Arbutus Care Centre is part of Revera, one of North America’s leading providers of seniors’ care and services since 1961. Boyd Foster lives at Revera’s Arbutus Care Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia and recently shared about the residents’ experiences surrounding the implementation of the Java Music Club program.
“The Java Music Club is something that really helps people a lot because it got them talking about themselves…it gives people the wherewithal to do something for themselves. The talking stick is great because you go ‘here’; there’s no way to get around it. It is passed on to you.
Reading the Group Guidelines is for me fun because I’m getting good at it! Little things like that, they really add to one’s abilities. And it’s the abilities that we have that we’ve forgotten.”
Boyd Foster, Resident, Arbutus Care Centre
Christina Cheshire, who works at Arbutus Care Centre also shared her experience:
“There was a new resident at Arbutus who had only been at the home for a week. I saw her walking down the hall coming towards the recreation room where we were going to hold the Java Music Club. I asked her if she wanted to come and she pointed to David,* another resident walking in front of her. He turned around and said that he told her about the group. This is amazing for 2 reasons. Firstly, David does not express enthusiasm for other groups. Secondly, by inviting a new resident he is showing that he sees some value in the group and wants to share that value. The two residents sat together at the Java Music Club. David offered to help me serve the coffee at tea to “move it along” so we could get started. At the end of the group David said to Norah ‘Aren’t you glad you came?’ It is such an honor to assist budding friendships such as this one. It is really making such a huge impact on the lives of so many!”
Christina Cheshire, Music Therapist, Arbutus Care Centre
*The names in this quote have been changed to protect confidentiality.