Day Hospital helps clients regain strength and hope 1

Day Hospital helps clients regain strength and hope

“Here, it’s all laughter. They care about me,” says Deer Lodge Centre’s Day Hospital client Eva Kilopoulos (above) By Ryan McBride For 42 years he was her husband and her best friend. And then one day, he was suddenly gone. The loss and grief took Eva Kilopoulos by storm. “I was aggressive to people. I got dizzy and frequently fell. …

Proud of those who serve 2

Proud of those who serve

A message from the Chief Operating Officer Every November, we honour the military personnel and veterans who have been part of Deer Lodge Centre (formerly the Deer Lodge Hospital) for more than 100 years. From the trauma surgery and emergency care we provided in our early years, to the mental health services and long-term care we offer today, Deer Lodge …

Poppy campaign generously supports veteran care at Deer Lodge Centre 4

Poppy campaign generously supports veteran care at Deer Lodge Centre

Each year since 1921, 13 million poppies bloom on the jackets, hats and lapels of Canadians in remembrance of our country’s war dead. More than a symbol of remembrance, poppies also honour our veterans — including those currently serving, ex-personnel, and their families — through funds raised by the Royal Canadian Legion’s annual poppy campaigns. “Remembrance is the cornerstone of …

Cycling, for love and for life 7

Cycling, for love and for life

Cycling at any age may result in elevated levels of joy, freedom, and fitness. by Shawna Culleton Are you looking for a go-to activity that improves strength, endurance and balance, and helps keep your body healthy, strong and fit? Get on a bike! As we head into autumn, few forms of physical exercise are as joyful, free and easy as …

The sunshine vitamin 9

The sunshine vitamin

Milk, margarine, fatty fish and eggs are vitamin D superheroes. Now that summer is over, are you getting enough vitamin D? Victoria Beechum There are so many fabulous reasons to get outside and enjoy those all-too-brief Manitoba summers. Getting your recommended daily dose of vitamin D is as good a reason as any. Nicknamed “the sunshine vitamin”, vitamin D is …

The magical, mystical pollen tube 11

The magical, mystical pollen tube

By Dorothy Dobbie What happens when a grain of pollen is dropped on the stigma of a flower? How does it meet up with the plant’s ovaries? I used to think, if I thought about it at all, that the grain of pollen tumbled, like Alice in Wonderland, down a narrow tunnel until it somehow connected with the sweet spot. …

Deer Lodge Centre playing a pivotal role in aging study 12

Deer Lodge Centre playing a pivotal role in aging study

By Bill Burfoot The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is the largest and most comprehensive study of aging ever undertaken in Canada, and Deer Lodge Centre is playing a pivotal role. The study will provide a unique opportunity to examine the aging process and the factors that shape healthy aging. The goal of the study is to provide a …

Body, mind and soul 13

Body, mind and soul

“You go to doctors for physical pain, therapists for mental pain, and ministers to heal your spirit,” says Hilda Nickel. “I have all three at Deer Lodge.” Spiritual Health Services bring comfort to Deer Lodge residents, patients and families By Lindsay Mykes Faith has given Hilda Nickel the strength to overcome many challenges – including a chronic condition that changed …

"Doggie Doctors" 14

“Doggie Doctors”

Pet Visitors like Maggie, seen here with Doug, are important members of Deer Lodge’s volunteer team. Deer Lodge Centre’s animal volunteers bring joy, happy memories to residents Teri Stevens When Maggie arrives for a visit, the joy on Doug Thomas’s face says it all. “She makes me feel connected to the world.” A four-year-old border collie mix, Maggie looks just …