The Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly showcased its services and honoured its residents during an open house hosted May 31 as part of the territory’s 35th annual observance of Senior Citizens Month.
“I think that we are still in the era where people feel that a home for the elderly is just a place that you put people who don’t have anybody to look after them or they don’t have any children,” said home manager Ritzia Turnbull-Smith. “But it’s much more than that. … Yes, it might be an institution, but we try to make it a home where our residents feel comfortable.”
Originally known as the “old people’s home,” the facility was renamed in 1985 in honour of Adina Donovan, the community’s first registered nurse, according to Ms. Turnbull-Smith. Over the years, the home has expanded to include a new wing and additional services, adapting to the growing and diversifying needs of its residents, Ms. Turnbull-Smith explained.
“In the early seventies, this facility was also a hostel where nurses from the outskirts of the island stayed, especially if it was late hours or if they had a very early morning shift,” Ms. Turnbull-Smith said.
“In the eighties, a decision was made by the government of that time to relocate [the home] and find better accommodations for what we referred to at that time as ‘indigent persons.’”
The open house
On Friday, visitors toured the facility, which includes two main sections: the original section and the addition built in the mid-1980s. The home includes a reception area, dining room, outdoor verandah, kitchen, nurse managers’ offices, observation room, and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. The upper floor houses administrative offices, a laundry area, and additional bedrooms. During the open house, Ms. Turnbull-Smith emphasised the home’s mission to create a welcoming environment and counter the stigma that often surrounds care facilities.
Seeking support
She also noted that the home relies not only on government support but also on donations and volunteer efforts from the community.
Ms. Turnbull-Smith encouraged businesses and civic organisations to consider adopting or supporting the facility in various ways.
“Donations don’t always mean financial,” she said. “It could be equipment, colouring books, games, craft paper. It’s not always monetary. We welcome that.”
Volunteers are also welcome, provided they undergo a vetting process to ensure they can contribute meaningfully to the facility, she said.
Whether it’s helping with activities, providing professional services like physical therapy, or simply spending time with residents, volunteers play a crucial role in enhancing the lives of the home’s residents, according to the manager.
‘See the happiness’
Ms. Turnbull-Smith said she hopes that the open house visitors left with a deeper understanding of the home’s operations and the care provided to its residents.
“I would like them to look at the faces and see the happiness on the faces of the residents,” she said. “Some people feel that they’re in a confined area; that they don’t do anything. But they don’t just sit around. The visitors see that they indeed do things by the crafts we display and their participation in activities.”
While celebrating Senior Citizens Month and reflecting on the lessons learned from previous generations, the manager urged the community to appreciate the hard work and sacrifices made by their predecessors.
“When you really think about it, how do we continue our culture and our tradition?” she asked. “We rely on our seniors to inform us; to educate us about long ago and how it was. So I think that we need to really pay more emphasis on the way things were, because we’ve come a long way and we have a lot to be thankful for. And we really need to give more honour to our seniors, whether it’s your parents, whether it’s your family, just seniors in general.”