Residents Norm and Verla Whattam at Kentwood's couples dinner.
Kentwood staff hosts dinner to honour husbands and wives
Dinner event fills gap in finding programming for couples
Friday May 9, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
The life enrichment department at Kentwood Park recently held a special function aimed at meeting the needs of a growing demographic at the Picton long-term care home — couples.

On April 30 staff members celebrated the seven couples residing at Kentwood Park with an evening that included a steak dinner and soft music.

Couples were seated at tables by themselves to provide an intimate ambience, while life enrichment co-ordinator Linda Sheppard and nutritional care/environmental services manager Ginette Beaudoin Neil served the meal.

This is the first time the home has held a couples’ night but Sheppard says it won’t be the last. The evening went so well, she says she hopes to make it an annual event at Kentwood Park.

Sheppard notes that the couples attending the dinner had been together between 50 and 60 years.

“To me, that longevity and that kind of caring needs to be honoured,” she says. “And that’s what we did. . . . It was about giving the couples quiet, intimate time together.”

Hal and Eleanor Rye enjoy the couples dinner.

From a life enrichment standpoint, Sheppard says the evening had many benefits. Because couples were seated together they could talk to their spouse and reminisce. This, says Sheppard, attached a strong emotional value to the evening.

Normally, couples at the home sit at the same table during meals. However, most of the time there is a least two other people sitting with them. While having couples sit with other residents has a social benefit, Sheppard says the couples’ evening at the home provided a personalized atmosphere not found in regular meal programming.

Resident Beverley Messeroll, who attended the meal with her husband Lloyd, says she enjoyed the evening and is thankful to the staff at Kentwood Park for arranging the event.

“It was just wonderful. The whole dinner was just gorgeous,” she says. “Linda has been so good to all the couples here. It was just so nice for everybody to be together.”

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