Sunrise of Aurora: A Look Inside an Aurora Retirement Home

Lunch at Sunrise of Aurora: Assisted Living and Memory Care in Aurora

One of my favourite ways to get to know a retirement home is to go for a tour, meet the team, ask lots of questions, and stay for lunch.

I recently hosted a lunch for a group of local professionals at Sunrise of Aurora, a retirement home in Aurora that offers Assisted Living, Memory Care and Short-Term Stays. I was joined by real estate professionals, a downsizing specialist and a medical equipment provider.

I’ve toured more than 140 retirement homes, and one reason I enjoy hosting these lunches is that they give professionals who already support older adults a chance to experience a specific residence firsthand and get a taste of retirement living, literally.

When we sit down for lunch, we order from the same menu available to residents that day.

That’s important parts of these lunches, because one of the primary concerns I hear from older adults considering retirement living is the food. There’s often an assumption that moving into a retirement home means giving up good meals. I’ve eaten at a lot of retirement homes over the years, and I’ve had some very good meals.

By sharing lunch with local professionals, they leave with their own firsthand experience of the food at Sunrise of Aurora, not just a brochure or someone else’s opinion. If retirement home food comes up in a future conversation, they can speak from experience.

And that’s really the idea behind these lunches. There’s a big difference between recognizing the name of a retirement home and having actually walked through it, met the team, experienced the environment and tasted the food yourself.

At Sunrise of Aurora, we toured a model suite, Assisted Living and the Reminiscence memory care neighbourhood before sitting down for lunch.

A Home-Like Feel at Sunrise of Aurora

Sunrise of Aurora offers Assisted Living, Memory Care and Short-Term Stays in Aurora, Ontario.

Abe Kaadan, Director and Partner at TrinityMed, described it as a “beautiful, mansion-style community.”

Rebekah Murdoch of Sanctuary Home Services, who has previously helped clients move into Sunrise, said the design feels more like a bed and breakfast than a traditional retirement residence.

Smaller sitting areas, sunrooms, gardens and outdoor spaces are spread throughout the residence rather than everything being concentrated in one large common area.

There are also a couple of residents you won’t find on the official occupancy list.

Princess, the residence cat, was born and raised at Sunrise of Aurora and spends her days coming and going from the building. There’s also Yogurt, the resident budgie. Sunrise is pet friendly, and residents can bring their own pets provided they can manage their care.

It’s a small detail, but helps make it feel like home.

Inside a Sunrise of Aurora Model Suite

One of our first stops was a model suite.

Alyssa Cohen, Broker with Forest Hill Real Estate, immediately noticed the space and natural light.

“What stood out to me the most about the model suites is how bright, airy and spacious they are. There is lots of room for storage and you could easily make this feel like a home.”

Megan Graci, Broker with RE/MAX Hallmark, had a similar reaction.

“They feel more like a home than an institution, which I think is really important when someone is making such a big transition.”

Residents furnish their own suites, allowing them to bring familiar furniture, artwork, photos and other pieces from home.

I also noticed some practical accessibility details: a fridge raised off the floor, cordless window coverings, bathroom grab bars, an adjustable showerhead and a soft threshold into the shower.

Call strings in the suite and bathroom connect residents with the care team when assistance is needed.

Sunrise offers several suite configurations including studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, and companion suites.

 

The People Behind the Care

One of the things Sharon Woolfson, Director of Sales at Sunrise of Aurora, pointed out that I loved was a picture frame.

On each floor, Sunrise of Aurora displays photos of its care managers along with how long they’ve worked at the residence.

We saw team members with tenures of 9, 10, 12, 14, 17 and even 20 years.

Alyssa highlighted it after the tour:

“I love that there are pictures of the caregivers on every floor, so they’re easily identifiable. And it also shows how long each of them have worked here.”

That familiarity can help the team learn a resident’s routines, preferences and what is normal for that person.

The Sunrise team also emphasized that care is individualized. Two residents receiving the same general level of care may require very different types of support.

Sunrise of Aurora can support needs ranging from reminders and assistance with activities of daily living through to more significant care needs. The team also discussed working alongside outside healthcare resources, including Ontario Health atHome and palliative care supports when appropriate.

For Abe, the people ultimately stood out most:

“The genuine care the team has for its residents was clear throughout the visit.”

Memory Care at Sunrise of Aurora – Reminiscence

Sunrise Senior Living calls it’s secure memory care neighbourhood for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia Reminiscence.

The living area is designed so residents can walk continuously around it rather than reaching the end of a hallway. There are visual cues between areas, sitting spaces, activity areas, a dining room and an enclosed outdoor balcony.

But what stood out was the way the team talked about the residents living there.

Someone walking around the floor isn’t automatically described as “wandering.” They may be exploring.

What might traditionally be called a “behaviour” can instead be viewed as an expression, with the team considering whether that person may be communicating an unmet need.

Jerome, a team member on the Reminiscence floor, gave us an example. A resident might repeatedly sit near the elevator because they want to “go home.” Rather than simply telling them they can’t leave, the team can try to understand what they’re feeling, validate it and redirect them towards something meaningful.

That philosophy carries into activities too.

Families provide information about a resident’s history so the team can understand what has been important throughout that person’s life.

We heard about one resident who had owned a restaurant for decades and now enjoys spending time in the kitchen folding napkins. For someone else, that connection might come through gardening, cooking, sorting or another familiar task.

As Sharon explained, sometimes it’s helpful to learn not only what someone enjoys today, but what they enjoyed doing 30 or 40 years ago.

Residents in Reminiscence can also participate in appropriate programming elsewhere in the residence, spend time outdoors and join outings.

Rebekah has firsthand experience helping clients with memory loss move into Sunrise:

“I’ve had clients who’ve moved in five different places in less than two years, and only Sunrise was able to meet their needs as they continued in their memory care support.”

Staying Active and Connected

As we moved through Sunrise, regular life was happening around us.

Residents were playing trivia as we walked through one common area. We saw spaces used for reading, puzzles, baking and other activities.

Sunrise of Aurora also has a men’s group, with activities that have included beer and wing nights, sports, whisky tastings and lunches out.

Megan said the range of activities was one of her favourite parts of the residence:

“There are so many different options so residents can stay active, social and engaged while still having the freedom to choose what they enjoy.”

Exercise programming is offered five days a week.

Outside, there are gardens and a walking path. The recreation team also organizes “stroll and roll” outings so residents who need assistance can get outside with support.

What Was for Lunch at Sunrise of Aurora?

Since the food is an important part of these visits, we ordered from the same lunch menu available to residents that day.

Around our table were steak and cheese salads, barbecue chicken, turkey and cheddar on rye, omelettes, tomato basil soup, corn chowder and citrus avocado salads.

Residents order their meals at the table, and the dining team has information about individual dietary needs, allergies, likes and dislikes.

Saman Habibi of DR Real Estate Group ordered the barbecue chicken with sweet potato fries and vegetables and said, “The flavours were great.”

Megan had the citrus avocado salad and tomato soup. Alyssa had tomato basil soup and an omelette. But there was one item that generated more conversation than anything else.

The apple crisp.

Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it quickly became a favourite. Abe called it the highlight of his lunch, and Rebekah said it reminded her of having dessert at home.

We came to get a taste of retirement living, and Sunrise certainly gave us something to talk about.

Meet the Professionals Who Joined Me

Everyone around the table already works with older adults and families navigating major life changes.

Abe Kaadan, TrinityMed

Abe Kaadan, Director and Partner at TrinityMed, helps seniors, families and healthcare professionals with medical, mobility, accessibility and home care equipment.

For Abe, the sunroom was a favourite space, but he also highlighted the activities, community pets and care he saw from the Sunrise team.

Alyssa Cohen, Forest Hill Real Estate

Alyssa Cohen is a Broker with Forest Hill Real Estate who helps people buy and sell homes and plan what’s next, including older adults making a transition from a longtime home.

She compared the social side of retirement living at Sunrise to a cruise ship, with companionship, activities and meals all nearby.

Megan Graci, RE/MAX Hallmark

Megan Graci is a Broker with RE/MAX Hallmark with more than 13 years of real estate experience throughout York Region and the GTA, including helping clients through downsizing and other major life transitions.

She described Sunrise as:

“Warm, welcoming and very homelike, with beautiful spaces, great activities and a strong sense of community.”

Michelle Haick, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre

Michelle Haick is a Senior Real Estate Specialist with Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre in Newmarket with more than 30 years of real estate experience.

She helps older homeowners and their families transition from longtime family homes and said Sunrise of Aurora is among the options she considers when clients ask about moving to retirement living.

Rebekah Murdoch, Sanctuary Home Services

Rebekah Murdoch of Sanctuary Home Services provides hands-on support to older adults, including downsizing, attending appointments and helping set up a new residence to feel familiar.

Her work sometimes starts long before moving day, helping clients gradually decide what to keep, give to family or let go.

Saman Habibi, DR Real Estate Group

Saman Habibi is a Real Estate Agent with DR Real Estate Group serving Durham Region and the GTA, including helping older adults downsize.

His team also hosts educational seminars at retirement residences on topics relevant to older adults and their families.

Saman summed up his impression of Sunrise:

“Feels like home, feels like a cottage. You come in and you feel like you’re part of a family.”

My Takeaway From Sunrise of Aurora

After touring more than 140 retirement homes, one thing I’ve learned is that no two are exactly alike.

That’s why I think getting inside them matters.

There were some big things that stood out at Sunrise of Aurora: the long tenure of some care team members, individualized support, the Reminiscence approach to memory care and opportunities for residents to stay active and connected.

There were also so many small details that stood out.  I love the windows in the hallways that give the feel of walking through the neighbourhood, and raising the fridge up off the ground makes it so much more accessible.

Thank you to Sharon Woolfson, Tiziana Evangelista, and Sarah Soleymany for welcoming us, answering our questions and giving us the opportunity to experience the residence firsthand.

And thank you to Abe, Alyssa, Megan, Michelle, Rebekah and Saman for joining me and bringing your own experience supporting older adults and families to the conversation.

Looking for a Retirement Home in Aurora?

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