One of the core tenets of the staff at Beckley Farm Lodge (BFL) is to provide person-centred care. To staff this means encouraging and inviting residents and day program clients to be involved in planning and facilitating recreational activities as much as possible, ensuring they continue to have a voice and remain an integral part of the community. This is their home, after all.
Joyce has been a resident of Beckley Farm Lodge for more than two years. She is soft-spoken, kind, and intelligent. She is a regular attendee of almost all activities. She was previously a piano player and tends to gravitate towards any activity involving music: sing-a-longs, live entertainment, and recently karaoke! None of these come close however to her favourite activity of all, bingo. She also consistently participates in the monthly visits and “Hymn Sings” with Chaplain Francis.
When Joyce was approached to be part of the BFL holiday celebration, she graciously and readily agreed to read the opening prayer. Faith has been an important part of Joyce’s life for as long as she can remember. She was born and raised in the small town of Port Kells, British Columbia where she recalls attending Sunday school every week. She strongly believes that her faith is what shaped her into who she is now and it continues to be a big part of her life. Because of her faith-based upbringing and her keenness to become more involved in vocational activities, our staff knew she would be a perfect fit for the job.
In the photograph, Joyce is joined by BFL staff, ‘Elf’ James and helper Lainie, and is seen reading the prayer aloud to a crowd of approximately 80+ residents, community members, and family members including her own son, Eric. When Joyce was finished reading, the crowd broke into a loud and encouraging applause. Many people in the audience were touched by her beautiful words and even more touched to see her do so with such confidence. It was a lovely start to what would be a Holiday celebration filled with smiles, laughter, and the holiday spirit.
