The Polished Brass Quintet performs at Marochel Manor in Ottawa.
A cure for the winter blues
Wednesday March 5, 2008 -- Camille Jensen
The cold months of January and February offer activity co-ordinators a chance to get creative when looking for new ways to keep residents active and engaged.

Many long-term care homes plan some of their biggest activities to correspond with what can be one of the more challenging times of the year.

Beating the winter blues is important for director of activities Nathalie Bartlett at Marochel Manor, who says the below-zero weather prevents residents from going outside. She says the Ottawa long-term care home is always looking for new and innovative ways to keep residents happy indoors.

Bartlett says this winter she knew exactly what to do to get residents out of their rooms.

“They don’t like to go out in the evenings unless they are going dancing,” explains Bartlett.

Creating an evening of dancing under the stars, Bartlett brought in the Polished Brass Quintet to perform. The residents dressed up and showed off their dancing skills with family and friends.

The evening was so successful that the Bartlett says she’s considering making it an annual event.

Temiskaming Lodge also believes it’s important to have meaningful programming after the Christmas season. 

At January’s end, the Haileybury long-term care home holds an “Evening of Dining.” The night allows residents to play host to their families and friends, having them over for what activity director Kathy Rudd calls a “top drawer dining experience.”

A resident at Temiskaming Lodge enjoys a formal dinner with family.

The event features a formal dress code, maitre d’ and waiters tending to the residents. Each resident can invite four visitors to share in the night’s events, which include menu items like lobster bisque, Cantonese chicken and music from a local quintet.

Extendicare Brampton likes to get the residents blood pumping with their annual winter Olympics.

The month long event challenges resident units to work as a team battling to win at events like basketball, darts and wheelchair racing.

The winning team receives a trophy and boasting rights until the summer Olympics are held in August.

Rod Cartagena, resident program manager at the Brampton long-term care home says the Olympic challenge is designed to include everyone.

“Some of the games are physical, some are mental and others are just plain silly,” says Cartagena.

Cartagena adds that the event is also a good way to gets residents who usually watch sports, off the couch and into the live action.

If you have feedback on this story, please phone the newsroom at (800) 294-0051 or e-mail camille(at)axiomnews.ca.