Lately, there have been concerns raised in the media about the care and attention that residents of Copper Ridge Place receive.
Some families have been vocal about their concerns over the safety of their loved ones.
We also have a loved one at Copper Ridge, but could not be happier with our mother’s safety nor the care and attention that she receives at the facility.
Our mother suffers from multiple sclerosis and has dementia, which means she requires 24-hour care with specialized equipment and trained individuals.
We cannot provide that care to her.
Unfortunately, our mother does, on occasion, fall out of her wheelchair as her independence and wish to care for herself overrides her comprehension of her capabilities.
These falls are an event that used to happen frequently before she moved into Copper Ridge and still occasionally occur. The difference now is that if she does have a fall she is found quickly, as opposed to when she was at home and she was not discovered for hours.
The staff at Copper Ridge are easy to approach, at all times, in the care and treatment of our mother.
We believe that the facilities in Whitehorse offer a service that many other areas of Canada are envious of.
Copper Ridge Place provides a home-like quality that brings back feelings of our mother’s previous independent life, as she has the ability to participate in cooking and decorating for special occasions.
The staff provide her with hugs, blankets and various types of therapy to keep her body strong and her mental state calm. The singing session she attends allows her to sing those songs that she knows and loves, as research has shown songs come from different memory channels in the brain.
Her personal hygiene is cared for, as she is no longer capable of providing this for herself, and the staff have the equipment to move her from wheelchair to tub to bed without risk to her, or them.
In our opinion, the fee that is charged for our mother to attend Copper Ridge does not reflect the amount of service and care she receives.
If we were charged two, three, four times as much, it would still be worth every penny.
To sum up, we strongly believe that the care, attention and safety that is afforded our mother is unsurpassed. We are very fortunate that our mother resides at Copper Ridge Place, and the staff care for her in ways that we are not capable, trained or able to and that they have provided a safe and loving environment for her and for us when we visit.
Michelle Christensen-Toews
and Susan Toews
Whitehorse