Kentwood Park LEC is enjoying creating meaningful activities for residents

‘It has been really fun, the staff and the residents have been so welcoming,’ says Tracy Kimmett

Tracy Kimmett says she knew she wanted to work with long-term-care home residents from the time she was a student.

The life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC) at Kentwood Park since June, Tracy brings 16 years’ experience working in the greater health-care sector to the Picton, Ont. long-term care home.

Asked what drew her to long-term care, Tracy says it has always been the residents.

“I just love the residents, and I knew when I was going to college that (a career in long-term care) is what I wanted to do,” she tells The OMNIway.

In addition to working in long-term care, Tracy has also worked at Kingston General Hospital, so she brings well-rounded experience in health care to Kentwood Park.

Tracy says she has enjoyed delivering programs to Kentwood Park residents, noting an activity she helped organize at Thanksgiving gave her an idea for future programming.

The Kentwood Park team hosted a “turkey shoot” which saw residents hunt “turkeys” – staff members who were dressed as the birds – with Nerf guns.

Given the success of this program, Tracy has decided to organize more Nerf-gun “hunts” at Kentwood Park during the upcoming Christmas season, including a reindeer hunt and an activity called “shoot the elf off the shelf”.

In anticipation of more of these programs, team members have even made “hunting licences” for residents, Tracy notes.

Tracy says Kentwood Park has been a good fit for her and she is looking forward to creating more programming opportunities for residents.

“It has been really fun, the staff and the residents have been so welcoming, and I really enjoy it here,” she says.

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PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above, Kentwood Park residents and staff members pose for a photo following the Thanksgiving “turkey hunt” at the Picton, Ont. long-term care home.