The Vital Beat

All stories

Students from Beaumont interviewed local seniors, wrote a formal script based on the stories they shared and developed a theatrical piece.

Students bring seniors’ stories to life onstage

Music from the ‘40s and ‘50s fills the air as you walk into the dimly lit drama studio. A single spotlight ...

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The dining room in the dementia cottage at Villa Marie in Red Deer is painted to resemble a diner and drive-in movie. It is all part of the site's new approach to dementia care.

Transforming dementia care with a can of paint

Commentary by Truman Severson, President of Covenant Care Over the course of my life I have been around people who have ...

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Kevin Hermary hugs his mom Chris Hermary, who lives in a special memory cottage at Villa Marie in Red Deer. It is one of four sites in the country to offer the Butterfly Project.

A new look and feel for dementia care

Entering the dementia cottage at Red Deer’s Villa Marie is an unexpected yet delightful assault on all five senses. Brightly painted ...

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Carla Genereux, RN and Elder Friendly Care Project Co-ordinator, removes Jim Wenger’s Broda chair lap belt restraint as part of the new least-restraint policy.

Orthopedic team reduces restraint use by 84 per cent

The orthopedic team at the Misericordia Community Hospital is moving towards a restraint-free environment. Many orthopedic patients are elderly and very ...

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Demystifying dementia

For those working in geriatric mental health, the people they care for are complex—both medically and psychologically. Dementia is one of ...

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