First Floor Lobby

Tom and I had a terrfic visit with Suzy at the Florentine. In these pictures we are visiting in a cozy lobby on the first floor. I hope you enjoyed your tour through the Florentine. Thank you Suzy for a wonderful trip to Merritt and the Florentine.

The Basement Garage

The parking garage is available for residents. Suzy takes a quick elevator ride down to get to her car. There are storage units in front of the cars for each of the units in the Florentine.

The Workout Room

The workout room has several machines to exercise. The one I found the most unusual was the circulation machine that the user simplies stands on it and it shakes the body. The residents using scooters often use this machine to keep the circulation alive in their legs. Notice the basketball game that is available primarily for the kids; it makes this a favorite place to visit for the grandchildren.

Laundry Facility

There are laundry facilities on all floors for the residents to do their laundry. Bedding is done by the facility twice a week if the resident chooses to use the facilities sheets. Their units are also cleaned by housekeeping.

Third Floor Lobby

The visiting area on the third floor is beautiful. I wish my grandaughters could play on that baby grand piano. I'm hoping other grandchildren have taken their turn at playing beautiful music on the piano.

The Patio

There is a large (30'x50') patio on the third floor just outside the pub. There are several tables with chairs and umbrellas or canopy, a large gas grill and heat lamps. Suzy's son grills Sunday dinners here where they often invite a few staff members or residents.

The Pub

The pub is on the third floor, another 24'x30' room. There is a bar complete with wine glasses, a combination ping-pong/pool table , some tables to use for visiting and a 50" screen to watch TV or play Wii. This is another favorite spot for granchildren.

Sharing Your Own Meal

On the third floor just a few doors down from Suzy's unit there is a Dining/Kitchen area; it is about 24'x30'. There is seating for 14 but more could probably be added. The kichen is a full service kitchen and compliments of Suzy it is fully funished with the best from her previous kitchen. There is also room for food storage both in the cupboards and the refrigerator. Suzy likes to make special breakfasts for a few residents at a time a couple times a week.

The Stadium Seating Theater

The 44 stadium seating theater is on the first floor. A resident can watch something on cable TV or they can plop in a DVD. When families are visiting, grandchildren can watch their own DVD. This is a room that can also be used for presentations. The popcorn is always ready twice a week for a scheduled movie.

The Craft Room

There is a large (about 24'x30') craftroom on the first floor. Suzy has taken over the corner shown in the first picture for her quilt sewing. In the other picture a resident is working on her crossword puzzle.

The Computer Room

There is acomputer room on the first fllor. Suzy has picked out the desk she likes to use to communicate with us through email.

Do you Want a Snack?

Snacks are always available in the Dining Room. The refrigerator has many choices of drinks - milk, sodas, bottled water or iced tea. Coffe and tea are available and a bowl of fresh fruit is always there.

There are many conveniences at the Florentine. Every Monday there is someone available to do your nails or cut your hair. Your doctor meets you for your medical appointments in the clinic room on the first floor. If the resident feels like having a whirpool bath, it is available in a private room on the first floor. There are shuttles available to take you downtown. If you like to garden, there is a plot of garden to the side of the building.

Meals are Included

Meals are furnished for residents at the Florentine. One just need to show up at the proper time and they are given a tasty healthy meal. The dining staff prepare Suzy a lunch when she heads out to visit her husband near lunch time.

Closet Space

Suzy cleverly disguises her closet space with a quilt. The closet is tucked away from the living room view and is near the bathroom.

Suzy's Bathroom

The bathrooms in the Florentine are quite spacious with a large shower containing a molded seat - great for shaving legs! There is plenty of shelf space too.

Suzy's Bedroom

Suzy's bedroom gives her all the space she needs and again she's added all the personal touches that make this room so warm and inviting.

The Kitchenette

The kitchenette allows just enough room for the things one needs. It contains a microwave, a small refrigerator, a hot plate, a sink and a little counterspace along with a few cupboards. The decor is totally Suzy!

Suzy's Living Room

Suzy's living room is small yet it contains her favorite pieces of furniture along with cherished memories. It was comfortable to chat in this living room and the view outside her sliding glass doors was magnificent. Outside the sliding door was a balcony where Suzy usually plans her day each morning.

Welcome to Suzy's Unit

We took an elevator up to the third floor and visited Suzy's unit. She has an open door policy welcoming any residents to visit during the day. We stayed in a unit 2 doors down from Suzy. Of course she warmed up our unit with many of her beautiful quilts.

Checking In

Tom and I checked in at the first floor of the Florentine. Since there were units available we were able to stay a couple nights at the Florentine.

A Visit to British Columbia

As we prepared for our trip to Alaska, I was quickly in touch with Suzy and she invited Tom and I to stay with her for a few days in Merritt, British Columbia. She met us at our departure from the Alaskan cruise in Vancouver. At the time we first planned our trip, Suzy lived in Merritt in a single family home that came with about an acre of well-landscaped yard. The upkeep to her home and caring for her ill husband proved to be too much for Suzy, so she moved on to the next part of her life plan. She had watched the construction of the Florentine about 4 years ago and decided it would be her next stop on this earth. The Florentine was built by a man who has a father suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and he wanted a beautiful place where his father and mother could get the assistance they needed. There are 72 units in the Florentine.

This seems to be the perfect place for Suzy at this time in her life. Unfortunately her husband Gary's health problems were too severe for Assisted Living so he now resides at a lovely nursing home. This blog will take you through the Florentine, an Assisted Living Home.