, and he grows stronger every day as he recovers from his injuries.

“Alan lives in the moment,” Caroline says. “He looks forward to each new day and it’s my hope that he will be well enough in the spring to travel on the Riverside bus once again.

“We still have a lot of restaurants to visit, ice cream to eat and hopefully many more years of listening to his bad jokes.”

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