Caring for Our Senior Residents: A great honour

For almost a decade, we have welcomed home a great number of friends. Each individual has their own story and their own unique needs, but what remains the same for everyone is they have been given our unwavering promise to provide lifelong care and compassion. 

At times, it can feel both difficult yet comforting to see a resident grow into their senior years. Our friends were born with the intention of not becoming teenagers, adults or even seniors so it’s heartwarming to see beautiful tufts of grey hair growing on their faces.  

Daily Observations 

At any age, especially in someone’s senior years, we closely monitor each resident’s:  

• mobility

• sense of hearing and sight  

• any facial expressions of wincing which may be an indication of pain they may be experiencing 

• their current level of activity 

• if they’re guarding a potentially sore body part or are flinching 

• emotional health and wellbeing

Our Resident Health Care database, created by Facilities Supervisor, Kevin Weil has been an invaluable tool in monitoring any big or small changes of each resident’s health over time. It’s very easy for someone’s mobility to slowly decline without much notice, especially in our chicken friends who naturally try to hide any health challenges they’re experiencing. Thankfully, after a few clicks of the mouse, and we have an array of graphs and charts right at our fingertips, which help us determine the best course of veterinary care and ongoing treatments wherever needed.  

For example, 12-year-old Captain Dan was beginning to show signs of discomfort, so our veterinarian came to assess him and concluded that he has arthritis. During his 6-week health checks, the Caregivers also noticed he was losing weight and he was losing muscle mass in his hind legs. 

Fulfilling Our Promise 

Now, Dan receives slippery elm to help coat his stomach, gabapentin and rimadyl to help control his pain, and supplemental meals to help him maintain a healthy weight - which he isn’t complaining about! The gabapentin has a bitter taste so his capsules are either in his meals, covered in molasses. Or, placed inside some fig newton “pill pockets”. Or, in his favourite peanut butter wraps! The Captain also receives monthly osteopathic treatments to help strengthen his hind leg muscles, and since he gets cold easily during cooler nights, he also gets extra straw and blankets as well.  

While several of our residents are enjoying their Golden Years, we closely monitor and treat their needs daily while ensuring their independence and autonomy. They continue to bring great joy and happiness to all our lives,so it’s a tremendous honour to be here for them when help is needed, and to have this time together, reminding them just how special they truly are.