Extendicare is sure getting up there.
The nursing home celebrated its 50th birthday on Sept. 8, in conjunction with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ first Grandparents’ Day in Athabasca.
“It’s basically to honour our seniors, who basically did all the hard work so the rest of us can do this today and relax a little bit,” AUPE vice-president Mike Dempsey said.
AUPE is the union that represents Extendicare employees.
Extendicare administrator Joan Cody said the staff had fun with the day, making a blue, gold and white theme inside the building to represent Extendicare and placing red, black and white decorations outside for AUPE. The festivities included two birthday cakes, a table full of old photo albums and a surprise addition to the home.
Owner of Spruce Grove’s Sanctuary Craft Studio, Thom Rypien, donated a stained glass mural to the home. The glasswork, which shows two grey jay birds by a maple tree near the Athabasca River, was given in memory of his mother, Stephenie Rypien and grandfather, John Sypos, both of whom lived at Extendicare.
“I’m making this donation to brighten up the residents even more than they get with the great staff,” he said. “I cannot say how much, even though my mom was only here for a year, the care that they gave her here, I mean this place truly was a special home for her and for all of you that are here.”
The nursing home was originally building the 1960s and purchased by Extendicare in 1981. It is a privately-owned and publically-funded full-service nursing home.
“I think 50 years of service here in Athabasca is good and is significant. Fifty years for any business lots of times is a pretty big milestone,” said Cody.
Hazel Mimns has resided at Extendicare for over a year.
“Good place to be when you can’t look after yourself,” she said. “They look after us good and feed us good.”
