They sold the farm and — literally — moved a country mile to V!VA Barrhaven Retirement Community
V!VA Barrhaven felt like home for Lorne and Nora Burnett as soon as they moved into the retirement community about two years ago. That is partly because of the many amenities and services that the new retirement home has to offer and partly because the building stands so near their former doorstep. “I come from a large farming family in what is now Barrhaven,” says Lorne Burnett.
“The family was on the property since 1827 and I lived there all my life — all 85 years of it.”
After their marriage, Lorne and Nora purchased the family farm. “Our farm was the second one over from V!VA and we watched it being built. We now live just one mile from where I grew up and can see where we used to live from our balcony.” And that, says Nora Burnett, who also grew up nearby, adds to their comfort level in their new home. “The number one thing we enjoy about being here is being in our own backyard. We didn’t have to change our doctor, our dentist or anything else, just our address.”
Because both come from very large families — she was one of 15 and he was one of nine siblings — with many of their relatives still close by, they have a constant stream of visitors. “We always have someone coming or going,” says Nora, who was the first president of the Barrhaven-Fallowfield
Bowling League and a member of her church’s parish council, so had a wide social circle. “We have friends and neighbours from 40 years ago that are still our friends and neighbours. This was always a great community to live in. That’s why we wanted to stay here.” The couple is equally enthusiastic about their new home at V!VA Barrhaven Retirement Community and the many services available.
“I am particularly enjoying the openness, the brightness, the large rooms and the hospitality,” says Nora.
“And I love the pool. I do 45 minutes of Aquafit and 25 minutes of swimming on my own three times a week. Aquafit and swimming certainly help my mobility.”
The heated saltwater pool is just one of the attractive aspects of the retirement community. The Barrhaven location includes walking paths on the grounds, a gym with equipment designed for older adults, a big-screen movie theatre, a bistro-style café, a golf simulator (the first of its kind at a retirement community in Canada) and raised gardens for any community members who enjoy gardening. A shuttle bus is available for group outings and shopping trips, while the activity calendar is set up to keep both mind and body as busy as any community member chooses. From personalized fitness and exercise programs to computer classes, lectures and library visits, there is always plenty on the agenda.
Lorne, for example, is particularly enthusiastic about playing cards and working on jigsaw puzzles.
The V!VA team also gets rave reviews. “The last few months have naturally been challenging for everyone, but we felt totally safe and secure here thanks to the incredible efforts of the team members,” says Lorne. “Better yet, our children had peace of mind knowing that we weren’t facing everything alone.”
“At V!VA, we’re always looking for ways to improve the experience of our community members,” says Community Relations manager Natasha Paquette. “We recently launched our new Anytime Dining program, which means they can enjoy meals throughout the day instead of at pre-specified times. It’s another key way we’re supporting that independent lifestyle.”
V!VA Barrhaven Retirement Community has a range of suites including one- and two-bedroom options. Care levels include independent to assisted living and all include three meals a day plus snacks and housekeeping. V!VA communities are pet friendly, have health professionals on site and offer respite and trial stays. The Canadian owned and operated chain has eight locations in Ontario, including Carleton Place.
For more information, visit
www.vivalife.ca or call 613823-0220.