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People at Preston Park 2 Retirement Residence are living it up.
The retirement home has clamped down on health and safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have some fun.
That’s where Mark Diakiw comes in.
The home’s health and wellness director has been entertaining seniors at retirement homes across the province for nearly four years.
Being responsible for all activities at Preston Park 2, Diakiw has had to reconfigure his calendar, especially for the weekly happy hour where simply meeting for a few drinks on the main floor has turned into talking to your neighbour from across the hallway.
“We’ll sing and dance in the hallways and spend 20 minutes on each floor and then work our way up to the next one,” Diakiw said. “That’s been really great because it’s been a little bit tough for the residents not getting to socialize with their neighbours as much.”
Equipped with a portable speaker and playlist of karaoke music, Diakiw performs for residents as the drink cart accompanying him moves through the hallways similar to drink service on an airplane.
The weekly hallway crooner is becoming somewhat of a sensation with his repertoire of classic songs from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.
“The residents have really responded really well, they’ve really enjoyed it. It was something that we never even thought about doing, but I think after this all ends, we’ll probably still do it every once and a while,” Diakiw said, capitalizing on opportunities to have residents enjoying social gatherings at a distance.
Diakiw is used to leading singalongs, exercise classes, bingo, bocce ball, card games and even a drumming group for the 190 residents at Preston Park .2
Many of the activities have no problem producing a smile, something he thinks is needed right now.
“Everyone’s just cheerful and in a good mood and it gets people away from watching the news for a little while,” he said.
“When I come up to someone’s door and they walk up and start singing and dancing and smiling with me it makes it worth it, even though I’m singing for two hours straight,” Diakiw said with a chuckle.
“It’s like a stationary cruise ship.”
