Interview with Baycrest Terraces resident, Anita Mandel

My mother lived here before, so we knew the place… and I never looked at anything else. If we wanted to move, this is where we can move. My mother was very happy here for fifteen years. When she came, she already had friends [here] because she used to come to the pool for exercises before she moved in, and she got to know people.

We liked it from the beginning, and we never regretted coming. I used to come and visit my mother about three times a week, so I got to know some of the people. We decided to come and that was it… the first unit we saw, we liked. 

My bachelor [suite] fits well. I didn't have a problem moving… I just seem to reconcile very quickly… It's very comfortable. You don't need to really have much more than that when you're one person. 

I join whatever is interesting. I go to exercises. I belong to the book club. We have musicals which people enjoy very much… We have a lovely garden outside. Now that summer is here, we go out for walks. There, you meet people… it’s up to you. What do you want to do? 

You’re welcomed by two ladies when you come in. They welcome you with a little package and [they’re] friendly. The staff is very friendly… We’ve all found [that to be true], it's not just my opinion. Everybody is friendly.

You're well taken care of… If you have a problem, there’s [always] a nurse. So, it may be a minor thing [and] you don't have to call the doctor. The nurse might just be able to help you, or the nurse will be able to contact the doctor. 

For us, the important thing was that it was kosher. We wouldn't go to a place that was not. 

Some people come and try it out for a week or a month. That's a good idea, for some people to see how they like it. They eat here, and they live here, and they see the atmosphere here. So, if you're really not sure, this is one [way] to try… People just settle down very easily here.