Cold weather conditions do not stop these devoted care home staff

“Boys and their toys” — staff at Menno Place work to keep the roads and walkways clear of snow and ice

After this week’s unusually cold weather, there are a lot of heroes that deserve praise for going beyond the call of duty. Frontline staff in hospitals and first responders, as well as the municipal staff who maintain our roads come to mind. But it is the staff who work in our long-term care, assisted living and independent living sites – in addition to home support workers out in the community and braving the snowy conditions – that we would like to recognize as well.

Whether you are a care aide or nurse, a cook preparing meals, housekeeping staff or a maintenance worker, we owe you our gratitude for taking care of our elderly loved ones.

There are so many stories we hear about that indicate the dedication and compassion people working in the seniors living and wellness sector exhibit every day. When the going gets tough as it has this week, it is remarkable how many great people step up.

At the Menno Place campus of care, it was a struggle for many to navigate the treacherous roadways to get into work. Abbotsford, like so many Fraser Valley communities, bore the brunt of the blizzard conditions.

Karen Baillie, CEO at Menno Place and BCCPA past president, described how her staff went the extra mile.

“Bas, my Maintenance Manager and his staff member, not only came in before the highway was closed,” says Karen, “but stayed overnight last night here in Abbotsford in a hotel and cleared our whole campus of snow. Also, our Manager of Dining Experience came in before the highway closed to make sure we could run our 5 kitchens. What a wonderful team we have!”

There are no doubt dozens of stories like the one at Menno Place. BC Care Providers Association and EngAge BC staff sends a huge thank you to all of you who have been so dedicated and caring all year long, but especially during the snowstorm of January 2020!