zeidler architecture expands involvement in helping transform treatment of people with dementia
3 minute read
left to right, bill mitchell, margot schulman, eloy van hall, jennifer mccue, carolyne mondoux and karyn golem, during zeidler architecture's visit to the hogeweyck dementia village in the netherlands.
courtesy zeidler architecture
/
postmedia network
taking care of seniors is an increasingly critical issue, and managing people with dementia and providing special programs for individuals with unique and medically complex care calls for insightful consideration.
the calgary office of zeidler architecture has long been involved in seniors housing, and recently increased its involvement to specialize in helping to transform aging care in the support of people living with dementia.
late last summer it added margot schulman to the firm, a designer with many years of experience in designing residential facilities for the aging. she is the zeidler senior living lead charged with expanding this sector of work across all of its offices in calgary, victoria, vancouver and toronto.
one of her initial actions was to attend — with zeidler calgary partner bill mitchell — a seminar in edmonton, part of the canadian tour of the founders of the world-renowned the hogeweyk dementia village in the netherlands.
they were impressed with how the hogeweyk has deinstitutionalized, transformed and normalized the traditional nursing home and their model of care.
also in attendance were carolyne mondoux and karyn golem of the brenda strafford foundation.
advertisement
inspired by the hogeweyk’s paradigm shift in nursing home care and wishing to learn how to improve their own methods in focusing on possibilities rather than disabilities, they and jennifer mccue, longtime client and ceo of bethany care society, took a trip to visit the dementia village.
the facility is made up of 27 homes that each support seven people with dementia who live in a safe environment with others chosen by similar lifestyles. professional, highly trained caregivers — dressed in similar clothing to their charges — live within, provide meals and run the households with participation by all who are willing and able.
people can go wherever they want, whenever they want, without assistance. the theory is that treating people as normal as possible in a normal environment is a big step in lowering the stigma. and normal includes being able to go for a stroll, pick up items from the grocery store or go to the theatre or a pub.
the calgary visitors gained valuable insights into methods that can help them in their various responsibilities in enhancing the well-being of people living in different stages of seniors care.
mondoux, vice-president of service excellence, quality and innovation at the brenda strafford foundation, says: “we all know our health-care system, including continuing care, needs to improve, and we are looking at a variety of models of care to help inform future thinking and innovation.”
advertisement
mitchell, who has been involved with the design of seniors facilities for a number of years, is currently working with mccue on the development of land adjacent to bethany’s hillside manor in west hillhurst.
a faith-based organization with a mission to create caring communities, bethany has been celebrating aging for more than 70 years, widely known for its expertise in managing the care of people with complex dementia.
hillside manor was established as an auxiliary hospital in 1969 but, despite numerous renovations, the existing facility no longer meets modern standards for design and care environments.
zeidler is working with bethany to build a new facility on adjacent land that will provide 420 much-needed new beds. a bethany campus of care model will encompass physical environment, social connections, health and wellness services, and partnerships with community.
mccue, mitchell and schulman are keen to apply some of the innovations they experienced at the village into the design of the new facility in continuing to provide high quality care in the new bethany modern inner-city residence.
notes:
the many loyal diners who have frequented thai sa-on over the past 30 years will certainly miss seeing sam chanhao, owner of the family restaurant that he recently sold. but, not retiring, sam is overseeing his 10 tuk tuk thai outlets serving fresh, casual thai fast food.
advertisement
david parker appears regularly in the herald. read his columns online at calgaryherald.com/business. he can be reached at 403-830-4622 or by email at info@davidparker.ca
share story
