Advocate worked tirelessly for seniors
Doug Rapelje didn’t stop advocating for seniors in Niagara when he retired close to 30 years ago.
He worked tirelessly for the region’s aging population, right up until the time of his death — Thursday morning at age 88.
A champion for elderly people in Niagara, he was hired as an administrator for Sunset Haven Home for Seniors in Welland around the time of the regional government being formed in 1970. He then became director of the senior citizens department at Niagara Region and oversaw the creation of several long-term-care homes.
Brian Rapelje, his oldest child, said his father’s life’s work started when he felt homes for the aged weren’t as comfortable for residents as they could be. They were very institutional and were operated more like hospitals.
“He saw that at a young age and it just didn’t sit right with him,” said Brian.
His work at Sunset Haven included adding amenities like a swimming pool, bowling alley, and a tuck shop, at which his wife Carol volunteered countless hours.
At his retirement celebration 26 years ago, it was unveiled that a new home in Welland would be opening. But the greatest surprise to him was that it would bear his name.
“He was very taken aback about that. It was a very high honour,” said Brian about D.H. Rapelje Lodge being named after his father.
Rapelje didn’t spend his retirement sitting around the house. He was actively involved in Age Friendly Niagara and recently participated in redevelopment planning for the new Linhaven and Gilmore Lodge long-term-care homes.
He was involved with United Way, was chair of the Alzheimer Society of Niagara foundation, was named honorary co-chair of an ongoing fundraising campaign at Foyer Richelieu, and sat on several committees in the region.
His expertise in long-term care was internationally known.
He made frequent trips to Japan to help develop plans and design facilities, playing a role in addressing concerns with a growing aging population, said Brian.
Over the years, Rapelje received many honours for his contributions.
He was awarded an honorary degree from Brock University, the Canadian Association in Gerontology’s Contribution to Gerontology Award, the Niagara Centre Canada 150 Awards’ Contributions to the Community Award, and the T. Roy Adams Humanitarian Award in 2020.
Dominic Ventresca knew Rapelje for about 50 years.
Ventresca was introduced to him while he was a student University of Toronto and was seeking support from local politicians to start a home health service, but needed a signature from someone involved in caring for seniors.
Everyone told him they’d be onboard if Rapelje endorsed his idea.
“He was obviously a go-to guy in the eyes of political leaders,” said Ventresca, who took over for Rapelje when he retired as director of senior services at the Region.
Their relationship blossomed further after Ventresca retired about 10 years ago. They worked together on several volunteer initiatives, mostly with Age Friendly Niagara.
“He was a very energetic and community-minded person, and he directed his energy through his work,” said Ventresca.
His vision of bringing in things like activities, trips for residents, and other ideas to make long-termcare homes more comfortable is one of the greatest pieces in Rapelje’s legacy, Ventresca believes.
“He was dynamic, hard-working, had high expectations, and was very progressive in his thinking,” he said, noting how Rapelje was one of the first long-term-care administrators to work on the creation of outdoor spaces for people with mobility issues.
Henriette Koning, director of senior services at Niagara Region, said Rapelje was “a very caring man” who was “genuinely interested in everyone he met.
“He leaves a proud legacy of his dedication and commitment to seniors,” she said Friday.
Rapelje is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carol, and their four children. They had six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
His family is working on arrangements for a celebration of life to be held in the near future, said Brian.
‘‘He leaves a proud legacy of his dedication and commitment to seniors
HENRIETTE KONING NIAGARA REGION DIRECTOR OF SENIOR SERVICES