By Lawrence Belanger
Local Journalism Initiative
Many families across the Townships are preparing holiday plans for the next couple weeks, as a majority of them celebrate Christmas, and sizeable communities celebrate winter holidays of other religious faiths and traditions. Some of these families are preparing to visit loved ones in a seniors’ residence, or bring them to their homes for the holidays.
However, most might be unaware of what the personal experience is like for a senior in one of these residences during the holiday season. Seniors living in Grace Village and Le Renaissance – Manoir St-Francis say they experience a mixture of nostalgia, quiet contemplation, and anticipation during the holiday season.
Decembers at Lennoxville’s two residences are full of Christmas crafts, concerts, visits from local students, and a Christmas dinner. At Le Renaissance, there is a choir featuring residents once a week on Fridays, and two cello concerts planned this month. Events at Grace Village include Christmas caroling, baking seasonal foods, and less common activities such as making eggnog.
The residents of Le Renaissance and Grace Village who spoke to the Record described December inside a senior home’s walls as not too different from their experiences in the years immediately before.
