Fall 2025 Open House
On September 20, 2025, Optima Living’s communities across Western Canada opened their doors for our annual Fall Open House, an event that truly captured the spirit of the season.
We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us and to our dedicated teams for turning each Open House into a celebration of home, community, and connection. Take a look through our photo gallery below to see how each community added its own local flavour to A Taste of Home.
Celebrating National Seniors Day
On October 1st, we celebrated our remarkable seniors, who bring wisdom, resilience, and love to each of our Optima Living communities.
National Seniors Day is a reminder of the contributions older adults make—not just within our residences, but across families, neighbourhoods, and society as a whole. Their stories and life experiences continue to guide and inspire us.
At Optima Living, we’re proud to create spaces where seniors feel valued, respected, and empowered to live life to the fullest.
As we mark this day, let’s take a moment to show gratitude for the seniors in our lives. Their legacy is a gift we can all cherish.
How Personalized Care Plans Work
When it comes to long-term care, no two residents are the same. Each person arrives with a unique health history, daily routines, cultural traditions, and personal goals. Recognizing and respecting these differences is essential to helping residents thrive. That’s why we create personalized care plans—sometimes called optimized care plans—that are designed to support not just medical needs, but the whole person.
At its core, a personalized care plan is a promise—a promise that no resident will be overlooked, that care will always evolve alongside their needs, and that dignity will be upheld every step of the way.
Visit our library to learn more about how personalized care plans are created, how they evolve over time, and why they make such a meaningful difference.
Honouring World Alzheimer’s Day
Every September 21st, people from across the globe come together to raise awareness and to renew our commitment to improving the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s, a progressive condition that causes memory loss and other cognitive challenges that disrupt everyday life for both individuals and their loved ones. World Alzheimer’s Day reminds us of both the challenges and the possibilities. Let’s work together to create a future where Alzheimer’s no longer defines the journey.
Visit our library to learn more about World Alzheimer’s Day and Optima Living’s compassionate approach to Memory Care.
Choosing senior living is more than a move — it’s the start of a new chapter filled with connection, purpose, and peace of mind. For many families, the decision can feel overwhelming at first, but hearing directly from residents and team members helps shed light on the benefits and opportunities that come with this transition.
In this episode of Optima Living TV, we offer an inside look at what makes our communities truly special. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the episode.
A Taste of Home: How Marcus Vassos Brings Creativity and Care to the Kitchen
When prep cook Marcus Vassos joined Inglewood in 2015, he brought years of food service experience, from Edmonton kitchens to Arctic mining camps. But what he found in senior living was something different, and welcome: the chance to slow down, connect, and create meals that feel like home.
“For me, everything here is calmer. It’s not the same rush, rush, hustle and bustle. We still do the work, but with more room to be creative,” Marcus says.
During Healthcare Food Service Workers Week, we celebrate Marcus’s commitment to nourishing residents, supporting his team, and bringing Optima Living’s promise to life: Let us welcome you home.™
A quiet space. A familiar story. A world beyond the walls.
Our library offers positive stimulation, as well as calmness. For many residents, reading is a way to stay mentally engaged, spark old memories, or simply enjoy a peaceful moment of independence.
Whether flipping through a beloved novel, revisiting a favourite poem, or exploring new stories with a friend or caregiver, the library becomes a bridge to comfort, curiosity, and connection. We value the ability for our community to stay connected to themselves, stories, and to the joy of lifelong learning.
Technology Enhances Daily Life at Oakwood Manor
Oakwood Manor is excited to share that we have received a new smartboard and projector through the New Horizons for Seniors Program, a federal grant that supports initiatives for seniors.
The decision to invest in interactive projectors and a SMART Board was guided by the cognitive needs of our residents. The SMART Board offers a large, accessible screen where we can display photos, play trivia, and incorporate visual aids—turning traditional programs into interactive experiences. The interactive projector, on the other hand, is especially impactful for residents at varying stages of cognitive decline. It features simple, visually stimulating games that even those who may no longer follow verbal instructions are naturally drawn to.
This technology opens new doors for meaningful engagement and helps spark curiosity, movement, and interaction.