Seniors Find New Hope at Hopehill –
Hopehill is the new name for Beulah Garden Homes at 5th Avenue and Rupert. It has been operating since 1951 as the home and community of around 400 seniors who need affordable, independent or assisted living.
I asked Yvonne Ho, Hopehill’s operations manager, about the recent name change. “Our new name, Hopehill, signals who we are: a place of hope. It’s a new name and a promise of more than just affordable housing. It’s a community of hope: physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually,” she says.
Mary Dickau, wellness manager, says that the relationship with the HSCPC began about 15 years ago when Lorraine Chow, who looks after the seniors program at Thunderbird Community Center, brought HSCPC Executive Director Clair MacGougan to a Thursday Tea Time. “Since then, Clair and his team have dropped in regularly to visit with the folks here.”
Visits by HSCPC staff and volunteers have benefitted Hopehill residents, says Mary, via “one-on-one conversations with anyone who wants/needs to talk, and the long-term relationship that Clair and his team have built with Hopehill residents. ”Much like a friendship, a good working relationship has been established by these visits and workshops to assist seniors on security and safety.
The COVID visitation restrictions on seniors’ homes was a challenge for all who had family members in care. At times hope is all one has, but with a little help, conversation and care, hope can come home. As I near my senior years, I better understand the change to Hopehill and the challenges that seniors battle. I am proud of HSCPC reaching out to help out a demographic of our society who sometimes are forgotten.
The HSCPC makes a big difference to the Hopehill community — the ongoing relationship, a feeling of a safer neighbourhood in and around Vancouver, the buildup of trust and a sense of community well-being, say Mary and Yvonne!
Should you find a need in Hopehill, feel free to call in at 604-255-7707 or visit Hopehill’s website at https://hopehill.ca/.