Celebrating the People That Make Revera So Unique

It’s the people who live and work at Revera who make every residence feel like home.

Each Revera retirement residence is unique. Not just because of the way the residences are expertly designed. In fact, it’s the people – the community – that make each Revera retirement residence special. Here are a few stories that will help give you a glimpse of what retirement living at Revera is really like.

Expressing joy through dance

Dancing frees the soul and warms the heart. Baycrest and Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) brought their “Sharing Dance Seniors Program” to many Revera residences across the country to reignite the love of dance. Seniors at the Leaside Retirement Residence in Toronto remarked that it didn’t even seem like exercise. Rhona Voros, the Director of Recreation at Leaside says “This program has been a lot of fun! It’s allowed the residents to express themselves through dance and provided a great venue for social inclusion.” Dancing also helps residents’ physical and mental health, working to increase muscle endurance, flexibility, balance, and aerobic power, while stimulating cognitive health as well. One of the residents at  Maplecrest Village in Grimsby says, “The program is very good, and I can feel my muscles working gently while I sing the old time favourites.” For more information about the program visit nbs-enb.ca/sharingdanceseniors

Creativity in the kitchen

Good food brings good company. It has the power to awaken the senses, emotions and can even take you back to a favourite moment. Stephen Cyr, Director of Culinary Services at the Williamsburg in Burlington says there are so many benefits when serving meals to the community. “There’s instant gratification when you serve your dish to someone. It’s nice when families come in and see how much their parents enjoy living here and the food.” But delicious food is just the beginning. “One of the challenges with working in a retirement residence is that you’re always cooking for the same people. It forces you to be creative and give the residents lots of choice.” Cyr is always inventing in the kitchen and exploring new flavours. He’s even prepared strawberries four different ways, including some that were deep fried and frozen with liquid nitrogen! Being in the culinary industry for over 25 years, Cyr has been sharing his passion and creative expression among the team of cooks, and the residents are enjoying every bite. “The residents here know good food. They challenge me to be at the top of my game.”

Strengthening social connections

The connections we make stay with us forever. Since 2013, with the help of young filmmakers from the non-profit Reel Youth, Revera has created more than 200 short films that celebrate the ageless spirit of their residents. Recently, as part of the Age Is More film project, a “Women’s Wisdom” series was filmed at Granite Landing in Cambridge. The project brought together women who were both young and young at heart to share stories of empowerment and give residents the chance to pass down advice to the younger generation. “The films were an amazing opportunity to celebrate the remarkable contributions of some strong, vibrant and independent women in our community,” said Nancy Lowell, the Executive Director at Granite Landing. You can watch “Women’s Wisdom” and previous collaborations at ageismore.com.

Grateful for those who care for us in every way, every day.

Stories like these happen every day at Revera residences. Every friendship made, every meal freshly prepared, every new activity, there are countless reasons why so many people love being a part of a Revera community.

Want to learn more about what retirement living is really like at Revera?

Contact a Revera Senior Living Advisor at 1-855-673-8372 or make use of the online live chat feature at reveraliving.com. They’re always available to answer your questions, provide you with the information you need, and discuss options when you’re ready.