Mulberry PARC partners with programs that enrich the lives of independent seniors in Burnaby

PARC Retirement Living has purposefully built and operated each retirement residence with community consultation and input in mind. From the beginning, we wanted to ensure that we remained rooted in the communities that our seniors call home, forming connections that lead to long-lasting relationships.

We contribute over $400,000 annually to local organizations making a difference in the lives of seniors, and our own corporate office gets involved by supporting our residences and their staff in programs, services, events and, most importantly, neighbourhood involvement.

We wouldn’t have it any other way.

At Mulberry PARC, our commitment to providing opportunities for seniors to live an engaged, vibrant, purposeful, and healthy life translates to over $31,000 spent every year towards senior wellness programs in Burnaby. We partner with organizations that share our passion and operate in a similar way to PARC, focusing on integrity and quality of experience.

Edmonds Health Watch, Cameron’s Health Focus, Bonsor 55+ and Seniors in Active Living are several such programs that we are involved with. Each is similar in that they offer wellness checks; including blood pressure monitoring, and height and weight checks; gentle chair massages; foot care by appointment; and other services at some locations, such as reiki. With fixed weekly or bi-weekly hours, seniors know they can depend on a place where they feel welcomed and valued.

PARC financially and physically contributes to helping run each of the above by getting involved at the grassroots level and sponsoring to help with costs. Throughout the year, we stay connected through on topics of interest to seniors, like last month’s cooking demonstration by Mulberry PARC’s A delicious bruschetta was prepared as he discussed the many health benefits of tomatoes – did you know they’re great for skin, hair, and eyes? A great example of how PARC chefs create nutritionally balanced menus with optimal health in mind.

Being an ongoing part of these programs isn’t just about giving back or only connecting to the community for the benefit of our residents – it goes beyond, to understand that our current and future employees live and work here. That each person our staff and employees come into contact within the greater area matters. And as a leading provider of senior independent living, it also speaks to our belief in the seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental and occupational. Connecting to our communities gives our residents, other seniors in the area, and the community at large a chance to create a support network and sense of belonging.

This belief is woven into day-to-day life at our residences, and ties together with our partnerships.

For example, this June, Mulberry PARC will be hosting a garage sale, where proceeds will go towards a very special Christmas tradition that we share with Edmonds Health Watch. Each December, our staff and residents prepare hampers for those who may not be fortunate enough to celebrate the holidays. Smiles abound, and we are all reminded that there is no better way to experience the joy of the season than through giving. As one attendee told us last year, “just knowing someone cared enough to go to all that work for me really made the holiday special.”

Raising money during the year for these hampers through events like the garage sale, casino night and a Christmas market help our residents feel involved and connected to their community.

Mulberry PARC’s management team attends seasonal and volunteer lunches at the wellness programs, often presenting a gift basket with a complimentary lunch voucher for Mulberry PARC. Staff and residents also participate in Cameron Seniors Society’s annual fashion show, where one lucky Mulberry PARC resident is selected to model Northern Reflections’ outfits. A table is set aside for eight residents to attend, and the management team serves coffee and tea with a chance to mingle. This year’s model, Susan, said she, “met some great people and learned to step outside [her] comfort zone.”

Sponsoring establishments like the Burnaby wellness programs is part of our corporate culture, forged by our founder and Chairman, Rainer Müller, and carried on by each and every employee at PARC. We are about hiring passionate, dedicated people who are excited to come to work each day and benefit from knowing their work makes a difference in the lives of others.

If you’re seeking retirement homes surrounded by people who care about the community of Burnaby as much as you do, say hello to life at Mulberry PARC.