May 2017
The
Messenger
415 River Street W. Tweed, ON. K0K 3J0, P. O. Box 200
Celebrating May
Helen Steward
Entertains
May 3
Day Springs Youth
Group Entertains
May 9
Hal Entertains
May 10
Mother’s Day Tea
May 13
Pub Night
May 17
Gary Entertains
May 20
Silvert’s Clothing
May 25
www.moiraplace.com
Telephone: 613-478-5524
Message from the Administrator
Sunday May 14th is Mother’s Day and it’s normally a time when we see a
large number of families in to celebrate this special day with loved ones.
We’ll be having a celebration on the day before, and you’ll find details
within the newsletter if you’re planning on attending. Here are some
quotes on Mothers:
When my mother had to get dinner for 8 she'd just make enough for 16
and only serve half.
— Gracie Allen
If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?
— Milton Berle
Men are what their mothers made them.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest.
— Spanish Proverb
It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.
— Dorothy, The Golden Girls
Our Easter Egg Hunt was held on Saturday April 15th and we had well
over 300 people here, with almost 200 kids participating in the fun. We
lucked out with weather and the kids managed to find every one of the
25,000 chocolate eggs that we put out that morning. Our residents loved
seeing the young ones here and intergenerational programs are beneficial
on so many levels, helping both our youth and our elders. A big thank
you to everyone who helped arranging the event and to Darryl Drain of
Drain Poultry for helping us purchase all the chocolate eggs. It was an
entertaining day that provided a lot of smiles all round.
Michael O’Keeffe
Administrator
Visiting a Loved One Living with Dementia
Our relationships, whether they are with friends, partners, relatives, or colleagues, form a central part of our
identity. However, relationships can change when someone is living dementia and it is possible for them to become isolated. If you are living dementia, you may not be able to recall your friends and family, or many of the
social events that were important to creating cherished memories. You can become more dependent on others
but display different personality traits than you have in the past. It’s important to continue to visit your loved one
to help with any loneliness or isolation they may feel so they can continue to lead a quality life.
Here are some tips to help make the most out of the time you spend together.
A positive relationship with someone who is living with dementia can be maintained by changing the way
you interact with them. By focusing on the present, rather than the past or future, you can spend time together in
a positive way.
Try to take part in activities you can do alongside one another, like art or listening to music. When entertainment or a social event is planned, attend with your loved one. This way the event can take away some of the
awkwardness and give you something to talk about.
Rather than telling someone what they can’t do, focus on what they can do. By doing a task together, or
giving them a task they can do, it will take their mind off the things they can’t do while also giving them a sense
of responsibility.
People living with dementia have feelings and emotions even if they haven’t understood what you have
said. Be careful not to put them under too much pressure to answer, or hurt their self-esteem or dignity.
Tone is an important way of communicating and can be
understood, even if the words you’re saying aren’t. Don’t let
a condescending tone slip into your conversation as this can
be hurtful.
Bernice, Carol Ann and Bill checking out all the beautiful quilts.
Ruth is enjoying Spa Day.
Eye Clinic
Working hard during morning exercises.
Moira Place
Friends and Family Reunion
Thursday June 22nd
6:00pm
Rescheduled to
Wednesday May 10th
In home, full eye exams at
no fee to the resident.
In addition to monitoring ocular health and
checking/measuring prescriptions, new glasses
can be purchased at largely discounted rates.
During the visit, minor adjustments and small
repairs to current glasses can also be made.
To book an appointment contact
Tracey McKichan 613-478-5524.
Family is very important and we invite
you to join us as we celebrate our
Moira Place Family.
Live Entertainment
Ice Cream Bar
Family Photo
and more.
Mark your calendar.
More details to
follow.
Reminder
Weekly Caregiver
Support Group
The Heart of Hastings Hospice, with support from
an OTF grant now offers a support group for
caregivers. The group meets every week and
enjoys a light and nutritious lunch followed by a
whole host of fun and engaging activities, ranging
from talks and information sessions to trips and
craft workshops.
If you are caring for someone with a life limiting
illness and would like the chance to connect with
others and share your experiences in a safe,
supportive space, then contact Hannah at the Heart
of Hastings Hospice to find out more. There is no
charge to attend the group, and the wonderful
hospice volunteers will go to your home and
provide respite care for your loved ones if needed.
If you would like more information, or to join the
group please contact the Heart of Hastings
Hospice at 613-473-1880.
Family are welcomed and encouraged to bring in
special treats for their loved ones and are asked to
refrain from handing these out to other Residents
due to possible dietary restrictions / allergies.
Items that are brought in to leave with Residents
should be marked with their name and the date to
ensure safe food handling and consumption.
Getting ready for lunch.
Canada’s First Stamp
Lorna and her son enjoying a visit.
Many stamp collectors agree that Canadian stamps are
some of the most beautiful to collect. Many stamps are
popular either due to their design
or because of their rarity. Canada’s
first postage stamp falls under
both categories.
The three pence beaver stamp was
the first of the Province of Canada,
issued in April 1851 and designed
by Sandford Fleming. Most
stamps of the time featured the reigning monarch, but
Canada’s first stamp proudly displayed an engraving of a
beaver by a river. In fact, it is the first official stamp in
the world to be issued with an animal on it instead of a
person. That alone makes it special.
You’re Invited to our Mother’s Day Tea
Saturday, May 14th
2:00 pm in the Fireside Lounge
RSVP by May 4th to
Life Enrichment Dept.
at 613-478-5524 ext.
3009.
Recognizing Care
Department Staff
NATIONAL NURSES WEEK
May 8th to 14th is a week where Canada recognizes
nurses for their provision of outstanding person
centered care and dedication to the health system.
Moira Place celebrates nurse’s week by recognizing
the commitment the staff in our Care Department
has in meeting the needs of our residents.
Please recognize our staff this week, and
say thank you for their commitment to our
residents.
Working on a crossword puzzle.
Carol and Steve chatting before lunch.
Let's Go A-Maying
May Day, the first day of May, is celebrated in many
parts of the world. It is a
festival of happiness, joy, and
celebration.
May Day has to do with the
celebration of springtime and,
like many ancient festivals, it
has a pagan connection. The
Celts observed a festival called "Beltane" (Bright
Fire) by lighting bonfires to honor their sun god and
welcome back spring. May Day was symbolic of a
return to life and the defeat of the hard winter, with
new hopes for good planting and rich harvests.
Beltane was the time of milk and honey. The cow
and the bee were both significant symbols for this
celebration. The cow's ability to create great
amounts of milk and the bee's creation of honey,
the sweetest food on earth, were considered magical.
After the cows were blessed with bonfire smoke,
they were turned out to pasture. Because of the new
grass, the cows yielded more abundantly and had to
be milked three times each day. Large oatcakes,
called bannocks, were eaten as part of the festivities.
Traditionally, a portion of the cake was burned or
marked with ashes. The person who received the
marked piece had to jump over a small fire three
times. It is said that the custom of leaping over
flames continued in some parts of Britain until the
18th century. The height of the leap was supposed to
forecast the height of crops.
Cola Cure-All
People have been drinking Coca-Cola since May 8,
1888, when the soft drink was first served by Dr.
John S. Pemberton at Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta,
Georgia. Yes, Coca-Cola was first marketed as a
medicinal cure-all beverage for ailments
such as headaches, nerve disorders,
addictions, and indigestion. By 1900,
sales of Coca-Cola had reached 100
million annually. Perhaps this surge in
popularity had to do with Coca-Cola’s
brilliant marketing strategy of issuing
tickets that could be redeemed at any
location for a free glass—these tickets
are considered the first coupons ever
invented. Today Coca-Cola is as popular
as ever. And it is still marketed as a medicinal cure
for stomach blockages. Apparently, Coca-Cola’s
chemical ingredients can cure a condition called
gastric phytobezoar with a 90% success rate.
Marion and the Easter Bunny
Ruth is enjoying the sunshine.
Jane likes her tulips.
The Secret Language of Fans
Hilda wins the cup.
Hand fans have been around since ancient times with
some of the earliest examples depicted in ancient
Egyptian artwork. The Japanese invented the folding fan
and introduced it to Europe in the 16th century. By the
18th century, fans had become much more than just a
way to stay cool. They were status symbols crafted with
elaborate designs and expensive materials. Fans served
as an ornate accessory for the well-dressed woman as
well as a means to get needed air in an overheated room,
hide blushes, swat away pesky insects, and disguise
one’s identity at masquerade balls.
Additionally, it is believed they had an even more
important function —a secret way to convey messages.
Young women received instruction on the proper use of
a fan when learning about etiquette and ladylike
behavior. The flirtatious aspects of communicating with
fans were most likely invented by enterprising females
living in a repressive Victorian society where women
were meant to be seen and not
heard.
• A fan rested on the right cheek
meant “yes” and on the left cheek
“no.”
Silvert’s Mobile Clothing
Store will be at Moira Place
on Thursday, May 25, 2017
from 10am-3pm.
• The handle of the fan or halfopened fan placed on the lips meant
a kiss was allowed.
• A twirled fan in the right hand
signaled “I love another,” and a twirled fan in the left
hand was a warning that “we are being watched.”



Comfortable, Affordable Struggle-Free Dressing
For impaired range of motion, lowered mobility, paralysis & wheelchair disability
Perfect for Seniors, Elderly & Disabled
Pick up a catalogue in the Fireside lounge to browse
through prior to the shopping day.
If you are unable to attend on May 25th, but would
like to purchase items or have your love one fitted,
please speak with Tracey McKichan at 613-4785524, who will make all the necessary arrangements.
Quality Senior Clothing & Adaptive Clothing,
Apparel & Footwear
• A fan shut completely and then opened slowly
signified a promise of marriage.
• A dropped fan was a request for friendship.
• To hold it open against the mouth meant, “I am
available.”
• A shut fan held to the heart meant, “You have won my
love.”
• Hitting an object with the fan signified impatience.
• Hiding eyes behind an open fan declared, “I love you.”
• Touching a finger to the top of the fan meant, “I wish
to speak with you.”
• The number of sticks displayed in the fan indicated the
hour to meet.
• A fan in the right hand in front of the face meant,
“Follow me.”
Sundowning is a Responsive Behaviour
When your loved one becomes agitated, specifically in the late afternoon and evening, it is known as
sundowning. They may become suspicious, upset or disorientated, see or hear things that are not there and
believe things that may not true.
Possible causes:
 End of day exhaustion (mental and physical)
 Boredom, sleeping a lot during the day and lack of routine
 Wanting to go home
 Disorientation
 Mix up between the day and night
 Reduced lighting can cause shadows, often resulting in confusion, fear or anxiety
Strategies:
 Discourage napping or keep naps short.
 Ask recreation staff to schedule calming activities when agitation usually occurs.
 Work with staff to restrict sweets and avoid caffeine at night.
 Provide adequate lighting to help identify objects and people.
 Provide items of comfort like a favourite pillow or blanket.
 Plan and encourage activities during the day.
Provide reassurance and reminisce as a distraction.
Example: After a short visit, Hannah struggles to maintain a conversation with her daughter. She
becomes upset, paces in her room and says “I want to get out of here NOW”. Her daughter notes that her
mom experienced similar distress yesterday and the day before around 4:30pm, as she arrives for a visit
after work.
Don’t:
Request that Hannah is prescribed a medication to calm her, which results in her sleeping much of the day.
Do:
 As late afternoon approaches turn on bedroom lights and lamps.
 Close drapes to lessen shadows.
 Request a morning exercise program to reduce restlessness in the afternoon.
 Consult with staff for strategies that provide a sense of purpose, like setting the dining room tables or
putting vases out for that evening’s meal.
 Visit in the morning.
Easter Egg Hunt fun.