There’s a club with a retired judge, lawyer, doctor, media executive, housewife and beauty queen that meets twice a week at Parkgate Community Centre.
They gather in the lobby where one gentleman eagerly waits for his buddy to come through the front doors. He pops up to give his friend a hug. Then it’s off to art class or the badminton court.
Members, as they are called, of the club come from different walks of life but are now bonded by something they may have never expected – Alzheimer’s.
However, there are no patients in this room full of child-like enthusiasm.
“They all like to sing. They all like to tap their toes,” says Erin Smith, who is manager of seniors’ services at Parkgate Community Centre.
My Parkgate Break is a special program that started in the summer of 2012 at the centre that’s considered a hub for seniors in the Seymour area.
Looking at dementia services offered at the time, something was missing in the community – respite for caregivers.
“It can be very isolating for the partners because your spouse is not the same as they were,” explains Smith. “Obviously, we feel for the members who have dementia … but the burnout and fatigue for the caregivers is huge.”
The goal at Parkgate was to create a place for those with mild to moderate dementia to feel welcome and be engaged in a variety of activities, while their caregivers took a break twice a week for five hours.
With nothing local to model the program after, in 2011, staff at Parkgate turned to Australia, where they found an organization running an Alzheimer’s respite group.
“It was fantastic,” says Smith. “So we sort of started to create our own processes off of what we had received from their program.”
With some federal seniors’ funding staff were able to get the My Parkgate Break program off the ground, but they are really bolstered by a strong base of community partners and volunteers.
Club members enjoy exercise class, pottery making, walks around the neighbourhood, boat trips up Indian Arm, picnics and mini-golf, to name some of the activities offered in the program, which costs about $500 a month.
Each session includes a lunch that’s provided by Parkgate staff. Members share a meal and some laughs. There are genuine smiles. Friendships are not forced here.
“When you come into a room as an outsider, you would have a hard time knowing who’s a volunteer and who’s a member,” says Smith.
Seeing the art and musical therapy at play is moving to Smith.
Personal masterpieces are being created in the art room. Toes are tapping spontaneously when the music starts.
“These individuals might not remember what happened five minutes ago or what happened yesterday, but if you play music most of them can sing along which is quite remarkable,” explains Smith. “So there’s something there that music just brings out some of those memories.”
Six years later and My Parkgate Break has seamlessly integrated into the Deep Cove and Seymour area, where people have welcomed the seniors with open arms.
Seymour Art Gallery staff will often host the seniors for a high tea and show them the current exhibition.
Students from nearby elementary schools will come sing to them at Parkgate, while children in the centre’s daycare program will make the seniors cards.
Twice a year the Deep Cove Lions put on a document-shredding fundraiser that benefits My Parkgate Break.
“So the whole community really, obviously felt this was a need and got onboard,” says Smith.
Those with Alzheimer’s can feel isolated in their own community, according to Smith, which is another reason why they wanted to bring the members who share this commonality together.
Priority for the program is given to residents in the Seymour area who have been diagnosed with dementia in its early stages.
It’s heartbreaking, Smith says, to see the members move on from the program after their dementia has progressed to a certain point.
“It’s really sad because we love them,” says Smith.
For more information about My Parkgate Break contact Reneé Matthee at rmatthee@myparkgate.com.
