Decade of caring marked

Nick Jennings knows what it is like to be part of the sandwich generation.

His mother had been dealing with the early stages of Alzheimer Disease for almost 15 years. She travelled back and forth between his house and his sisters’ homes because she could no longer live on her own.

“My wife was also flying back and forth between Toronto and England to help take her of her mother who had early stages of dementia,” he said. “This was all while taking care of our two boys.”

Two years ago, the Jennings were told by a social worker about the Ewart Angus SPRINT homes in the Leaside area, a home dedicated to housing people with early to mid-stage dementias.

“We thought it was perfect for mom,” Jennings said. “Their philosophy appealed to us because the residents have a certain amount of independence and they encourage them to be actively involved in everyday tasks.”

In November, the homes celebrated 10 years of caring for residents with Alzheimer’s and other dementias with a reception of around 50 people.

The facility was a joint venture of St. George United Church and SPRINT (Senior Peoples Resources in North Toronto), which worked together to receive funding to build the home a decade ago.

Located at 268 Merton St., the Ewart Angus SPRINT homes are unique in Ontario said Mary-Estelle Wiley, one of the directors of SPRINT’s homecare services. She said there are few options for people whose relatives have early stages of dementia adding that because they are still mobile and healthy, placing them in a nursing home is not the solution.

The facility also receives funding from the Ministry of Health Long-Term Care. which allows SPRINT to provide 24-hour care for residents.

“We are different than other homes because we help residents do things for themselves,” Wiley said. “It is important that they maintain their independence and dignity.”

Jennings agrees.

“I really feel strongly that this is the way of the future,” he said, adding there is a huge demand for funded assisted living for the elderly in the province.

“If only the government would have the vision to build more places like this,” he said. “I just hope for my wife and I, there will be more places like this because you don’t want to be a burden on anyone when you get older. It has really been a dream come true for our family.”