We are very thankful to have such a great place for our dad. It is a wonderful community. They provide awesome meals and good service. And most importantly, he is safe and happy there.

This facility is a restored seniors complex, beautifully redone. There are two levels of living, independent and Oak Manor Care Home with 24/7 supervisions.

Home Care personnel provides service for independent living. Suites are mostly 1 bedroom plus sitting with bathroom and shower. Common areas are the studio, dining room, theatre and the Rosewood. The kitchen has a full time staff complete with a Chef. Three meals per day are provided and are plentiful and tasty. There is also a Bistro for between meal snacks and coffee.

Hallways are wide and spacious for walking exercise. There is a large screen for TV and move viewing in the theatre and there is also a lounge at the building entrance.
A number of programs are offered like resident exercise, meditation happy hour, bingo, cards, choir, debate and book club to name a few.

I am fortunate to be living here. I can enjoy the outdoors and fresh air. This is truly a home away from home.

It is Mother’s Day and because of the Coronavirus we cannot spend it with our mother. Though greatly saddened by this, we are thankful to know Mom is in a great place.

Both of our parents live at The Elizabeth, where they moved in June of 2019. It was not easy; they did not want to leave their home or their community.

Mom and Dad had been married for 63 years and Mom’s dementia was making it hard for them to remain in their own home. Dad did not want to be separated from her, so they made the choice to move to the Elizabeth.

It was evident from the start that the staff and residents of the Elizabeth understood the move was difficult and offered what they could to make the transition easier on them.

The Elizabeth community was warm and inviting. After a few weeks. Mom and Dad were settling in well. My parents were learning the ins and outs of living in a seniors residence and starting to take part in all the wonderful activities and functions – a favourite of course being happy hour! They not only enjoyed socializing with their fellow residents but also welcome their friends who came form outside to join in. Dad even started taking part in exercise class…though reluctantly. Mom always enjoyed remaining active before moving tot the Elizabeth, so this was an important option for her.

It was difficult for them to get out to Sunday mass, so another very important part of their week was the opportunity to take part in the weekly faith service.

Just as they were settling in, Mom had a stroke. Thanks to the quick action and “take charge” attitude of one of the residents and a staff member, the ambulance was called, and Mom was whisked off to Saskatoon in time for the symptoms of the stroke to be minimal. Unfortunately, a second stroke soon followed. In consultation with her doctor, we realized that Mom needed 24 hour care and so she was moved across the building to the continuous care side of the building and Dad downsized to a smaller suite.

This time the transition was easier. They were used to the people and the surroundings and it didn’t take long to make the adjustments needed to start their “new normal”. They still spend most of their day together. Dad is back and forth down the hallway whenever he wishes. The staff and residents are aware of Mom’s needs and are always ready to lend a helping hand when she is lost or disoriented. She is still able to accompany Dad to the activities and functions inside the building so they can still partake in social opportunities together.

In October of 2019, we were fortunate to be able to celebrate Mom and Dad’s 64th wedding anniversary at the Elizabeth; they were lovingly surrounded by family and friends. Mom and Dad were both so delighted to mark the occasion in this special way. We celebrated the event in the Rosewood Room, which was a perfect location for such a gathering. The kitchen staff was accommodating, and a great help to us on this day.

With all the concerns surrounding the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, we as a family thank God everyday for the Elizabeth staff. We could never provide the safety measures the Elizabeth has provided for them. It is hard not being able to visit our parents, however, the staff keeps us posted on anything new that arises. We try and talk daily to our Dad, and the staff is always their to patiently help when Dad’s phone needs to be attended to.

We are so thankful our parents chose the Elizabeth to call home. We have witnessed those caring for our parents doing so with dignity, care, patience, kindness and love. Words can never express how appreciative we are of the staff and our parent’s fellow neighbours, who make it a wonderful place to live.