For Kay, who has worked at Brewster Place for four months but has worked in long-term care for five years, the experience has changed her perception of retirement homes. She said she now knows they aren't the sterile, institutional buildings they once were. I would not work somewhere that I wouldn't be willing to live. Many retirement homes like Brewster Place use the Eden concept, which is to make the center a warm, comfortable home. Decorations, plants, couches and attractive furniture are scattered throughout the building.
Many residents have pets, and a cage with a resident bird sits in a lobby area.
I even got to meet Sweety, the resident dog that wanders the building. I am told he is protective of residents and has been known to suspiciously follow any strangers wandering the halls. In the afternoon, after helping to wheel residents to their destinations, I helped serve snacks during a piano concert put on by a woman who lives in one of the independent homes in the Brewster Place complex. The dozen or so people gathered there listened as song after song from their youths was played. I didn't recognize many of the tunes, but a few people sang along.