FEATURE | Homey care centre helps seniors to stay at home @3, VALORIE LENNOX Special to This Week here’s no place like home. That belief backs the many services of the Mt. Newton Centre, a unique facility designed to keep seniors inde- pendent. Mt. Newton was advocating support services to keep seniors in their own homes 12 years ago, before the concept became popular, said centre @ecutive director Patsy Berger-North. Yet the new centre was still designed to suggest a ram- bling farmhouse, in keeping with the rolling hills of rural Central Saanich. Inside, the centre is fur- nished with antiques and an- tique replicas, including a black wood stove bearing teapot and flowers which wel- comes visitors to the lobby. The whole centre is designed to suggest a home rather than an institution, Berger-North said. An estimated $75,000 worth of furnishing and equip- ment were donated by the community, she added. The day care program is still ADAPTABLE PENGUINS, shownwith Mi. Newton Cenire execu- tive director Patsy Berger-North, were chosen as the cenire’s mascot because of the animals’ survival ability and sociability. Since 1978 the Mt. Newton Society has offered adult day care in a heritage farmhouse next to the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. Offering community based seniors services next to an acute and extended care hospital is unusual, Berger- North said. “No one has ever combined the services of a community organization and an acute care hospital before,” she ex- plained. “I think we're a good model of integration of services.” This year the old farmhouse was replaced by a new $450,000 centre which opened in April. offered, along with many new services to support seniors in their own homes. For example, the bridging program brings seniors about to be released from the acute care hospital into the centre. Centre staff assess the person’s ability to care for him or herself and teach self-help skills. Special equipment or support services can help the senior return home after a hospital stay. “They come to a homelike en- vironment and they learn the skills they need when they go home.” The bridging service can make the difference between returning home or being placed in an institution, Berger-North said. A part-time physiotherapist and occupational therapist works with seniors at the centre and in their homes. An equipment loan service and a handyman service en- sure the seniors have any necessary equipment and renovations to support them- selves safely at home. “We need to ensure people won't go home from hospital and then be admitted back to hospital because of a fall,” Berger-North explained. For seniors unable to use a conventional bathtub, the centre offers a bathing service in tubs designed for easy ac- cess. A special mini-beauty parlor offers care for those whose health or mobility problems keep them from using com- mercial salons. Some of the programs are designed to prevent health problems. A podiatry clinic, weight and blood pressure clinic and spe- cial health workshops en- courage seniors to maintain their own health. “The seniors on the Penin- sula have taken an interest in promoting healthy lifestyles,” Berger-North said. Many of the volunteers who support the centre are seniors who anticipate needing the centre’s services as they grow older. “The Monday Bee group, every time they give us a dona- tion, they say it won't be long before some of them need this service.” Although the centre only has eight full-time and six part- time staff, Berger-North es- timates the many volunteers put in enough hours every week to equal 15 full-time stafft people. One new volunteer sup- ported program is the seniors visiting service, which sends trained visitors to see seniors living alone in the community. Another program, counsell- ing on hearing impairment, is available by donation. Use of all the programs is increasing, Berger-North said. The centre also offers adult day care to an estimated 140 clients annually. The new facility enables staff to keep the day care clients, many of whom suffer from progressive dementia, separated from those using the drop-in ser- vices. “That's something to con- sider when you have am- bulatory confused seniors. You don’t want a lot of extra people coming in and out because it is confusing for them,” Berger- North said. The centre serves the Saanich Peninsula from Royal Oak north. Funding comes from the British Columbia Ministry of Health, the Vic- toria Health Project, United Way, private donations and the fees charged for some ser- vices. This Week August 1, 1990. Page M7 SERGERS!! SPECIAL LIMITED OFFER Due to a special purchase situation, we can offer a limited number of new JUKI 3-4 thread sergers. These sergers must be sold! These sergers offered are the most modern in the JUKI line. These sergers are made of metal and cut and overcast all fabrics (nylon, stretch, silk, even serges on denim). All are new, in factory sealed cartons and have an excellent guarantee. With the new 1990 JUKI 3-4 thread Serger you have easy threading and operation, easy maintenance, high quality controls and trimming knives of special steel with a maximum sewing speed of 1500 stitches per $ 5 ¢ C 00 minute. These machines have been manufac- -~ Cloth Castle (= tured in Japan, so you can be assured of excellent quality control. MLS Price $899.00 786 Goldstream Ave. Victoria sw 478-21 1 2 Coastal History. At some point many of us only dreamed about living on Vancouver Island. Now that you're finally here you'll want to discover our Island paradise. Our wide selection of books include: “Coastal History”, “Flynn's Cove’, “Piper's Lagoon’, “A Dream of Islands’, and many more. For Victoria's largest selection of B.C. topic books (over 750 titles), we're the place! e -; Drop in and browse at: 546 Yates Street, Victoria, B.C. 3 Phone: (604) 386-4636; Fax: (604) 386-0221 All major credit cards accepted. Mention this ad for 10% off your next purchase. GOODSYEAR It's not just a 545°. Itsa GOODYEAR TIRE! 94S All Season Radial New Everyday New Everyday Sizes Low Price Sizes Low Price P155/80R13 $45.99 P205/75R15 $69.99 P185/75R14 59.99 P215/75R15 73.99 P195/75R14 60.99 P225/75R15 82.99 P205/75R14 69.99 COMPUTERIZED 12 MONTH TUNE-UP Our computer performs numerous tests on your car's engine. Thena computer print out shows exactly what's needed. We install new spark plugs and check charging, starting and engine systems. Our _12-month warranty includes 3 additional engine analyses and tune-up adjustments within one year. Most vehicles including imports. 4 cylinder $ O25 6 cylinder “69 8 cylinder $7995 VICTORIA C= KAL Oy ASSOCIATE DEALER OPEN 7:30 a.m. 1 block north of Chinatown GOVERNMENT at HERALD 382-6184