It is our honour to introduce you to three long-term care residents through a three-part sharing series. These individuals live in each of the long-term care homes we are supporting through our CARVE initiative. Our goal is to unveil the heart of these residents and celebrate some of the special details of their lives which are important to celebrate and our privilege to share. For our second feature, meet Herb whose wife, Barbara, graciously provided this summary.

Herb Jones came to live at Glacier View Lodge six years ago.

Herb was raised in Nipigon, Ontario. He attended Queen’s University where he earned an Honours BA and Bachelor of Divinity.  He worked for three years as a United Church Minister.  He returned to university to earn his education degree and subsequently taught grade 8, specializing in physical education and special education.

He and Barb Heywood married in 1968 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She was an environmentalist, musician, natural house builder, gardener, potter, basket-maker, and teacher. They raised their children Anna and Oliver. Three grandchildren have joined the family.

Herb and Barb made the decision to retire early and live a simpler life full of creativity.  They moved to Denman Island and bought a clear-cut property where they overcame many challenges to first build a tiny 10 x10 cabin, while they planned for their larger home.  They overcame poor soil conditions, no running water, and no power to realize their dream.  They truly learned to live sustainably.  Barb said, “I am the dreamer and Herb would help me manifest it.”  He would look at me and say, ‘I love working with my Woody’, a variant of my last name.  We were an amazing team.”

They embraced everything their new community had to offer. Herb was involved in table tennis, playing pickleball, badminton, skating, helping with the kids’ baseball, and playing poker. He was a member of the camera club, and various committees including ‘Renewable Energy Denman Island’. Herb has led a rich and interesting life.

As his dementia progressed, Herb went to live at Glacier View Lodge. “It is amazing the kindness shown to us. The Lodge promotes a sense of fun; they bought a table tennis game and he was able to teach staff and students to play. He loved to read and holds a wealth of knowledge; he became the trivia leader in his earlier years at Glacier View. He participated in the swimming program, Tai Chi, and was very engaged in the music therapy program.  Staff still prompt him to sing his favourite song, ‘The Sounds of Silence,’ every day. Herb is now in the later stages of dementia. He mobilizes in a wheelchair and needs help with all his activities of daily living.  It is joyful to see the spark when we talk with our family over facetime or his response to music and rhythm.

“The respect, caring and communication provided to me as his caregiver has been amazing,” said Heywood.  She had a dream one night where Herb advised her to always ‘choose love.’  This is how he lived his life.

His daughter Anna, a textile artist, has created art displays inspired by her father’s progression through dementia.  Some of that work can be viewed at http://www.annaheywood-jones.com/.