The Journey Begins
“Kasha” has lived with her aunt from the age of 12, when her mother dropped her off and never returned after the death of her father. Born with a cognitive disability making communication difficult, the now 58-year old’s name was next to be chosen from Marydale Retirement Village’s waitlist. At first, she indicated she was very scared to live on her own. With encouragement and knowledge her aunt lived not far away, she agreed to the move.
A Collaborative Effort
Coaxing her out of her unit was difficult for the first six months. Gradually, with support from staff and neighboring residents, she began to attend activities offered in the Community Center. Just recently at a dinner activity, she came up to a staff member, gave her a BIG hug and yelled, “I love living here and would not want to be anywhere else!”