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Winnipeg’s home-style elder care cottages

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This article was published 20/12/2023 (892 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

These days, most elder care institutions provide care that is far too generic and impersonal for patients diagnosed with dementia to live their best lives.

“That isn’t the model at Bergen Gardens,” says Kristy Rennie, Bergen Gardens’ Cottage Living Director.

“What sets us apart is that we provide person-directed care,” she says. “We give our tenants a voice. We don’t want to make them feel like they’re in an institution.”

To that end, staff at Bergen Gardens gets to know each tenant as well as they possibly can.

“We ask them about their habits. Do they like to sleep in until 11, or do they get up at 5 a.m. sharp? Tenants also play a part in creating their own menus. We want to provide them with a home-like environment so they can live their best life to the end in a home-style atmosphere.”

To facilitate the highest possible quality of life, tenants are placed in four cottages that were expressly designed to meet the needs of those dealing with memory-related issues.

“There’s a maximum of 12 tenants in each cottage,” explains Rennie, herself a nurse. Each cottage is staffed by a homemaker around the clock. They are there to make sure everyone functions through their day properly.”

The overall idea, says Rennie, is to create an environment in which tenants can thrive.

“Our goal is to treat everyone with dignity. When they move here, we don’t want people to feel like they’re moving into just another home or into a generic bedroom. We encourage everyone to bring their own possessions to make it feel like home. And they have their own bedroom and bathroom, which is important.”

Should a tenant need a more involved level of care, it’s available.

“Nurses and health care aides will provide hands-on care for those who need it,” she says. “And everything is wheelchair and walker accessible for those who have mobility challenges.”

Meanwhile, each tenant is encouraged to continue living the way they did before they came to Bergen Gardens.

“If they want to have a birthday party with a large family gathering or want to watch the Olympics late at night, we try to accommodate them. This is their home.”

In short, the staff at Bergen Gardens is there to help tenants navigate life in a manner that’s as close to normal as possible.

“It’s just their memory that doesn’t work properly anymore,” Rennie says. “We’re here to help them through their days, doing things like making sure they aren’t wandering, and ensuring they get enough to eat.”

As for activities, they aren’t set out on a generic weekly schedule, either.

“A rec team member is in each cottage and is dedicated to providing entertainment. We want tenants to do what they did before they came here and check with tenants on a weekly basis to make sure they enjoy what they’re doing.”

“There’s no question that Bergen Gardens’ person-directed care memory care model is working,” adds Rennie.

“Everyone here does well because we allow them to keep living and keep moving. We’re here to provide a safe, nurturing environment, where family is encouraged to visit at any time,” she says. “The results have been very positive.”

Right now, wait times aren’t long, with openings existing in two cottages.

Should a family enter a loved one into care at Bergen Gardens — the staff at Bergen does their own assessments — they will get $500 off the second month of their lease if they sign between January 1 and March 1.