Pamela Supple, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, tried to stay in her home and live on her own for as long as possible, but at age 49 that became impossible. That’s when she moved to Northwood.
“When I first came here I thought I didn’t want to be here,” she admits.
Now, three years later, Supple feels differently, and says that’s due in part to Northwood’s changing resident population. Supple is one of almost a hundred residents that staff consider part of the “younger generation.”
“We generally classify people under the age of 65, however sometime we say young at heart so it can go up to sometimes 70,” explained Shannon Nedelcu, a recreation programmer at Northwood.
Nedelcu started working at Northwood 10 years ago, she says she never expected to be working with a younger crowd.
“There’s all kinds of younger people within the facility, however they’re not all in one unit, so we need get them all together and find a way that they can meet,” said Nedelcu.
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Nursing homes were created to serve the needs of a senior population and staff at Northwood admit the facility is far from ideal for the younger generation.
John Verlinden, Northwood’s corporate director of communications and community engagement, says the facility has developed new programs and adapted others, from more outings, to changes to food menus in order to meet the needs of the younger population, but he says more needs to be done.
“They’re looking for things to do, it’s a long day when you’re here 24 hours a day,” he said. “They may share a room, or their neighbour might be somebody in their 90s, and there’s nothing there they can relate to, so there’s definitely challenges for them.”
Trudie Helmke is a member of Independent Now Nova Scotia (INNS), a disability rights group working to improve the lives of the more than 500 young adults with physical disabilities living in continuing care in Nova Scotia.
She says the need for their own unit goes beyond recreation, it’s also a matter of safety and different care needs. According to Helmke, INNS has started a petition calling on the government to invest in separate facilities or units.
“Invest in, if not a home, if not our own facility, then an area in existing facilities that are geared for the young and designed for the young,” explained Helmke.
It’s a concern Nova Scotia’s health minister says he’s been made aware of. Leo Glavine says he’s met with a number of young adults with physical disabilities living in continuing care.
“Perhaps the nursing home is not truly the most appropriate setting and so finding other opportunities and working with them is the big thing,” he said, adding “they have my attention.”
Tune into Halifax Evening News at 6, Friday February 27 for more information.
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