Tough family decision works out well

Cape Breton seems to have a high percentage of seniors in our midst. As this segment of our population gets older, many families are faced with decisions on caring for elderly family members as they become unable to stay in their own homes.

Our family made this difficult decision last year and we have never looked back. We placed our Dad in Harbourstone, a long-term care facility in Sydney.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending an afternoon St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the facility. Dad was a coal miner for 44 years but this old miner fits quite well into Steelworkers Lane. When we walked into the party area, the Irish theme was quite evident. All the residents were well-dressed in Irish garb along with the workers. The workers had supplied hats, vests, ties and scarfs to add a festive touch to the occasion. One of the workers informed me that they recycle pop and juice containers so that they can provide these little extras for the residents.

Michele, the keyboard player, had everyone singing along to familiar Irish tunes. Some were dancing and everyone was smiling.

Lunch was a buffet of mouthwatering treats and many of it was prepared at home and brought in by staff.

The residents were looking forward to another party later that evening. Sometimes, I think that my father has a better social life than I do.

Steelworkers Lane is my father’s home now and he is content to be living there. As I glanced around the room, I realized that the residents were all there for various reasons. Some have physical limitations, some have mental impairments but most are just too old to live alone. But all of them are now living in a place that provides safety and comfort. For that we are grateful.

Many families might have difficulty in making this life-changing decision in placing a loved one in such a facility. If all the other facilities in Cape Breton are as comfortable as Steelworkers Lane, have no worries about your decision.

Our family sleeps well at night knowing that our Dad is well cared for.

Yvonne Kennedy Homeville