MENNO HOME: A PAROCHIAL HOUSING 
PROJECT FOR THE AGED 

A Comparative Assessment; Vancouver 1961 

by 
PETER SCHROEDER 

Thesis Submitted i n P a r t i a l Fulfilment 
of the Requirements for the Degree of 

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK 
i n the School of S o c i a l Work 

Accepted as conforming to the standard 
required for the degree of 

Master of S o c i a l Work 

School of S o c i a l Work 

1961 

The University of B r i t i s h Columbia 



I n p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t o f 

t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r a n a d v a n c e d d e g r e e a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y 

o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , I a g r e e t h a t t h e L i b r a r y s h a l l m a k e 

i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r r e f e r e n c e a n d s t u d y . I f u r t h e r 

a g r e e t h a t p e r m i s s i o n f o r e x t e n s i v e c o p y i n g o f t h i s t h e s i s 

f o r s c h o l a r l y p u r p o s e s m a y b e g r a n t e d b y t h e H e a d o f m y 

D e p a r t m e n t o r b y h i s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . I t i s u n d e r s t o o d 

t h a t c o p y i n g o r p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l 

g a i n s h a l l n o t b e a l l o w e d w i t h o u t m y w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n . 

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , 
V a n c o u v e r 8, C a n a d a . 

D e p a r t m e n t o f . . 



- i i i -

ABSTRACT 

The m a i n t a s k o f any group a t t e m p t i n g t o p r o v i d e 
p r o p e r h o u s i n g f o r t h e aged i s t h a t o f m a k i n g i t more t h a n 
s i m p l y " a p l a c e t o s t a y . " The M e n n o n i t e community, t o o , i s 
f a c e d w i t h t h i s t a s k as I t l o o k s f o r a n answer t o t h e h o u s -
i n g dilemma o f i t s o l d e r members. T h i s s t u d y u n d e r t a k e s t o 
s u r v e y one k i n d o f answer - t h a t o f Menno Home. 

T h i s s u r v e y o f a M e n n o n i t e Home l o c a t e d i n C l e a r -
b r o o k , B.C., i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h i s t y p e o f h o u s i n g t e n d s t o 
c u t i t s r e s i d e n t s o f f f r o m t h e s t r e a m o f l i f e . The p a r t i c i -
p a t i o n o f t h e s e e l d e r l y p e o p l e i n community a f f a i r s becomes 
v e r y l i m i t e d . 

The s t u d y b e g i n s w i t h a d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e a g i n g 
p r o c e s s i n g e n e r a l . I t d e s c r i b e s some t y p e s o f h o u s i n g p r o -
j e c t s w h i c h h a v e b e e n u n d e r t a k e n on b e h a l f o f t h e aged. 

In t h e s e c o n d c h a p t e r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f Menno Home 
I s r e v i e w e d , and a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e h o u s i n g u n i t i s u n d e r -
t a k e n . I n t h e f o l l o w i n g c h a p t e r t h e s e r v i c e s t h a t a r e o f f e r -
e d a r e t r a c e d a g a i n s t the b a c k g r o u n d o f a s t r o n g and d e v o t e d 
c h u r c h - o r i e n t e d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . A c o m p a r i s o n i s drawn w i t h 
o t h e r homes f o r t h e aged. T h i s i s done t h r o u g h t h e u s e o f 
s e v e r a l s t u d i e s u n d e r t a k e n b y M a s t e r o f S o c i a l Work s t u d e n t s 
i n p r e v i o u s y e a r s . 

I n t h e f i n a l c h a p t e r t h e n e e d s o f t h e r e s i d e n t s of 
Menno Home a r e c o n s i d e r e d . T h i s i s f o l l o w e d b y a d i s c u s s i o n 
o f what s o c i a l w o r k e r s w o u l d be a b l e t o do t o make a b e n e f i -
c i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n t o Merino Home. 

Menno Home i s f o u n d t o be q u i t e s i m i l a r t o o t h e r 
i n s t i t u t i o n s d e d i c a t e d t o t h e same p u r p o s e s . The v a r i a t i o n s 
t h a t a r e e v i d e n t c o n s i s t i n d i f f e r e n t p o l i c i e s o f a d m i s s i o n , 
d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and some d i f f e r e n c e s i n 
t h e p h y s i c a l p l a n t i t s e l f . However, t h e d i s t i n g u i s h i n g f e a -
t u r e o f Menno Home l i e s I n i t s s t r o n g k i n s h i p t o t h e Mennon-
i t e c h u r c h , and i n t h e f a c t t h a t i t s e r v e s a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y 
a r u r a l , M e n n o n i t e , German o r Low German s p e a k i n g g r o u p . 
Menno Home w o u l d l e n d i t s e l f w e l l t o t h e i n f l u e n c e o f a c a p -
a b l e s o c i a l w o r k e r , as t h a t w o r k e r c o o p e r a t e s w i t h t h e 
C h r i s t i a n m i n i s t e r s now e n g a g e d i n s e r v i n g t h e r e s i d e n t s o f 
Menno Home. 



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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

To Dr. Leonard C. Marsh of the School of S o c i a l Work, 
University of B r i t i s h Columbia, who has provided constant 
guidance and encouragement i n t h i s study. His i n t e r e s t s i n 
the problems of the aged, and h i s extensive knowledge of pre-
sent and projected housing projects, have been a valuable re-
source at a l l times. 

To Reverend Gerhard Peters, Chairman of the Mennonite 
Benevolent Society, who provided information dealing with the 
background of Menno Home, and who gave encouragement for t h i s 
study. 

To Mr. John Dyck, Manager of Menno Home, who made a v a i l -
able some of the s t a t i s t i c s used i n t h i s study, and who pro-
vided information about the physical c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of Menno 
Home. 



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TABLE OP CONTENTS 

Chapter 1. Housing f o r the Aged Page 

The aging process. The place of the aged to-
day. Types of housing for older people. Development 
of services f o r the aged. Scope of present study • ...... 1 

Chapter 2. Merino Home: F a c i l i t i e s and Residents 

Developments of Mennonite Benevolent Society. 
Menno I n v a l i d Home. The buildings. Administration. 
Admissions procedure and p o l i c y . Comparison with 
other homes. Residents of Menno Home 17 

Chapter 3 . Menno Home: Welfare Services i n Housing 

The types of services rendered. What other 
i n s t i t u t i o n s o f f e r . Counseling services. The minis-
ter and the s o c i a l worker 35 

Chapter Menno Home: New Potentials 

Needs of residents of Menno Home. Is s o c i a l 
work relevant for Menno Home? A counseling service. 
Admission and e l i g i b i l i t y . Recreational a c t i v i t i e s . 
Conclusions 50 

Appendices: 

A. Sample Application Form 
B. Bibliography 

TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS 

(a) Tables 

Table 1. Age d i s t r i b u t i o n of Menno Home residents 29 

Table 2. Source of income, Merino Home residents 33 

(b) I l l u s t r a t i o n s 

F i g . 1. Menno Home (195^) 19(b) 

F i g . 2. Cottage (1951|-) .. 19(b) 

F i g . 3 . Menno I n v a l i d Home (I960) 19(b) 



H M O HOME: A PAROCHIAL HOUSING PROJECT 

POR THE AGED 



CHAPTER 1 

HOUSING FOR THE AGED 

In a t y p i c a l Mennonite community, i n a farming area, old 

people are increasingly l e f t to themselves and so must depend 

on t h e i r own resources f o r happiness. I t i s true that there are 

rest homes, which provide care for the aged and furnish f a c i l i -

t i e s i n an e f f o r t to keep them contented. However, true happi-

ness must depend on the personal resources of the i n d i v i d u a l as 

they are given an opportunity f o r expression within a setting 

that i s ready to o f f e r more than mere accomodation. The cru* 

c i a l problem f o r the Mennonite community at the moment arises 

out of the urgent need to reconcile the needs and p o t e n t i a l of 

i t s senior c i t i z e n s with the present tendency to place a l l per-

tinent values on the energy and boldness of youth. 

The Mennonite denominations are urgently looking for a 

solution to these problems. Being, t r a d i t i o n a l l y , an agrarian 

people, the problem f o r the Mennonites i n Canada has never be-

fore assumed such gigantic proportions. From the community 

o r i g i n a l l y self-contained, self-maintained and rotted to the 

s o i l , has sprouted and grown to f u l l bloom a migratory people 



l o s i n g basic t i e s with i t s own agrarian o r i e n t a t i o n . Mennon-

i t e s , In common with others, tend to move too often and too 

f a s t to b u i l d the strong home l i f e and c u l t i v a t e l i f e - l o n g 

friendships as was done i n former years. The r e s u l t i s a f e e l -

ing of loneliness and i s o l a t i o n even when mixed i n with the 

general populace. Having l o s t t h e i r roots, older Mennonite 

people f e e l that t h e i r worth to others i s meager, and soon de-

tect within themselves a nagging loss of s e l f - r e s p e c t . The solu-

t i o n to the problem i s slow i n coming about for various reasons: 

one being that not enough e f f o r t has been put into seeking the 

guidance of the professions that have concerned themselves with 

the aged. An e f f o r t w i l l be made to discover what s o c i a l work 

thinking i s as i t r e l a t e s to the aged, and then to f i n d avenues 

i n which t h i s thinking can be made useful f o r Mennonites who 

are operating and contemplating homes f o r the aged. 

One of the basic assumptions of s o c i o l o g i c a l and anthro-

p o l o g i c a l approaches to the study of old age i s that the cate-

g o r i z a t i o n of p a r t i c u l a r stages i n l i f e i s v a l i d not only on 

chronological and p h y s i o l o g i c a l bases, but also on the basis 

of s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l patterns. Pollak has noted that s o c i a l 

science has increasingly singled out various population groups 

as subjects f o r study, such as minority groups, economic groups 

and various deviant groups which have been considered to be a 

s o c i a l problem.1* In keeping with t h i s trend to single out f o r 
1. Pollak, Otto, S o c i a l Adjustment i n Old Age, S o c i a l Science 

Research Council; New York; 19k®, pp.2-3. 



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study c e r t a i n age groups the aged, too, have come under closer 

scrutiny. Thus, we may conclude that age grades are not merely 

a r b i t r a r y categorizations f o r the sake of s c i e n t i f i c study, but 

they are recognized as having various common denominator s o c i a l 

connotations. 

The Aging Process 

Aging i s a complex process r e l a t e d to the passage of time. 

Pollak r e f e r s to aging as "a process of change and, as such, a 

phenomenon of v a r i a t i o n correlated with the dimensioned? time." 

He thus accounts t h e o r e t i c a l l y for the interdependence of the 

chronological and the functional factors i n aging, admitting, 

though, that the way i n which these factors a f f e c t people varies 

with the i n d i v i d u a l . In other words, aging proceeds at d i f f e r -

ing rates f o r d i f f e r e n t people. 

Every human organism undergoes c e r t a i n progressive changes 

with age which are not necessarily the r e s u l t of disease. These 

changes Involve physical d e t e r i o r a t i o n of body systems, which 

r e s u l t s i n decreasing e f f i c i e n c y of performance, p a r t i c u l a r l y 

of the manual type. Charles S. Becker says, 

Aging consists of two simultaneous components; Anobolic, 
b u i l d i n g up and catabolic, breaking down. I t i s well 
recognized that the f i r s t two decades of l i f e are 
e s s e n t i a l l y anabolic... while the l a s t two or three are 
predominantly catabolic. 2 

1. Pollak, Otto, op. c i t . , p.10. 
2. Becker, Charles S., "Physical Functioning of Older People" 

Towards Better Under standing of the Aged, New York; 1956 • p.25Ij.. 



Selye attributes physical d e t e r i o r a t i o n to what he c a l l s 

" s t r e s s . " He describes strees as e s s e n t i a l l y "the wear and 
1 

tear i n the body caused by l i f e at any one time." He contends 

that true age depends l a r g e l y upon the extent of this wear and 

tear. 

Psychological research bears out the tendency f o r i n t e l l i -

gence t e s t scores to reach t h e i r peak i n the l a t e teens or early 

twenties and thereafter decline gradually. I t i s known,however, 

that the a b i l i t y to learn continues f o r much longer than the 

age stage these scores would suggest. A recent study on the 

learning a b i l i t y of older persons suggests that, although older 

people may have some i n i t i a l resistance to learning, and also 

somewhat slower comprehension and more l i m i t e d speed, as com-

pared with younger people, these d i f f i c u l t i e s may be overcome 

by persuasion and suitable adjustments In teaching procedures 
2 

and t r a i n i n g techniques. 
Donahue writes that, 

I t i s possible, however, f o r mental function to be main-
tained at maximum performance or even to be increased for 
many years. Cerebral capacity begins to weaken only i n 
l a t e r years and then r e l a t i v e l y slowly. At the age of 
seventy, a person i s s t i l l as capable as at f i f t y . At 
eighty, the i n t e l l e c t i s equivalent of that of the twenties. 
At ninety, the return i s back to the teens, a period often 
considered the best of l i f e . 3 

1 . Selye, Hans, The Stress of L i f e , New York; 195°. p.25"k. 
2 . Grueriberg, E.M., and Kaufman, K., "Mental Health," Charter  

Por Aging, p.3 7 3 . 
3 . Donahue, Wilma, "The Human Machine at Middle L i f e , " Aging  

i n Today's Society, p.112. 



I t i s a known f a c t that o f f i c e s of v i t a l and urgent r e -

s p o n s i b i l i t y are entrusted to the care of older people to a 

large degree. The a b i l i t y to be involved i n abstract thinking, 

while slower, i s s t i l l acute. Older people are s t i l l able to 

l e a r n from new experiences and novel s i t u a t i o n s . Taking part 

i n a Symposium on Health, Dr. D. L. Sampson said, i n r e f e r r i n g 

to psychological research on aging, that, 

Learning a b i l i t y was another f a c u l t y which waned with the 
years, but again at very variable rates. There was noth-
ing actually to prevent the e l d e r l y from learning new 
material, but they took longer at i t , and they generally 
succeeded best with material which had some f a m i l i a r i t y . 
In general, attitudes and i n t e r e s t s were of p i v o t a l im-
portance, and the decline which took place could well be 
o f f s e t through experience and the r i g h t kind of motiva-
t i o n . 1 

Various and obvious s o c i a l changes come with aging. Some 

of the more obvious ones Include retirement from f u l l time em-

ployment by men and the relinquishment of household duties by 

women. The r e s u l t s are, of course, lowered income, loss of vo-

cational associates and an excess of free time. Changes i n 

family r e l a t i o n s h i p s occur through loss of spouse or when c h i l -

dren leave home, these changes frequently necessitating changes 

i n l i v i n g arrangements also. One other team of research associ-

ates, i n a d e f i n i t i o n study of o l d age, points out that, 

The problems associated with old age are often a consequence 
of the breakdown of the o l d person's f a m i l i a r patterns of 
l i v i n g which usually involves relinquishment of s o c i a l re-
lationships and r o l e s t y p i c a l of old age. 2 

1. Sampson, Dr. D. L., "Psychological Changes," The Needs and  
Problems of the Aging. A report of Proceedings of the F i r s t 
B.C. Conference on the Needs and Problems of the Aging. Van-
couver, 1957. p«12. 

2. Cavan, Ruth S., et a l , Personal Adjustment i n Old Age; 
Chicago; 19k9. p.6. 



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Old age i s not to be determined s o l e l y on the basis of the 

number of years l i v e d , nor s o l e l y on the person's adequacy 

of functioning, but rather must take into account a t h i r d d i -

mension - that of the immediate setting within which the aged 

person finds himself, and i t s impact upon him. The Mennonite 

f a i t h holds that people who l i v e according to the teachings of 

the New Testament are prepared to meet old age, for i t i s con-

sidered a time when, as the more strenuous a c t i v i t i e s slow down 

more attention can be given to the deeper values i n l i f e . I t 

holds, too, that a person does not become "old" when he reaches 

a c e r t a i n age, but when he ceases to grow mentally and s p i r i t u -

a l l y . 

The Place of the Aged i n Today's Society 

In Canada, immigration has been a strong influence on 

upper l e v e l s of the age d i s t r i b u t i o n of the population. The 

proportion of the Canadian population at what i s generally re-

garded as "retirement age," that i s , 65 years and over, has a l -

most doubled since l88l, r i s i n g from percent i n that year 
1 

to 7.8 percent i n 195l» The heavy immigration, p a r t i c u l a r l y 

during the years p r i o r to 1911). i s beginning to show up i n the 

number of people who have reached the higher age range and have 

thus increased the proportion of older people c o n s t i t u t i n g the 

population. 
1. The Canada Year Boofc. Ottawa; Table 10; p.162. 



- 7 -

For Mennonite people, immigration has had i t s special 
e f f e c t . The f i r s t major migration from Europe to Canada 
occurred i n 1870, when a large group s e t t l e d i n the Waterloo -
Kitchener d i s t r i c t i n Ontario. Almost simultaneously, another 
sizeable group s e t t l e d i n Manitoba i n what i s now the Steinbach 
area, east of the Red River. 

Up u n t i l recent times these people were s t i l l productive 
members of the household, contributing to the labour force on 
the farm, i n the shops, and i n the home. Now, because of t h e i r 
age, they are not producers and, therefore, not contributing 
materially to the upbuilding of a community. H i s t o r i c a l l y , 
t h i s s i t u a t i o n would not have presented too great a problem since, 
although f i n d i n g i t necessary to give up many of the former ac-
t i v i t i e s , the e l d e r l y person was s t i l l presumed to embody per-
tinent wisdom and advice which he was able to dispense as a 
r e s u l t of l i f e - l o n g observation and application. Even i f the 
older people were immobilized, or bed-ridden, they did'not con-
s t i t u t e too great a burden for the family, since the practice of 
l i v i n g i n c l o s e l y - k n i t co lonies provided for ease i n communica-
t i o n with r e l a t i v e s and neighbors, thus removing the fear of 
loneliness or being l e f t alone to struggle with t h e i r d i f f i c u l -
t i e s . Presently, however, with the trend towards higher educa-
t i o n , with better communication and better transportation, and 
because of greater s o c i a l m o b i l i t y , the younger generation can ob-
t a i n s u f f i c i e n t knowledge to get along without the s a l i e n t advice of 



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older r e l a t i v e . This has a l l but robbed the older person of 

the r o l e or status he knew people his age enjoyed when he was 

young. 

In complex i n d u s t r i a l societies the roles of the older 

person are not at a l l c l e a r l y defined. Many of the former 

family functions have been abondoned, or have been taken over 

by i n s t i t u t i o n s other than the home. Mennonite families mov-

ing into I n d u s t r i a l i z e d areas have not remained immune to these 

trends. Some of the moral and r e l i g i o u s sanctions which formerly 

reinforced family t i e s and f i l i a l obligations towards e l d e r l y 

parents have, to a large degree, been relaxed, or else have 

disappeared altogether. 

Associated with the changes i n family l i f e are changes i n 

the e l d e r l y person's p o s i t i o n i n the community. F i n a n c i a l need 

e x i s t s , yet employment i s not r e a d i l y available f o r older people, 

with the r e s u l t that they must frequently look to either the 

church, the family or the community for assistance. Although 

older people within the Mennonite community do carry respon-

s i b l e positions i n many cases, the tendency seems to be that they 

are considered incapable of serving adequately on Committees or 

Boards since t h e i r education and o v e r a l l experience has been 

too l i m i t e d to provide the technical and communicating s k i l l s 

necessary to f u l f i l l these functions. In degrees varying with 

the person, the role of the older person i n the community has 

s h i f t e d from one of independence and helpfulness to one of 



-9-

dependence and ineffectiveness. This i s more true of those 

who have moved into urban or i n d u s t r i a l areas. This i s because 

of the f a c t that many l i v i n g i n r u r a l areas s t i l l own quite 

valuable property, and have a voice i n public a f f a i r s by v i r -

tue of this equity and t h e i r a b i l i t y to manage i t . 

Types of Housing f o r Older People 

Housing designed to accommodate e l d e r l y people has 

generally included two major types. T he f i r s t i s the type de-

signed to keep the e l d e r l y person within the main stream of &he 

community, accomplished through the p r o v i s i o n of smaller, c o t t -

age-style unit c l u s t e r s , ^he second, i s designed to give such 

people more privacy and, while not segregating them, make i t 

possible for them to have enough common space where they can 

meet among themselves. Some i n s t i t u t i o n s have made a d e l i b e r -

ate attempt to provide housing which would r e f l e c t both trends. 

A possible t h i r d type of housing would be nursing or convale-

scent homes, where medical care could be dispensed to those r e -

quiring i t . However, for the purpose of t h i s study, discussion 

w i l l be l i m i t e d to the f i r s t two general types noted above. 

With respect to the f i r s t type, i t i s thought that segre-

gation of the aged into housing units i s apt to give r i s e to 

restlessness and discontent. Old people as a rule l i k e to main-

t a i n contact with the r e s t of the community. There was a time 

when the i d e a l s i t e f o r a home for the aged was considered to 



be i n the deep country away from noise and d i s t r a c t i o n , and 

some of the older housing projects s t i l l give evidence of 

t h i s way of thinking. An objective look at the l i v e s of most 

older people, however, seems to indicate the problem to be too 

much silence and too l i t t l e d i s t r a c t i o n . At the f i r s t B.C. 

Conference on aging i n 1957, Dr. L. C. Marsh, i n stressing the 

importance of suitable housing as one aspect "of the general 

problem of the Welfare of the aged," said, 

I think we are a l l agreed that the practice of segregat-
ing the aging members of our communities i n neat and 
hygienic but s o c i a l l y impoverished projects o f f by them-
selves i s cruel and unnecessary. We need some sort of 
viable a l t e r n a t i v e . As I see i t , the key word here i s 
neighborhood. Now t h i s i s an elusive idea to l a y hold 

of, and d e f i n i t i o n i s not easy. But i f we think of those 
p a r t i c u l a r physical l i v i n g arrangements which lead to the 
maximum of meaningful human intercourse, which conduce 
to a s a t i s f y i n g sense of geographically-focus sed c o l l e c t -
ive i d e n t i t y , which tend to ensure that the pleasures of 
fellowship are a normal expectation of one's d a i l y routine, 
then I think we s h a l l have embraced the e s s e n t i a l elements 
of the idea. 1 

The second type comprises c e n t r a l housing i n which the 

e l d e r l y people make up t h e i r own community. Here people may 

have t h e i r own rooms and apartments, l i v e independently, manage 

t h e i r own l i v e s , and know that there w i l l be a superintendent 

who would look after t h e i r needs should an unexpected need 

occur. The alternative to t h i s , s t i l l dnder this general type, 

i s to have people assigned to rooms, but eating i n common dining 

h a l l s . Under these conditions, the residents would not be able 

1. Marsh, L. C., "Good Housing and the Good L i f e , " The Needs  
and Problems of the Aging. Vancouver; 1957. P»l6. 



- 11 

to manage t h e i r l i v e s independently i n c e r t a i n important areas 

of l i f e . 

The way i n which older people are housed has a d i r e c t 

hearing on family r e l a t i o n s h i p s . The trend to independence i n 

l i v i n g arrangements for the older person stimulated by the 

change i n Income status of the past decade, may have been 

started because of the pressure created by a lack of housing 

adequate f o r everyone i n the family. A change i n l i v i n g arrange-

ments i n l a t e r years comes about not only because family and 

economic circumstances are d i f f e r e n t but also because i n d i v i d u a l 

needs have changed. Many older people need housing that affords 

companionship, personal attention, recreation and medical care. 

Housing for the aged, whether Government sponsored or p r i v a t e l y 

financed, must cater to some, and maybe to a l l of the above 

needs. Hertha Kraus offers a sensible approach i n suggesting 

that companion apartments be made available f o r e l d e r l y people 

"whose idea of fun i s doing something with others" and "for 

people who l i k e to be good neighbors." She says that, 

Aging people of such background and long-established habits 
of cooperation may be suited by a dwelling which allows f o r 
both privacy and group experience i n the same u n i t . ^ 

After l i s t i n g some of the features that such a u n i t might have, 

the author points out some of the advantages that would arise 

from i t . She says, 

1. Kraus, Hertha, Housing Our Older C i t i z e n s . Reprinted from 
"She Annals of the American Academy of P o l i t i c a l and S o c i a l  
Science. Philadelphia, 1952. 



- 12 -

I t i s l i k e l y to meet such personal needs as the desire 
f o r sheltered independence, f o r belonging, for recogni-
t i o n , f o r s o c i a b i l i t y and f r i e n d l y r e l a t i o n s . . . I t lends 
the support of neighborly help and, i n c i d e n t a l l y , pro-
vides a new outlet f o r resourcefulness, i n i t i a t i v e , and 
s k i l l s , as applied to d a i l y and f a m i l i a r problems. 1 

Menno Home i s representative of the type of housing 

Mennonites seek to provide for t h e i r aged population. In Canada 

there are approximately 15 such i n s t i t u t i o n s d i s t r i b u t e d across 

the f i v e western provinces. In the succeeding chapters, 

several of the d i f f e r e n t types of housing projects i n the 

general Vancouver area w i l l be discussed and the s i m i l a r i t i e s 

and differences of Menno Home w i l l be more apparent. 

Development of Services f o r the Aged 

S o c i a l work i s slowly being accepted by the Mennonites. 

The apparent apprehension has been nurtured by the strong c u l -

t u r a l o r i e n t a t i o n to r e l i g i o u s i n s t i t u t i o n s which i s characteri-

s t i c of Mennonites. They are people strongly rooted i n religiQus 

b e l i e f s o r i g i n a t i n g with C h r i s t , and furthered, i n turn, by the 

Apostles, the early church fathers, by Reformers such as Luther, 

Zwingli, Knox, and by Anabaptists such as Blaurock, ©rebel, Manz, 

and, f i n a l l y , pinpointed by Menno Simons, under whose credentials 

as a r e l i g i o u s leader the Mennonite church took form. With such 

a strong emphasis on r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n they hold that t h e i r 

1. Kraus, Hertha, op. c i t . , p.1 3 5 . 



- 13 -

b e l i e f s are s u f f i c i e n t to solve a person's private problems 

as well as h i s p u b l i c l y known ones. 

C h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y , the Mennonites have maintained that 

to be an "overcomer" i t i s necessary to follow Christ's entreaty 

to a l l to enter the "new b i r t h i n C h r i s t . " I f t h i s i s done 

unreservedly, d i f f i c u l t i e s of an emotional and s o c i a l nature 

w i l l gradually be solved as C h r i s t - l i k e mannerisms, and C h r i s t i a n 

concepts of l i f e and of service, are put into p r a c t i c e . 

However, Mennonites are also accepting the idea that i n 

order to be of service to others, i t i s necessary to u t i l i z e a 

more studied approach to the problem that may be presented. 

Mennonites are increasingly accepting the profession of s o c i a l 

work as one d i s c i p l i n e that offers a s c i e n t i f i c enquiry into 

the etiology of the i l l s of man. In part t h i s increasing 

acceptance i s no doubt due to what Sue Spencer terms a w i l l i n g -

ness on the part of s o c i a l work p r a c t i t i o n e r s to admit that they 

must operate within the l i m i t s of competence, and admit t h e i r 

own r e l i a n c e on other d i s c i p l i n e s . Sue Spencer says, 

...the s o c i a l work profession i s increasingly affirming 
i t s i n a b i l i t y to solve the world's problems alone, and 
i s seeking to share appropriately with other groups re-
s p o n s i b i l i t i e s i t had considered i t s own. 

These aspects of the S o c i a l Work profession's maturation 
process have set the stage f o r : (1) a willingness to ad-
rait f a i l u r e or uncertainty, ' 2 ) a readiness to seek help 
from other community groups, and (3) a determination to 
broaden the base of knowledge provided i n the profession-
a l Schools of S o c i a l Work. 1 

1. Spencer, Sue W., "Religious and S p i r i t u a l Values i n S o c i a l 
Casework P r a c t i c e , " S o c i a l Casework, V o l . 38> No. 10, December, 
1957. p.5 2 2 . 



- 114. " 

Although s o c i a l work has made i t s more s i g n i f i c a n t con-

t r i b u t i o n s i n f i e l d s other than services f o r the aged, i t i s 

now making s i g n i f i c a n t contributions here also. Social work 

teachers recognize that the aging person brings to his s i t u a -

t i o n h i s former patterns of behavior, h i s experience i n solv-

ing other l i f e problems and making the necessary adjustments, 

and he brings his emotional needs. S o c i a l workers have sought 

to help the aged person assess his p a r t i c u l a r s i t u a t i o n and to 

acquire whatever insight i s f e a s i b l e i n moving to change his 

l i f e s i t u a t i o n or to make an acceptable adjustment to i t . 

They have served as coordinators i n u t i l i z i n g available r e -

sources to meet the person's needs. As a constituent part of 

an i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y team, s o c i a l workers have pointed to the 

meaning of family r e l a t i o n s h i p s , c u l t u r a l influences, the many 

aspects of s o c i a l and economic problems, the s p e c i a l i z e d 

services needed and the kinds of resources a v a i l a b l e . 

In determining the necessity for a housing project, as 

well as the type of units to be onstructed, s o c i a l workers 

have been i n a p o s i t i o n to f u r n i s h information regarding the 

requirements and desires of the people to be housed. 

In one l o c a l study of housing for old people, MacKinnon 

and Angel suggest that, 

A S o c i a l Worker's constribution does not necessarily 
end when the i n i t i a l planning of a project i s 
completed, as he can also be of assistance i n e l i g i -
b i l i t y p o l i c i e s , and i n interpreting these to the 



- 15 -

admissions committee. Another area of competence for 
the s o c i a l worker would he i n t e r p r e t i n g the project 
to applicants; ...^ 

I t i s e s s e n t i a l that the various bodies necessary to 

planning f o r the housing of the aged be coordinated to make a 

housing project meaningful, and more than mere shelter. This 

w i l l mean bringing together town planning o f f i c i a l s , welfare 

representatives, p o l i t i c i a n s (If involved), medical personnel 

and programme and a c t i v i t y personnel. S o c i a l workers, through 

s k i l l i n the area of r e l a t i o n s h i p s , have made important c o n t r i -

butions i n t h i s area of the coordination of available resources 

and services. 

Scope of Present Study 

This study i s an enquiry into the manner i n which a seg-

ment of the Mennonite population, namely that of the Matsqui 

Municipality i n B.C., has sought to provide for the care of the 

aged people who are members of t h e i r Brotherhood. I t w i l l also 

attempt to define what contributions s o c i a l work theory and 

practice may make towards a parochial i n s t i t u t i o n dedicated to 

the cause of looking a f t e r i t s older generation. 

The Mennonite Church, both i n Canada and i n The United 

States, has long sought to provide services f o r i t s aged. Homes 

of s i g n i f i c a n t size are today located i n f i v e provinces: Ontario, 

Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. However, most of these 

Vi MacKinnon, D.P., and Angel, J.H., Housing Needs and  
Preferences Among Senior Citizens (West Vancouver). Master of 
S o c i a l Work Thesis, University of B r i t i s h Columbia, 1 9 5 7 . p.1 0 . 



- 16 -

homes follow a c e r t a i n stereotype of construction and service, 

so that the need for v a r i a t i o n i s quite evident. This w i l l 

involve a good deal of study of the needs of senior c i t i z e n s , 

and an assessment of the p o t e n t i a l within the community to pro-

vide the needed services. In t h e i r search f o r an answer the 

Mennonites are ready to entertain suggestions from a l l q u a l i f i e d 

sources and, with the increasing number of Mennonites engaged i n 

s o c i a l work, t h i s profession should be able to make a s i g n i f i c a n t 

contribution. 

For purposes of this study, Menno Home has been chosen 

since i t represents f a i r l y the general endeavor of the Mennonite; 

church to provide accommodation f o r i t s senior c i t i z e n s . Com-

paring Menno Home with other Mennonite i n s t i t u t i o n s Is not con-

sidered e s s e n t i a l , since any v a r i a t i o n would indicate degree 

rather than essence. However, an attempt w i l l be made to point? 

out s a l i e n t features noted In studies of other homes i n the 

general Vancouver area because of the value this might have f o r 

the i n s t i t u t i o n under consideration here. This w i l l be done 

through u t i l i z a t i o n of several tie ses concerned with housing 

for the aged. In pointing out the features of other homes, 

some comparisons can be drawn between the features of the 

plants as such, the administration, intake procedure, and the 

types of services that the i n s t i t u t i o n s o f f e r . 



CHAPTER 2 

MENNO HOME: FACILITIES AND RESIDENTS 

Menno Home i s the outgrowth of a conviction on the part 

of the B r i t i s h Columbia Mennonite Youth Organization that they 

ought to undertake a project whereby they could help the older 

generation of people of Mennonite f a i t h to f i n d happiness In 

t h e i r t w i l i g h t years. When they f i r s t explored the region f o r 

a suitable l o c a t i o n on which a project could be started, the 

Executive of the Organization discovered that the f i n a n c i a l 

undertaking would be much too great for them. They therefore 

r e f e r r e d the project to the two major Mennonite Conferences i n 

B r i t i s h Columbia, namely, the General Conference of Mennonites, 

and the Mennonite Brethren Conference. After some negotiation, 

these two bodies were not convinced that a p r o f i t a b l e working 

agreement could be forthcoming, so the idea of forming a 

Mennonite Benevolent Society was conceived. A meeting f o r pur-

poses of organizing such a Society was c a l l e d i n 1 9 5 2 , but only 

ten people appeared. However, i n March of the following year, 



- 18 -

another meeting took place i n Abbotsford; t h i s was more success-

f u l , and at that time the Mennonite Benevolent Society came i n -

to being. 

The Society's Constitution states that "the objects for 

which the Society i s formed are to provide a haven and asylum 

and supervised care for the aged and i n f i r m . " I t states, further 

that "the operations of the Society are to be c a r r i e d on c h i e f l y 

i n the municipality of Matsqui. One a r t i c l e i n the Constitution 

deals with membership thus, "Any member of good standing of 

some Mennonite congregation s h a l l be q u a l i f i e d to become a 

member of the Society. New members to pay an entrance fee of 

150.00." O r i g i n a l l y an annual fee of $3.00 was also projected, 

but t h i s clause has since been eliminated. 

At the present time, the Society i s made up of 3&0 members, 

approximately eighty percent coming from the General Conference 

and twenty percent from the Mennonite Brethren Conference. The 

Board of Directors consists of members elected on the basis of 

personal q u a l i f i c a t i o n s rather than on Conference orientation, 

although attention i s given to maintaining some equity i n r e -

l a t i o n to Conference representation on the Board. 

In March, 1953» a l o t facing Marshall Road was purchased, 

nine and a h a l f acres: i n size.. A b r i e f campaign among the 

membership of the Mennonite churches i n the Matsquie area was 

undertaken, with the r e s u l t that construction of Menno Home was 

started i n September of the same year. The b u i l d i n g was ready 



- 19 -

for occupancy in May, 195l"-> and o f f i c i a l l y opened on May 3 0 , 

1954. 

Menno Invalid Homer 
During the summer of I960, another building which had been 

erected on the same premises was o f f i c i a l l y opened. It became 
urgent to have this provision because provincial regulations 
would not permit invalids to be taken care of i n Menno Home. 
This building, licenced under the name Menno Invalid Home, has 
been designed to accommodate thirty-five persons. However, at 
the time of this writing there are only twenty four patients 
being taken care of since the home i s not staffed to look after 
a larger number. 

Thus, Menno Invalid Home i s a species of housing, but It 
serves a clientele who have the added problem of chronic illness 
or physical d i s a b i l i t y . For this reason, i t w i l l not be con-
sidered further i n this present study. 

The Buildings 
Structurally, Menno Home is a long, rather narrow build-

ing, 223 feet i n length and 28 feet wide. It is a one-storey 
building with two short wings jutting out of the east side of 
i t , one at the centre of the building and the other at the 
northern end. The Home is of frame construction, painted white 
with pink.trim. The centre wing houses the combined sitting 



Pig. 1 MENNO HOME (195l(.) 

Pig. 3 MENNO INVALID HOME (i960) 



- 20 « 

room and dining room. The northern wing was o r i g i n a l l y i n -

tended, and i n i t i a l l y used, as an infirmary, but has now been 

converted to ordinary rooms since the construction of Menno 

I n v a l i d Home. 

For p r a c t i c a l purposes, the b u i l d i n g divides into two 

wings with the central kitchen and the dining room - s i t t i n g 

room separating the two. Each wing has a f u l l length hallway 

with rooms on both sides. Each wing has i t s own washroom and 

two showers. There i s a small sunroom running the f u l l width 

of the b u i l d i n g , facing Marshall Road. 

The basement serves as a sub-strueture f o r the southern 

h a l f of the b u i l d i n g . I t houses the laundry room, f r u i t stor-

age space, the b o i l e r room, a workshop, storage room with 

t h i r t y s i x lockers, and f i v e rooms which are occupied as l i v i n g 

quarters by some of the s t a f f . 

The b u i l d i n g houses t h i r t y f i v e persons, men and women. 

There are f i v e double rooms and twenty s i x single rooms. Each 

room i s supplied with the minimum necessary f u r n i t u r e . The 

rooms are rather small, and seem somewhat crowded when the 

tenants add a few of t h e i r own possessions to those already i n 

the room. 

Menno Home has been b u i l t on a s l i g h t i n c l i n e just on the 

eastern foot of a small h i l l , the buildings facing east. The 

surrounding d i s t r i c t i s e n t i r e l y r e s i d e n t i a l , composed mainly 

of single dwelling homes with small farms or large l o t s . The 



- 21 -

d i s t r i c t i s quiet, with no schools, parks or playgrounds i n 

the Immediate neighborhood. There i s a moderate volume of 

t r a f f i c on Marshall Road. The nearest business section i s i n 

Abbotsford, about one mile d i s t a n t . 

In addition to the main b u i l d i n g there i s one small c o t t -

age on the property which was b u i l t on a private basis by an 

older couple. The agreement i s that as long as either party 

l i v e s , the cottage remains t h e i r property and i s at a l l times 

at t h e i r disposal. They have w i l l e d the cottage, on t h e i r 

death, to the Mennonite Benevolent Society. 

The cottage consists of a l i v i n g room, bedroom, bathroom 

and small u t i l i t y room. The residents have t h e i r meals pro-

vided fori; them i n the main b u i l d i n g . The cottage i s located 

just east of the main b u i l d i n g and so placed that i f other 

people desire to undertake a similar venture, a cottage v i l l -

age could be started similar to the idea suggested by Helen 
1 

Kraus. However, being located as i t i s between Menno Home and 

Menno I n v a l i d Home, i t looks unduly conspicuous, and cases the 

grounds to appear rather c l u t t e r e d . 

There are several additional buildings on the property. 

Two small residences facing Marshall Road serve as l i v i n g 

quarters f o r the administrators of the two homes. These two 

buildings are situated on either side of the driveway. Since 

1. Kraus, Helen, op. c i t . p.134 



- 22 -

the buildings were on the property before i t was purchased 

by the Society, they have merely been taken over by the admini-

s t r a t o r s , and l e f t where they were. These houses, too, tend 

to detract from the general appearance of the t o t a l project. 

Near the northern boundary of the property, a f a i r sized 

barn houses two cows and some chickens, the property of the 

Society. The milk supplied by these cows i s s u f f i c i e n t for the 

needs of the Home; and a large garden supplies a portion of the 

vegetables needed. Much of the property i s fenced i n to pro-

vide pasture f o r the c a t t l e . 

Menno Home i s a very modest looking structure, situated 

i n a semi-rural area. The s i m p l i c i t y of structure and decora-

t i o n i s deliberate since i t i s both economical, and f i t s i n 

with the Mennonite emphasis on s i m p l i c i t y . I t i s conveniently 

located f a i r l y close to various Mennonite churches so that 

those who so desire may get to t h e i r church without unduly i n -

conveniencing anyone, 

A unique feature of Menno Home i s the fact that i t may 

r a i s e some of i t s own produce. Since most of the residents 

were connected with farm l i f e i n some form or another, this 

unique feature i s a d i s t i n c t a t t r a c t i o n . 

Administration 

Menno Home i s the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the Board of Directors 

of the Mennonite Benevolent Society under the chairmanship of 



- 23 -

Rev. Gerhard I . Peters. This Board rte ets every month to con-

sider problems and to make new plans for further areas of ser-

v i c e . To look a f t e r the d e t a i l s of running the Home, the Board 

has employed a manager. The present manager has no p a r t i c u l a r 

t r a i n i n g i n this f i e l d . His duties include bookkeeping, pur-

chasing supplies, maintenance of buildings and the performance 

of innumerable routine tasks. 

The management of Menno Home as at present seems to be 

adequate for immediate needs. The f i r s t task of a new i n s t i t u -

t i o n w i l l be the r o u t i n i z i n g of a c t i v i t i e s and of services. 

However, as they become more or l e s s automatic management w i l l 

need to look farther a f i e l d , e s t a b l i s h i n g a program of unique-

ness for the Home involved. Certainly, when the younger of the 

old people enter the Home demands f o r variety of a c t i v i t i e s 

w i l l be made. When that time comes, management w i l l need to do 

more than merely provide custodial care. 

At present Menno Home also employs a matron, a p r a c t i c a l 

nurse, who manages the household duties of Menno Home. The 

manager and matron are husband and wife. This arrangement 

appears to be quite adequate f o r Menno Home at present. How-

ever, as Menno Home grows, and accepts younger adults, and 

possibly more adults who are not of the Mennonite f a i t h , i t w i l l 

be necessary to develop a program of i n t e r e s t s which take into 

account the habits and attitudes of the various residents. In 

other words, i t w i l l require either an administrator trained i n 



- 2k -

group work with the older people, or else the employing of a 

programme d i r e c t o r who would arrange f o r recreation, group 

discussions and public r e l a t i o n s , leaving to a resident care-

taker smaller tasks, such as providing t a x i service f o r the 

residents and procuring drugs as prescribed by the physician. 

The programme director would regulate the various volumtary 

services that are being offered by the churches, women's groups 

and individuals of the community. 

Admissions Procedure and Policy 

Except for a regular form giving pertinent date of a p p l i -

cants, admissions procedures are not at a l l formalized. The 

manager i s at l i b e r t y to determine whether the applicant next 

on the waiting l i s t could be accepted by the i n s t i t u t i o n . In 

cases of doubt, he may take h i s concerns to the monthly meeting 

of the Board. The reason why no separate admissions committee 

has been appointed thus f a r i s because the waiting l i s t at any 

time has been small, so that the i n s t i t u t i o n has accepted with-

out h e s i t a t i o n whoever was on waiting l i s t and immediately 

available. Should the waiting l i s t become lengthy, as i t l i k e l y 

w i l l In a short while, i t w i l l be necessary to devise some 

method of screening applicants. This point w i l l be discussed 

i n chapter k. 

The admissions p o l i c y provides f o r e l d e r l y people of any 

f a i t h or race to be taken i n should the applicant wish to be 



- 25 -

admitted. I n i t i a l l y , Menno Home was conceived of as serving 

the Mennonite people exclusively, but the Board has seen f i t 

to open the doors of the I n s t i t u t i o n to other f a i t h s also. 

The reason so few of other f a i t h s or cultures have availed 

themselves of t h i s opportunity i s because the general atmos-

phere of the i n s t i t u t i o n i s known to carry d i s t i n c t Mennonite 

culture undertones. Much of the conversation takes place 

either i n German or Low-German; the worship services are con-

ducted i n German so that people of other n a t i o n a l i t i e s f e e l 

l e f t out. 

Comparison.:, with Other Homes 

A comparative view of Mennonite housing for the aged can 

be made by reference to a study conducted i n 1957 of four 

selected housing projects for older people i n Vancouver and 
1 

area. The four homes covered i n t h i s survey are The Pair Haven, 

Lions' View, Dana Home and The West Vancouver Housing Project. 

The Pair Haven i s a home sponsored by the United Church. It 

consists of a large number of buildings, the main b u i l d i n g 

being a large two-storey structure. There are f i v e single 

cottages where couples reside, twenty duplex cottages and four 

one-storey multiple dwellings. These smaller buildings are 

located on both sides and behind the main structure. Lions' 

View i s sponsored by the B r i t i s h Columbia Housing Foundation, 

1 . Sharp, P a t r i c i a Louise, Housing Projects f o r Old People, 
Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis; Vancouver, 1 9 5 7 . 



- 26 -

which i s a private c orporation. This i s a low-rental housing 

project f o r people with l i m i t e d Incomes. There are three 

two-storey apartment buildings. The r e s t of the buildings are 

one-storey structures placed around a central lawn area. 

Dania Home resulted from e f f o r t s of a small group of 

c i t i z e n s of Danish o r i g i n who wanted to provide housing similar 

to that prevalent i n Denmark. Dania Home i s a remodelled farm 

house which has had wings added on to i t . In addition to t h i s 

central b u i l d i n g , there are four small cottages and one duplex. 

The main b u i l d i n g i s a two-storey b u i l d i n g . 

The West Vancouver Housing Project i s sponsored by the 

West Vancouver Kiwanis Club. There are, i n a l l , s i x , buildings; 

a two storey apartment b u i l d i n g , four one-storey duplexes and 

a "community centre." 

A f t e r having described the physical d e t a i l s of the v a r i -

ous homes, the survey considers the extent to which there are 

s i m i l a r i t i e s and differences i n the four housing projects 

studied. The s i m i l a r i t i e s l i e i n the f a c t that a l l four pro-

jects included i n the physical arrangements both main buildings 

and smaller u n i t s . The differences appear i n the variations of 

design and functional set-up of the various homes. 

Menno Home, although considerably smaller than the homes 

mentioned above, also has s i m i l a r i t i e s and c e r t a i n differences, 

when compared with them. Pair Haven consists of a large number 

of buildings housing 132 persons. The large main b u i l d i n g i s 



- 27 -

c e n t r a l l y placed, with the smaller units uniformly spaced around 

i t . Menno Home at t h i s time has only one smaller u n i t , but the 

Idea i n both instances Is s i m i l a r . 

Lions' View d i f f e r s from Dania i n that Dania has a number 

of single cottages whereas the smaller units of Lions' View s t i l l 

provide from four to s i x apartments. The West Vancouver Housing 

Project d i f f e r s from the others p a r t i c u l a r l y i n including a 

"community center" f o r the use of tenants. I t d i f f e r s from 

Menno Home i n having a common room where the residents may 

gather for t h e i r various a c t i v i t i e s . Menno Home has only one 

central area which must serve both as common room and dining 

area. 

Administratively there are s i m i l a r i t i e s and differences. 

Dania Home, f o r example, has Its d a i l y management taken care 

of by a matron who l i v e s i n the Home. She i s assisted by a 

s t a f f of three to help with the cooking and the cleaning. The 

residents are at l i b e r t y to help with the work should they 

wish to do so. Menno Home also has a matron with three a s s i s t -

ants. However, Dania Home i s a bigger i n s t i t u t i o n , and should 

require more help were i t not f o r the fact that the residents 

themselves do some of the work i n contrast with Menno Home 

where a l l the work Is done by the s t a f f . 

The West Vancouver Housing Project i s managed by the 

Secretary-Treasurer of i t s Board of Directors. One couple 

occupying a cottage receives a rent reduction i n exchange f o r 



- 28 -

some caretaking duties. This type of management d i f f e r s only 

s l i g h t l y from that of Pair Haven where the administration i s 

c a r r i e d out by the Board of D i r e c t o r s . The work of the Board 

i s conducted by several committees: Finance, Building, Business, 

Ma nagement, Admitting, P u b l i c i t y , Landscape, V i s i t i n g and the 

M i n i s t e r i a l Advisory Committee. A couple l i v i n g - i n serve as 

caretaker and matron. This arrangement i s somewhat s i m i l a r 

to that of Menno Home. 

I t may be seen, then, that P a t r i c i a Sharp's comment that 

"each (Home) has c e r t a i n q u a l i t i e s to commend i t , none i s en-

t i r e l y without drawbacks," does hold true also f o r Menno Home. 

The r e a l problem i n developing a housing project of any s i g n i f i -

cant size i s that the physical structure must be present before 

any programme can be entered i n upon. No organization can 

possibly anticipate a l l the innovations that the needs and de-

s i r e s "of the future residents may i n i t i a t e . Even seeking ad-

vice from l o c a l i t i e s where projects have been operating f o r 

some time can be of help only to the extent that the l o c a l 

situations and the c l t u r e groups served are s i m i l a r . To ad-

mit and allow for variations i n the p e r s o n a l i t i e s of i n d i v i d u a l 

older people precludes the recognition of variations i n the 

personality of communities of older people. Menno Home i s no 

exception i n t h i s respect, and so w i l l need to look at possible 

modifications, some of which w i l l be suggested i n Chapter k. 



- 29 -

Residents of Menno Home 

The majority of the old people now r e s i d i n g at Menno 

Home were admitted between the ages of 70 and 8 0 . Average 

age at admittance was 7 7 . 

TABLE I. Age D i s t r i b u t i o n of Menno Home Residents 

Age: 
At Time of Entry 

Into B.C. 
At Time of Entry 

Into B.C. 
Present 

Age 

Under 60 9 - -

60 - 64 6 1 -
65 - 69 8 mm 1 

70 - 7k 6 9 

75 - 79 5 8 . 6 

80 + 3 14 2 1 

TOTAL 37 37 37 

The average age at time of admittance to Menno Home Is 

higher than that of other homes located i n urban areas. For 

instance, the average age at time of admittance to Taylor 
1 

Manor (an i n s t i t u t i o n i n Vancouver) was 66 or 6 7 . Comparing 

Menno Home and Taylor Manojb, i t i s to be noted that admittance 

ages for the tenants of Menno Home i s higher by about ten years. 

The difference l i k e l y stems from the area of residence p r i o r to 

1 . Guest, Dennis T., Taylor Manor, A Survey of the F a c i l i t i e s  
of Vancouver's Home For The Aged. Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis, 
University of B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver, 1 9 5 2 . p. 6 0 



- 30 -

attendance. While Taylor Manor draws most of i t s tenants 

from the urban areas where retirement age i s 65 and Old Age 

Pension becomes e f f e c t i v e f o r those f i n a n c i a l l y needy, the 

residents of Menno Home reside on farms where they can be 

employed to an older age. Then, too, since Menno Home Is a 

r e l a t i v e l y new i n s t i t u t i o n , i t i s understandable that the 

oldest of the older members would apply f o r acceptance f i r s t . 

Of the 37 residents at the time of t h i s survey, by f a r 

the larger number were women. There i s only one couple In 

the Home at present. Twenty seven of the residents are either 

widows or widowers, four are single and s i x married (includ-

ing the resident couple). Although there may be numerous 

reasons for the wide margin of women over men, one i s of par-

t i c u l a r significance for Mennonites. During the 1920's and 

again a f t e r the Second World War, scores of Mennonite women 

migrated to Canada with t h e i r children, not knowing where 

t h e i r husbands might be, or even whether they were a l i v e . 

Families i n Russia were frequently scattered by Revolutionary 

uprisings when members of a family were sent to S i b e r i a , or 

else forced to f l e e because they refused to j o i n the Bolshevik 

army. These widows, who have now grown old, were not able to 

save enough money while i n Canada to enable them to l i v e i n -

dependently i n old age. Also, t h e i r sons and daughters could 

not be expected to house t h e i r parents; indeed, they also 

usually started out with l i v i n g quarters barely s u f f i c i e n t to 



- 31 -

house t h e i r own growing f a m i l i e s . In many cases the married 

partners were presumed to be a l i v e , but were s t i l l behind the 

"Iron Curtain," and agencies such as the Mennonite Central 

Committee have not been able to locate too many to date. 

The majority of the inmates were born outside Canada. 

Twenty seven entered B r i t i s h Columbia after the close of the 

Second World War. The remaining residents, entered either 

during or before the War; the f i r s t of the group a r r i v i n g i n 

1 9 2 3 . A l l but I4. had by the time of admission obtained Cana-

dian c i t i z e n s h i p . 

Mennonite migration to B r i t i s h Columbia from the P r a i r i e 

provinces increased manifold during the l a t e 191^0*s and early 

1950's. This sudden i n t e r e s t i n B r i t i s h Columbia was due..to 

at least three factors: a) the b u i l d i n g boom, with a l l the 

employment opportunities i t provided for the tradesmen from 

the "old country," and for farm labourers from the P r a i r i e s ; 

b) the warmer climate; c) the opportunity to buy f r u i t farms 

and chicken ranches, two highly prized methods of l i v e l i h o o d . 

Approximately h a l f of the occupants of Menno Home gave 

t h e i r "home address" as that of either children or close 

r e l a t i v e s . One Individual came to the Home from a d i f f e r e n t 

i n s t i t u t i o n . The r e s t l i v e d p r i v a t e l y , either i n small semi-

urban residences or on small farms near Yarrow, Sardis, Clear-

brook and v i c i n i t y . T h i r t y one of the residents mentioned 

t h e i r next-of-kin residing i n the area as either son or 



- 32 -

daughter. This gives evidence that the representation at the 

Home could not be housed by t h e i r own children, or else that 

the residents themselves questioned the a d v i s a b i l i t y of moving 

i n with t h e i r own c h i l d r e n . 

Most of the people i n the Home have been able to q u a l i f y 

for the B r i t i s h Columbia supplementary pension. The exception 

includes four who came to B r i t i s h Columbia recently. Two are 

being subsidized by the B r i t i s h Columbia Mennonite R e l i e f 

Organization to the extent of $ 1 0 . 0 0 per person per month. 

Two of these four do not q u a l i f y for the Dominion Old Age 

Pension and so are supported i n the entire amount by the 

Mennonite R e l i e f Organization. This Organizationwas esta-

blished f o r the express purpose of helping people who f o r 

various reasons need assistance, but who do not q u a l i f y f o r 

any of the contributory insurance plans available f o r the 

general public. One of the residents i s on s o c i a l assistance, 

and one pays the balance needed f o r maintenance i n the Home 

out of private savings. 

A l l the residents of Menno Home who were sick and 

unable to look a f t e r themselves were transferred into Menno 

I n v a l i d Home when i t was opened i n I 9 6 0 . Only those who do 

not require extra care are accepted i n Menno Home. 



- 33 -
TABLE I I . Source of Income 

Source of Income Number 

Dominion Old Age Pension 
with Bonus 31 

Old Age Pension and Mennon-
i t e R e l i e f Organization 2 

Mennonite R e l i e f Organiza-
t i o n only 2 

Old Age Pension and Private 
Funds 1 

S o c i a l Assistance 1 
TOTAL 37 

Good housing alone cannot solve a l l the varied and com-

plex problems that face the older generation. Yet, to deny 

the importance of good housing i s to deny the need for hous-

ing altogether. Geneva Mathiesen says that something to do, 

and a place to l i v e "are the two great needs that time puts 

upon a l l those who l i v e into old age." Just to provide 

shelter for them i s not enough. 

On the occasion of the Symposium on aging i n 1957, Mr. 

Michael wheeler (at that time Research Planner with the C i t y 

of Vancouver) summed up the Vancouver s i t u a t i o n as follows: 

There were 17 housing projects for senior c i t i z e n s i n 
B r i t i s h Columbia, y i e l d i n g a t o t a l of around 500 separ-
ate u n i t s . . . (but) probably ten times as many as t h i s 
were required i f the housing needs of the e l d e r l y of 
the Province were to be met... He reminded the Con-
ference, however, that i t was misleading to hold the 
problem i n categorical i s o l a t i o n and to think of senior 
c i t i z e n s projects as the only solution to the problem. 
He endorsed the view e a r l i e r enunciated by Dr. Marsh 



that the housing needs of the e l d e r l y were i n essence 
the same as those of the r e s t of the community, and 
he pointed out that the problem d i d not spring into 
existence at the age of 6 5 . I f a married couple did 
not have a house by the time they were i n t h e i r f i f t i e s , 
they were u n l i k e l y to acquire one afterwards, and even 
i f they did, declining income and waning physical 
powers created d i f f i c u l t i e s i n looking after i t . 

The residents of Menno Home seem to be average older 

c i t i z e n s , with problems common to a l l the aged. Menno Home 

seeks to help i t s residents not only with housing but also 

with the s o c i a l amenities, which w i l l be discussed i n the 

following chapter. 

1. Mathiesen, Geneva, "Better Buildings For The Aging," 
Buildings For The Aging. The National Committee on the Aging 
of the National Welfare Assembly; Chicago, 1 9 5 6 . 



CHAPTER 3 

MENNO HOME: WELFARE SERVICE IN HOUSING 

The modern home for the aged increasingly serves men 

and women of advanced age, and those faced with the f a c t or 

fear of f r a i l t y , i n f i r m i t y or i l l n e s s . To bedrand-board ser-

vices have now been added many other services to maintain 

s o c i a l , physical and s p i r i t u a l well-being. In many homes 

not the least of these i s s o c i a l service. The manner i n 

which these services are provided varies somewhat. The Cor-

poration of Burnaby, for instance, has one s o c i a l worker 

assigned to Homes where r e c i p i e n t s of s o c i a l assistance are 

housed. This s o c i a l worker v i s i t s her c l i e n t s regularly, but 

serves also as consultant to the regular s t a f f of the various 

Homes. Other Homes make use of the r e f e r r a l system In guid-

ing an e l d e r l y resident to where he can obtain the assistance 

the Home cannot provide. The Middlechurch Home f o r the Aged 

i n Manitoba, has employed a s o c i a l worker as f u l l time ad-

ministrator. This administrator was trained i n Denmark, and 

has brought to t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n many of the ideas that have 

been found to be of advantage through research and experimen-



- 36 -

t a t i o n done i n t h a t c o u n t r y . 

Menno Home h a s n o t a v a i l e d i t s e l f o f any o f t h e s o c i a l 

s e r v i c e s . One r e a s o n f o r t h i s i s t h e s e r v i c e s t h a t a r e t o b e 

o f f e r e d a r e l a i d down b y a B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s whose members 

b e l o n g t o t h e v a r i o u s M e n n o n i t e c h u r c h e s . I t i s n a t u r a l , 

t h e r e f o r e , t h a t s e r v i c e s r e n d e r e d a r e a l i g n e d t o t h e r e s o u r c e s 

t h a t a r e a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h t h e s e c h u r c h e s . S e c o n d l y , Menno 

Home i s s t i l l a y o u n g i n s t i t u t i o n s e e k i n g t o c l e a r a p a t h t o -

wards s e r v i c e s t h a t w o u l d be m e a n i n g f u l f o r t h e r e s i d e n t s , and 

t h e i n s t i t u t i o n as s u c h . Time i s an i m p o r t a n t commodity as 

management l e a r n s t h e a r t o f r u n n i n g an i n s t i t u t i o n and de-

v e l o p i n g a programme w h i c h c o u l d i n v o l v e a l l p r o f e s s i o n s known 

t o have made c o n t r i b u t i o n s w i t h r e s p e c t t o homes f o r t h e a g e d . 

The s e r v i c e s r e n d e r e d b y Menno Home may be s e e n as coming, 

f r o m two s o u r c e s : a) t h o s e o f f e r e d b y t h e i n s t i t u t i o n as s u c h 

and, b ) t h o s e o f f e r e d b y t h e s u r r o u n d i n g i m m u n i t y , i n c l u d i n g 

the n e a r b y c h u r c h e s . 

The s e r v i c e s o f f e r e d b y Menno Home i t s e l f , o u t s i d e o f 

p r o v i d i n g f o r t h e b a s i c e v e r y d a y r e q u i r e m e n t s , have so f a r b e e n 

q u i t e l i m i t e d . T h i s i s l i k e l y due t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e i s 

no programme d i r e c t o r whose t i m e c o u l d be s p e n t o n programming 

a l o n e . The management i t s e l f i s t o o o c c u p i e d w i t h r o u t i n e s t o 

be a b l e t o e v e n i n i t i a t e e x t r a s e r v i c e s , n o t t o s p e a k o f t h e 

n e e d f o r r e s e a r c h t o d e t e r m i n e what i n t h e way o f e x t r a s e r -

v i c e s c o u l d be o f f e r e d . 



- 37 -

S e v e r a l d o c t o r s w i t h i n t h e C l e a r b r o o k a r e a h a v e made 

t h e i r s e r v i c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e r e s i d e n t s o f Menno Home. 

E a c h o c c u p a n t o f Menno Home i s p e r m i t t e d t o c h o o s e one o f 

t h e s e p h y s i c i a n s as t h e i r d o c t o r . When a p a t i e n t a s s i g n e d 

t o a c e r t a i n d o c t o r i s i l l , r e g u l a r v i s i t s a r e made b y t h a t 

p h y s i c i a n . G e n e r a l l y , h o w e v e r , he c a l l s o n l y when r e q u e s t e d 

b y t h e management. 

R e s i d e n t s who g e t v e r y i l l a r e t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e l o c a l 

h o s p i t a l f o r m e d i c a l a t t e n t i o n , r e t a i n i n g t h e i r room a t t h e 

Home, r e a d y f o r t h e i r r e t u r n . However, when t h e i l l n e s s 

t u r n s o u t t o be c h r o n i c o r d i s a b l i n g , o r b o t h , t h e p e r s o n i s 

t r a n s f e r r e d t o Menno I n v a l i d Home. One good f e a t u r e o f t h i s 

a r r a n g e m e n t a r i s e s o u t o f the f a c t t h a t s i n c e the two p r o j e c t s 

a r e s i t u a t e d o n t h e same g r o u n d s , t h e t r a n s f e r i n t o t h e I n v a l i d 

Home does n o t b r i n g w i t h i t d i s p l a c e m e n t f e a r s i t o t h e r w i s e 

c o u l d w e l l h a v e . The r e s i d e n t s o f t h e Home a p p r e c i a t e t h e 

m e d i c a l f a c i l i t i e s t h e Home p r o v i d e s , and r e s t i n t h e amount 

o f s e c u r i t y t h a t i t b r i n g s w i t h i t . 

M i n o r i l l n e s s e s o f the i n m a t e s a r e l o o k e d a f t e r b y t h e 

m a t r o n ; a p r a c t i c a l n u r s e . D r u g s and o t h e r n e e d e d s u p p l i e s 

a r e p a i d f o r t h r o u g h t h e M e d i c a l S e r v i c e s D i v i s i o n o f t h e 

P r o v i n c e f o r t h o s e on S o c i a l A s s i s t a n c e . The Home s u p p l i e s 

t h e d r u g s f o r t h o s e n o t on S o c i a l A s s i s t a n c e , b u t who c a n n o t 

p a y f o r them t h e m s e l v e s . 

I n Menno Home, c o m p l e t e room s e r v i c e i s p r o v i d e d . The 

m a t r o n and h e r s t a f f see t o i t t h a t t h e b e d s a r e made, t h e 



- 38 -

rooms kept tidy, and that the d a i l y routines are on schedule. 

They also prepare and serve three f u l l meals per day. In 

addition, f o r those residents desiring i t , two snacks per 

day are provided; one at about three o'clock i n the afternoon 

and another p r i o r to r e t i r i n g at night. 

Outside of a few opportunities provided for the male 

residents to work about the yard, there are no outlets where-

by the residents may spend their time. Some of the female 

residents spend a good deal of time k n i t t i n g , hand sewing and 

crocheting. 

One reason why so l i t t l e i n the way of recreation i s 

available r e s u l t s from the assumption that because of the 

higher age range, most of the residents would not be too i n -

terested i n 'recreation of the general sort. The people there-

fore spend most of t h e i r time either by themselves i n t h e i r 

rooms, or else s i t t i n g i n the central d i n i n g - s i t t i n g area t a l k -

ing with fellow residents. 

V i s i t i n g hours are l i m i t e d to two periods per day, 

namely, from two to four o'clock and seven to nine p.m. This 

provides the main contact with the surrounding community that 

the residents have, for the shopping centre and community 

stores are too remote for the residents to v i s i t frequently. 

A welcome feature of Menno Home l i e s i n i t s l o c a t i o n . 

Being s e t t l e d as i t i s i n a semi-rural QD mmunity, i t i s 

possible for the older persons to go for v/alks, to get acquaint-



- 39 -

e d with, a t l e a s t some o f t h e n e i g h b o r s and t o e n j o y t h e r u r a l 

s e t t i n g g e n e r a l l y . I t a l s o p r o v i d e s f o r l o c a l p e o p l e t o v i s i t 

t h e i r r e l a t i v e s I n t h e Home f r e q u e n t l y , f o r t h e Home i s e a s i l y 

a c c e s s i b l e . 

A f u r t h e r f e a t u r e o f Menno Home i s t h a t i t p r o v i d e s a 

number o f r e l i g i o u s s e r v i c e s . The C h a i r m a n o f t h e B o a r d , a 

member o f t h e C h r i s t i a n M i n i s t r y , u n d e r t a k e n what i s c a l l e d 

"An Hour o f B i b l e S t u d y " e v e r y Wednesday a f t e r n o o n . T h i s 

p e r i o d c o n s i s t s o f some s i n g i n g where a l l t a k e p a r t , a d i s -

c u s s i o n o r d i s s e r t a t i o n o n a p a r t i c u l a r p o r t i o n f r o m t h e S c r i p -

t u r e s and p a r t i c i p a t i o n b y a l l so i n c l i n e d i n a u d i b l e p r a y e r . 

I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e s e r v i c e s r e n d e r e d b y t h e Home i t s e l f 

t h e r e a r e v a r i o u s f u n c t i o n s w h i c h t h e s u r r o u n d i n g community, 

t h r o u g h t h e i r M i n i s t e r s , L a d i e s ' O r g a n i z a t i o n s and Y o u t h 

G r o u p s , p r o v i d e b y way o f r e l i g i o u s s e r v i c e s . U s u a l l y t h e 

w o r s h i p s e r v i c e s a r e a r r a n g e d f o r Sunday a f t e r n o o n s when t h e 

v a r i o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s t a k i n g p a r t s e r v e o n a r o t a t i o n b a s i s . 

E x t r a programmes a r e r e n d e r e d b y L a d i e s A i d s who u s u a l l y make 

t h i s an o c c a s i o n t o d e l i v e r t o t h e Home some o f t h e p r o d u c t s 

t h e y have g a t h e r e d f o r t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . M i n i s t e r s o f t h e 

v a r i o u s c h u r c h e s a r e a l s o a s k e d t o s e r v e t h e r e s i d e n t s on s p e -

c i a l o c c a s i o n s s u c h as C h r i s t m a s , Good F r i d a y and E a s t e r . 

The w o r s h i p s e r v i c e s a r e u s u a l l y c o n d u c t e d i n a manner, 

as n e a r l y a k i n t o t h e way t h e y a r e c o n d u c t e d i n t h e c h u r c h e s , 

as p o s s i b l e . T h i s i s i n t e n t i o n a l , f o r i t i s t o s e r v e as one 



- ko -
area of l i f e that has continuity regardless of place or l o -

cation. The Services include hymn singing, special musical 

selections by outside groups, a sermonette, maybe the r e c i -

t a t i o n of a poem and other smaller v a r i a t i o n s . 

One further a c t i v i t y on the part of the community i s 

to provide t a x i service for individuals i n the Home who wish 

to attend worship services i n some p a r t i c u l a r church. Fre-

quently these members w i l l entertain the residents as dinner 

guests before returning them to the Home. 1 

Different choirs or choral groups v i s i t the Home 

frequently just to sing for the residents some of the songs 

and hymns long f a m i l i e r to them. After ths singing service, 

the members of the v i s i t i n g group make a point of contacting 

the residents to exchange f r i e n d l y greetings. The residents 

appreciate this informal type of a c t i v i t y on the part of the 

community. 

Personal counseling i s also available f o r the residents, 

but i n Menno Home t h i s i s supplied by the pastors. The pastors 

of the approximately f i f t e e n Mennonite churches are available 

at any time, should t h e i r services be requested. In many 

instances, the residents are members of a church quite distant . 

therefore, the pastors are cooperating i n serving the people 

i n whatever way they can. 

What Other I n s t i t u t i o n s Offer 

An assessment of any one project cannot be made on i t s 



- 1 0 . -

terms alone. For t h i s reason, some other housing projects 

w i l l be r e f e r r e d to here. 
1 

In the study of Taylor Manor, which i s an older type 

i n s t i t u t i o n , the l e i s u r e time a c t i v i t i e s of a number of the 

residents of Taylor Manor were evaluated. The author notes 

that i n twenty-five cases, the adjustment i n the area of 

l e i s u r e and r e c r e a t i o n i s seen as "average" i n f i v e and 

"poor" i n twenty cases. The study revealed that reading was 

the most popular pasttlme. Hobbies rated low. I t was found 

that " s o l i t a r y pursuits such as w r i t i n g l e t t e r s , reading, 

l i s t e n i n g to the radio, were common methods of passing the 

time." Group a c t i v i t i e s such as playing golf, p a r t i c i p a t i n g 

i n community or church work, were not rated as f a v o r i t e i n -

t e r e s t s , Taylor Manor i s geared to complying with these 

more private pursuits of the residents by providing a l i b r a r y 

and a large recreation room. 

The "New V i s t a " i s a low-rental housing project consist-

ing of duplex bungalows and apartment blocks. Selection of 

residents i s based on c r i t e r i o n of the f i n a n c i a l s i t u a t i o n 

and health of the applicants. In a study of this housing pro-
2 

ject by Dorothy Barberie , several of the a c t i v i t i e s are 

noted. One good example Is the Bookmobile service which i s 
1. Guest, Dennis T., op. c i t . p. 1L7 
2 . Barberie, Dorothy Joan, The "New V i s t a " ; A Housing Project, 

Burnaby, B.C. .Master of Social Work Thesis, University of 
B r i t i s h Columbia, 1 9 5 7 . 



- h-2 -

o p e r a t e d by the Burnaby P u b l i c L i b r a r y . The L i b r a r y Van 

d r i v e s up t b ' t h e b u i l d i n g so t h a t the r e s i d e n t s may s e l e c t 

t h e i r r e a d i n g m a t e r i a l . O u t l i n i n g other a c t i v i t i e s , the 

author of t h i s study says, 

W i t h i n the p r o j e c t the tenants have i n i t i a t e d a 
i p e c r e a t i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n to meet some o f t h e i r needs 
f o r s o c i a l o u t l e t s . . . The tenants have broadened t h e i r 
C o n s t i t u t i o n to i n c l u d e , as members, any f r i e n d s o f 
the tenants or people from the neighborhood who w i s h 
to j o i n . . . The p r e s e n t r e c r e a t i o n a s s o c i a t i o n was 
h e l p e d i n f o r m a t i o n by a member of the Board o f D i -
r e c t o r s who was a l s o a p r o f e s s i o n a l group worker. 
I t has been found t h a t merely h e l p i n g the tenant 
a s s o c i a t i o n to form, however, i s not enough. They 
appear to need some a s s i s t a n c e i n m a i n t a i n i n g imagina-
t i o n , i n i t i a t i v e and v i s u a l i z i n g new and broader p r o -
grammes o f a c t i v i t i e s . There would a c t u a l l y be 
s u f f i c i e n t work f o r a part-time group worker i f there 
were f i n a n c i a l p r o v i s i o n f o r such a person. 1 

The M i d d l e c h u r c h Home f o r the Aged, l o c a t e d near Winni-

peg, which i s a r u r a l and Danish model, o f f e r s gardening as 

a hobby to men so i n c l i n e d . Small p l o t s are a s s i g n e d to the 

e n t h u s i a s t s , and then become t h e i r domains. Other men are 

a s s i g n e d to bee-keeping. S e v e r a l of the women have assumed 

the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f l o o k i n g a f t e r s m a l l f l o w e r beds. 

Another i n t e r e s t i n g e n t e r p r i s e i s a monthly paper e d i t e d and 

p u b l i s h e d by the r e s i d e n t s . The paper describes, the events 

o f the Home, p r o v i d e s s o c i a l i n f o r m a t i o n and i n t e r p r e t s on 

b e h a l f o f the management any new p o l i c i e s of the Home which 

might have a b e a r i n g on the i n t e r e s t s o f the t e n a n t s . 

1 . B a r b e r i e , Dorothy Joan, op. c i t . p. 3 U -



- 43 -

Many of the above features could conveniently be i n -

corporated i n the programme at Menno Home, because of i t s 

r u r a l setting, and because of the willingness on the part 

of the Board to make Menno Home a pleasant experience. 

Counseling Services 

Counseling services f o r residents of Menno Home have 

been l i m i t e d to those offered by the Ministers of the v a r i -

ous churches (not only Mennonite) and p a r t i c u l a r l y to those 

offered by the Chairman of the Board. The reason for the 

emphasis on s p i r i t u a l counseling rests on the b e l i e f of the 

Mennonite f a i t h that a l l of l i f e i s a struggle to get back 

into- favour with the Creator. L i f e " i n this world" i s but a 

sojourn;'man i s a stranger here. However, man cannot f i n d 

t h i s way back to God on his own, and must, therefore accept 

the o f f e r of the "new l i f e " from Jesus C h r i s t who says, "I 

am the way, the truth and the l i f e . No man commeth unto the 

Father buy by me." S p i r i t u a l counseling i s , therefore, 

necessary for those who, towards the end of t h e i r l i f e , are 

unable to reconcile the demands of t h i s "new way" with the 

p r a c t i c a l , everyday aspects of l i v i n g . I t i s necessary, too, 

for encouragement to those who may not be plagued by this con-

f l i c t , but who s t i l l long to grow In the f a i t h . 

S o c i a l workers recognize the value and the power r e l i g i o n 



-10*- -

may have within the older person, and r e a l i z e , also, that 

this power and influence could well be used f o r the good of 

that person. Sue Spencer says, 

Physicians, p s y c h i a t r i s t s , s o c i a l s c i e n t i s t s and 
others concerned with i l l n e s s , economic dependency, 
family breakdown and deliquency are expressing 
openly t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n understanding the place of 
r e l i g i o u s and s p i r i t u a l values i n human l i f e and i n 
a s s i s t i n g people i n the appropriate use of r e l i g i o n 
i n t h e i r d a i l y l i v e s . 1 

Speaking further about ways i n which human needs f i n d 

expression i n r e l i g i o u s f a i t h , Miss Spencer notes that one 

such way i s , "The b e l i e f that there i s a purpose behind the 

Universe i n which we l i v e and a power that controls the uni-

verse and the destinies of a l l who l i v e i n i t (or the doc-

trine of a deity who loves us and i s concerned about our wel-

fare." And a second way i s , "The b e l i e f that man can reach 

out and make contact with t h i s higher power, and, i n ways 

that sometimes seem miraculous, but often are natural and 

unspectacular, can draw from t h i s source the strength to 

l i v e a better l i f e and to perform at a higher l e v e l than 

would otherwise be possible. 

The t h i r d way Miss Spencer mentions i s p a r t i c u l a r l y 

applicable to old age, for i t e n t a i l s , "The b e l i e f that 

man's l i f e should be concerned with the welfare of others 

and that he should subjugate s e l f i s h interests and desires 

to the w i l l of God for h i s l i f e . < L 

1 . Spencer, Sue ¥., "Religious and S p i r i t u a l Values i n S o c i a l 
Casework Practice," S o c i a l Casework; December, 1957. V o l . 3 8 , 
No.10, p.5 1 8 . 

2 . I b i d , p.5 2 0 . 



- kS -

That s p i r i t u a l counseling i s of p a r t i c u l a r significance 

f o r most of the residents of Menno Home arises out of the 

fact that Menno Home, i s , after a l l , a parochial i n s t i t u t i o n , 

designed to serve people whose l i f e has been an e f f o r t to 

l i v e i n conformity with C h r i s t i a n teachings. Continuing 

these services represents a r e a l strength to people for whom 

many other meaningful t i e s have been disrupted. 

The Minister And The S o c i a l Worker  

Parochial i n s t i t u t i o n s are not peculiar to the Mennon-

i t e s . The United Church and the Presbyterian Church as well 

as various other denominations, have established housing pro-

jects for the aged i n the d i f f e r e n t provinces. These paroch-

i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s have been established not only to provide 

shelter f o r the aged, but also to provide s p i r i t u a l care. 

For t h i s reason, reference to the r e l a t i o n s h i p between the 

Minister and the S o c i a l Worker w i l l be made. 

Alan Keith-Lucas says, 

For some time the r e a l l y important question i n the 
rapproachment between r e l i g i o n and s o c i a l work has 
not been 'How do s o c i a l workers and r e l i g i o u s work-
ers cooperate?' or even, 'How do we as s o c i a l work-
ers take into account or make use of our c l i e n t ' s 
r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s ? ' It has been, 'How does a 
s o c i a l worker who professes through h i s r e l i g i o n a 
a p a r t i c u l a r view of man reconcile t h i s view with 
his professional p r a c t i c e , i n which he also believes?'1 

1. Keith Lucas, "Some Notes on Theology and S o c i a l Work," 
S o c i a l Casework, February, I960, Vol. 1|1. No. 2. p . 8 7 . 



- k6 -

Leroy Waterman f e e l s that one reason why s o c i a l 

workers have not been prone to u t i l i z e the C h r i s t i a n Minis-

try as a resource i n many instances i s because i t s highest 

authorities (of the dominant r e l i g i o n s ) "cannot agree as to 

what constitutes the content of r e l i g i o n . However, Waterman 

does claim that there i s a constant aim i n a l l r e l i g i o n . He 

says, 

When man awakened to the abiding values of personality, 
the r e v e l a t i o n , for i t was also that, was so arresting, 
so a l l u r i n g , that his e f f o r t s to preserve those values 
constitute the most persistent, enduring and consistent 
endeavor that s t i l l characterizes man as man. Therein 
the aim of r e l i g i o n stands revealed, as constant through 
the ages as the magnetic needle that always points to 
the pole. 1 

S o c i a l workers r e a l i z e the abiding values of personality. 

C l a s s i c a l terminology accepts man as having dignity and worth, 

and as having a r i g h t to s e l f respect. Whereas the Mennonite 

church sees these values as deriving from the fact that they 

have been vested by the Creator-God, s o c i a l work p r i n c i p l e s 

usually attribute man's higher status to h i s i n t e l l i g e n c e and 

r e f i n e d modes of response, as well as to the fact that cer-

t a i n natural, irrevocable r i g h t s reside with the person as 

part of a fundamental concept of democratic theory. The 

difference f o r p r a c t i c a l purposes, relates to the orientation 

of each, the church stressing that the use of these values 

must be accounted f o r as required by the Creator, while s o c i a l 

1. Waterman, Leroy, "Religions and Religious Observances i n 
Old Age." T i l b i t t s & Donahue (ed.), Aging i n Today's Society, 
Prentice-Hall Inc.; Englewood C l i f f s , N.J.; I960, p.311. 



- kl -

work s t r e s s e s t h a t t h e y o u g h t t o be r e g a r d e d as b e i n g n e c e s s -

a r y f o r p r e s e n t s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g . However, the method e a c h 

employs t o h e l p t h e i n d i v i d u a l c o u l d s t i l l be u s e d as r e s o u r c e s 

b y t h e two g r o u p s . 

H e n r y Morrow, i n a s t u d y o f t h e community s e r v i c e s o f 

an o l d e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h i n V a n c o u v e r w r o t e i n 191+85 

F r e q u e n t l y , P r o t e s t a n t M i n i s t e r s who i n t e l l e c t u a l l y 
r e c o g n i z e t h e p l a c e o f t h e p u b l i c and p r i v a t e a g e n c i e s 
i n t h e f i e l d o f s o c i a l work f a i l t o u s e t h e s e r v i c e s 
w h i c h a r e a v a i l a b l e w i t h i n t h e community. P e r s o n a l 
p r o b l e m s , m i n o r e m o t i o n a l d i s t u r b a n c e s and m a r i t a l 
p r o b l e m s a r e d i s c u s s e d w i t h p a r i s h i o n e r s w i t h o u t any 
c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f u s i n g s o c i a l a g e n c i e s s a v e as r e -
s o u r c e s f o r r e l i e f , t o p r o v i d e c a r e f o r a n e g l e c t e d 
c h i l d , o r t o p r o v i d e m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t . The Agency i s 
a r e s o u r c e . The c o n v e r s e i s a l s o t r u e . S o c i a l A g e n c i e s 
may e a s i l y f o r g e t t o c o n s i d e r t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e m i n i -
s t e r ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o the c l i e n t and do n o t t a k e him 
i n t o t h e i r c o n f i d e n c e as t h e y t a k e s c h o o l t e a c h e r s , 
n u r s e s and d o c t o r s . So, f r e q u e n t l y , t h e two p r o f e s s i o n s 
p a r a l l e l e a c h o t h e r . ^ 

What Morrow h a s s a i d i s t r u e o f the r e l a t i o n s h i p b e -

tween t h e M e n n o n i t e M i n i s t r y and S o c i a l Work. The r e a s o n b e -

h i n d t h i s s t r a i n e d r e l a t i o n s h i p i s w e l l e x p r e s s e d i n a v e r y 

r e c e n t l o c a l s t u d y on i n t e r p r o f e s s i o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s , 

u n d e r t a k e n b y A l f r e d a S k e n f i e l d i n I 9 6 0 . M i s s S k e n f i e l d 

r e c o g n i z e s t h a t , " W i t h i t s t r a d i t i o n o f c e n t u r i e s o f w e l f a r e 

work, t h e c h u r c h f o u n d i t d i f f i c u l t t o a c c e p t the y o u n g "up-

s t a r t , * s o c i a l xtfork, w i t h i t s e m p h a s i s on s c i e n t i f i c method 

and o f t e n , a s e e m i n g d i s r e g a r d o f a l l t h a t t h e c h u r c h h a d 

1. Morrow, H e n r y M., The Community S e r v i c e s o f F i r s t U n i t e d  
C h u r c h , M a s t e r o f S o c i a l Work T h e s i s , U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h 
C o l u m b i a S c h o o l o f S o c i a l Work, I9I4.8. p.l+9 



- k8 -

done and was d o i n g . . . T h e r e a r e p r o b l e m s o f s e m a n t i c s ; What 

i s meant b y ' s i n ? ' ' p e r m i s s i v e n e s s ? 1 - p r o b l e m s o f s e l f de-

t e r m i n a t i o n o v e r a g a i n s t t h e o l o g i c a l dogma - p r o b l e m s o f p o i n t s 
1 

o f v i e w b e t w e e n m i n i s t e r and n o n - r e l i g i o u s c a s e w o r k e r . " 

E s s e n t i a l l y , t h e s o c i a l w o r k e r i s t r a i n e d t o l o o k . a t and 

d i a g n o s e p e r s o n a l i t y d i f f i c u l t i e s a n d t o h e l p p e o p l e t o make 

p r o p e r a d j u s t m e n t t o l i f e . S i n c e t h e s o c i a l w o r k e r i s u s u a l l y 

w o r k i n g i n a c e r t a i n a g e n c y , he o r she o f f e r s a s p e c i f i c s e r -

v i c e t o t h e community. B e i n g d e p e n d e n t on p s y c h i a t r y and 

s o c i o l o g y f o r much o f h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e c l i e n t , and o f 

t h e t e c h n i q u e s t o be u s e d i n d e a l i n g w i t h v a r i o u s p r o b l e m s , t h e 

s o c i a l w o r k e r i s p r e p a r e d t o w o r k i n t e n s i v e l y w i t h s e l e c t e d 

p r o b l e m s , as t h e s e a r e s c r e e n e d b y i n t a k e p r o c e s s e s i n t h e 

agency where t h e w o r k e r i s employed. The M i n i s t e r , b e c a u s e o f 

t h e n a t u r e o f h i s c a l l i n g , must s e r v e a l l t y p e s o f c l i e n t e l e 

w i t h e v e r y t y p e o f p r o b l e m . 

T h e r e i s a g r e a t n e e d f o r h i g h l y t r a i n e d c o u n s e l o r s i n 

m o d e r n h o u s i n g p r o j e c t s f o r t h e aged, and Menno Home i s no 

e x c e p t i o n . I t i s t r u e , o f c o u r s e , t h a t any p e r s o n t r a i n e d as 

a c o u n s e l o r w o u l d n e e d t o r e c o g n i z e t h a t Menno Home i s a p a r o -

c h i a l i n s t i t u t i o n , s u p p o r t e d b y p e o p l e who a r e i n t e n t on p r o -

v i d i n g f o r t h e i r aged a Home w h i c h w i l l s u p p o r t t h e b e l i e f s 

t h e s e p e o p l e have c h e r i s h e d f o r so l o n g . Menno &ome c a n b e -

1. S k e n f i e l d , A l f r e d a , The S o c i a l Worker and M i n i s t e r i n  
W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s , M a s t e r o f S o c i a l Work T h e s i s , U n i v e r s i t y o f 
B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , I960, p.7. 



- 1+9 -

come just that through the u t i l i z a t i o n of the knowledge of 
various professions. Alfreda Skenfield has put i t this way: 

The coming together of clergy and social workers, possi-
ibly i n the company of the doctor and psychiatrist, for 
the purpose of knowing each other i s one of the answers 
to the many questions posed herein. That there are many 
settings i n which this can be done, and is being done, 
is apparent. If each group makes the most of these and 
creates other opportunities, wherever possible, the tenta-
tive approaches to each other w i l l become continued 
intermingling with resultant understanding, acceptance 
and sharing of s k i l l s to the ultimate benefit of the 
individual who is crying for help.' 

It would appear, then, that the minister and the social 
worker have much to offer to each other. There are special 
p o s s i b i l i t i e s in a housing situation where inmates and staff 
may develop their sense of "community" within the Home, to 
which both have much to contribute. 

1. Skenfield, Alfreda, op. c i t . p.77. 



CHAPTER k 

MENNO HOME: NEW POTENTIALS 

Entrance into a home f o r the aged i s an event r a d i a t i n g 

various degrees of pleasure and pain, s a t i s f a c t i o n and depriva-

t i o n . Contrary to the old concept that held t h i s step to be the 

"end of the road" f o r a l l who entered, i t i s now being viewed as 

a p o t e n t i a l for a new new of l i f e . But to make t h i s possible 

requires adequate accommodati on with the necessary f a c i l i t i e s 

such as suitable furniture f o r both the l i v i n g quarters and the 

lounge, s u f f i c i e n t kitchen f a c i l i t i e s to prepare and serve meals 

e f f i c i e n t l y . The rooms, and i n t e r i o r generally, should be 

decorated i n cheerful, pleasant colors to lend to the i n s t i t u -

t i o n a home-like, warm atmosphere. I t requires a good counsel-

ing service for the residents, so that any private concerns they 

may have can be dealt with. There should be provision f o r group 

a c t i v i t i e s i n which a l l the residents would be welcome to take 

part. 

Furthermore, to make a home more than a "dwelling place" 

requires a s t a f f capable of viewing keenly the broad drama of 

l i f e as i t takes place i n that home, observing the interplay of 

p e r s o n a l i t i e s and the degree of i n d i v i d u a l and group adjustment 



- 51 -

and m a l a d j u s t m e n t w h i c h e x i s t s . 

The B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s and t h e Management o f Menno 

Home a r e c e r t a i n l y I n t e n t on m a k i n g Menno Home more t h a n a 

s h e l t e r f o r t h o s e who e n t e r . They have a t t e m p t e d t o make t h e 

r e s i d e n t s f e e l welcome, and a l s o v i t a l t o t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . 

B u t t h e methods t h a t h a v e b e e n e m p l o y e d t o e f f e c t t h i s a r e 

m o s t l y t h o s e t h a t h a v e t r a d i t i o n a l l y b e e n u s e d . The new o c c u -

p a n t s have b e e n made as c o m f o r t a b l e as p o s s i b l e . P r o v i s i o n h a s 

b e e n made f o r t h e i r m e d i c a l and s p i r i t u a l n e e d s , and most b a s i c 

e s s e n t i a l s h a v e b e e n f u r n i s h e d . However, i n s p i t e o f t h e s e b a -

s i c s e r v i c e s , man s t i l l r e q u i r e s o u t s i d e i n s t i t u t i o n s s u c h as 

t h e s c h o o l s , c h u r c h e s , h o s p i t a l s , c l u b s t o g i v e p e r s p e c t i v e 

and b a l a n c e t o t h e i r l i f e . S i n c e many o f t h e r e s i d e n t s a r e 

n o t c a p a b l e o f s e e k i n g o u t t h e s e o u t s i d e s e r v i c e s , i t i s 

n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e s e r v i c e t o move i n t o t h e Home. 

The b e g i n n i n g o f p r o g r a m s f o r t h e a g e d i s i n income 

m a i n t e n a n c e and h e a l t h s e r v i c e s . Weaknesses i n t h e s e two a r e a s 

w i l l show up i n h o u s i n g p r o j e c t s . However, t h e p r o j e c t s them-

s e l v e s a r e b e s t a d v a n c e d b y t a k i n g as b r o a d a v i e w o f t h e i r 

s e r v i c e s as t h e y a r e a b l e . 

Heeds o f R e s i d e n t s o f Menno Home 

M o s t o f t h e n e e d s b a s i c t o r e s i d e n t s o f Menno Home a r e 

a l s o b a s i c t o a l l o t h e r p e o p l e . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , many o f t h e s e 

n e e d s a r e o f t e n n o t p r o p e r l y r e c o g n i z e d u n t i l t h e r e s o u r c e s 



- 52 -

w h i c h o r d i n a r i l y w o u l d p r o v i d e s u b s t i t u t i o n s o r a l t e r a t i o n s 

a r e no l o n g e r a v a i l a b l e . 

F i r s t , o l d f o l k s h a v e a n e e d f o r r e s p e c t . One r e a l 

r e a s o n f o r r e s p e c t i s t h a t t h e y a r e human b e i n g s who h a v e t h r o u g h 

many t r i a l s and e x p e r i e n c e s l e a r n e d t o cope w i t h l i f e ' s p r o b l e m s . 

The a d v i c e and g u i d a n c e t h e y a r e a b l e t o d i s p e n s e as i t r e l a t e s 

t o a s p e c i f i c s i t u a t i o n i s t o be h o n o r e d s i n c e i t i s b a s e d o n 

t h e r e s u l t s o f d e c i s i o n s t h e y h a v e b e e n o b l i g e d t o make t h r o u g h -

o u t t h e y e a r s . 

A d d i t i o n a l l y , M e n n o n i t e s , as a l s o members o f v a r i o u s 

o t h e r f a i t h s , h o l d t h a t one o f t h e b a s i c s c r i p t u r a l a s s u m p t i o n s 

i s t h a t t h e r e w i l l be r e s p e c t f o r p a r e n t s . I t was w r i t t e n i n -

t o t h e F i f t h Commandment, "Honor y o u r f a t h e r and y o u r m o t h e r , " 

and i t was p a r t o f t h e c u l t u r a l t e a c h i n g o f J u d a i s m . H o n o r , 

i n t h i s c o n t e x t , i s n o t to be m e r e l y a s e n t i m e n t a l g e s t u r e o f 

p a t r o n a g e , b u t a d e e p - s e a t e d d e v o t i o n . 

The M e n n o n i t e f a i t h h a s i n h e r i t e d t h i s i d e a o f r e s p e c t 

f o r t h e e l d e r l y from J u d a i s m . Not u n t i l r e c e n t changes i n t h e 

e c o n o m i c and s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e t o o k p l a c e has t h e M e n n o n i t e f a i t h 

w a v e r e d i n i t s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d o l d e r p e o p l e . The r e s i d e n t s o f 

Menno Home know o f t h i s c h a n g i n g a t t i t u d e , and may v i e w i t as 

f a i l u r e on t h e i r p a r t t o t r a i n t h e i r y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n p r o p e r l y . 

S e c o n d l y , t h e r e i s t h e n e e d t o f e e l u s e f u l . I t i n v o l v e s 

a f e e l i n g t h a t d e r i v e s f r o m s e r v i c e t o o t h e r s . The o l d e r p e o p l e 

n e e d t o t h i n k o f t h e m s e l v e s as stex^ards o f a l i f e t h a t i s f u l -



- 5 3 -

f i l l i n g t h e p u r p o s e s f o r w h i c h i t was o r d a i n e d . U n w i t t i n g l y , 

y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n s f r e q u e n t l y c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e l o s s o f 

s t e w a r d s h i p b y f a i l i n g t o p r o v i d e u s e f u l t h i n g s f o r t h e aged 

t o a c c o m p l i s h . "Use us o r l o s e u s " i s as t r u e o f t h e s e p t u a -

g e n a r i a n as o f any o t h e r age g r o u p , b u t i s p a r t i c u l a r l y k e e n 

f o r them. 

T h i r d , i s t h e n e e d f o r s e c u r i t y . The y e a r n i n g f o r 

e m o t i o n a l s e c u r i t y a t a l l a g e s , a p p a r e n t l y , i s a d e e p r o o t e d 

large imbedded i n m a n k i n d . P e o p l e do d e p e n d on o t h e r s , be i t 

p a r e n t s , c h i l d r e n , s p o u s e , a s s o c i a t e s , f o r t h e dynamic e m o t i o n -

a l s e c u r i t y t h a t i s t h e b e d r o c k o f h a p p i n e s s . R e l a t i o n s h i p s 

w i t h o t h e r p e o p l e , t h e r e f o r e , i s a b a s i c m a t t e r i n any good 

h o u s i n g p r o j e c t . T h e s e c a n b e . p a r t i c u l a r l y m e a n i n g f u l when 

t h e y become s t r u c t u r e d t h r o u g h g r o u p w o r k e r l e a d e r s h i p e l i c i t -

i n g f u l l g r o u p p a r t i c i p a t i o n . 

E c o n o m i c s e c u r i t y i n v o l v e s t h e a s s u r a n c e t h a t f o o d , 

s h e l t e r and c l o t h i n g w i l l , u n d e r o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s , be 

g r a n t e d . I t i n v o l v e s a l s o t h e w i s h on t h e p a r t o f t h e a g e d 

p e k s o n t h a t t h e r e w i l l be some s a v i n g s , e v e n i f meager, w h i c h 

may be p a s s e d on t o t h e c h i l d r e n and t o w o r t h w h i l e p r o j e c t s . 

M e n n o n i t e t e a c h i n g has a l w a y s b e e n t h a t " i t i s more b l e s s e d t o 

g i v e t h a n t o r e c e i v e . " I n a b i l i t y t o s h a r e f i n a n c e s i s p a r t o f 

t h e aged p e r s o n ' s f e e l i n g t h a t h i s l i f e and t i m e a r e e s s e n t i a l l y 

u s e l e s s . Y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n s o f t e n f a l s e l y b e l i e v e t h a t o l d e r 

p e o p l e do n o t r e q u i r e any f u n d s . I t i s t r u e , o f c o u r s e , t h a t 



-5k -

t h e y u s u a l l y do n o t demand much f o r t h e m s e l v e s , b u t t h e a b i l i t y 

t o s h a r e a l i t t l e o f s o m e t h i n g l i k e money r e p r e s e n t s t h e f a c t 

t h a t a l o n g w i t h t h e money goes the g i f t o f g o o d - w i l l . 

The O l d Age P e n s i o n , and t h e s u p p l e m e n t a r y b e n e f i t s , h a v e 

g r e a t l y c o n t r i b u t e d t o a g r e a t e r s e n s e o f economic s e c u r i t y . , 

I f n o t h i n g e l s e , t h e y a t l e a s t g u a r a n t e e t h a t , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g 

e m e r g e n c i e s o f a g r a v e s o r t , d e p e n d i n g on t h e i r f a m i l i e s w i l l 

n o t be t o o e x t e n s i v e . 

A r e l a t e d n e e d e x p e r i e n c e d b y a l l o l d p e o p l e i s t h e 

p o s s i b i l i t y f o r e x p r e s s i o n o f i n t e r e s t . O l d p e o p l e r e q u i r e 

avenues w h e r e b y t h e y may show t h e i r i n t e r e s t I n l i f e , and i n 

t h e a f f a i r s o f t h e community i n g e n e r a l . P r e v i o u s t o e n t r y 

i n t o t h e Home, c i r c u l a t i o n w i t h i n the community b r o u g h t i s s u e s 

t o t h e i r a t t e n t i o n w h i c h t h e y c o u l d e x p r e s s i n t e r e s t i n a n d 

s t a t e o p i n i o n s a b o u t . B e i n g removed f r o m the community t o a 

c e r t a i n e x t e n t , o t h e r ways o f e x p r e s s i n g i n t e r e s t s and p r o v i d -

i n g f o r e x p r e s s i o n o f t a l e n t s a r e n e e d e d . 

The way i n w h i c h t h e b a s i c n e e d s o f p h y s i c a l , e m o t i o n a l 

and s o c i a l s e c u r i t y and t h e i r f u l f i l l m e n t f i t t o g e t h e r g i v e s 

m e a n i n g t o l i f e . A good h o u s i n g p r o j e c t w i l l t a k e t h i s i n t o 

a c c o u n t , and w i l l s e e k t o e s t a b l i s h f a c i l i t i e s and s e r v i c e s 

w h i c h w i l l i n t h e m s e l v e s be o f r e a l v a l u e . 



- 55 -

Is S o c i a l Work Relevant for Menno Home ? 

The professional s o c i a l workers of B r i t i s h Columbia, 

and indeed generally, have for quite a number of years been 

v i t a l l y interested i n housing projects for the aged. This i n -

terest arises out of the f a c t that housing projects as such 

cannot be divorced from the basic needs of older people. I f , 

however, these basic needs are not understood, i t follows that 

the housing project cannot be planned on the basis of need. 

S o c i a l workers have sought to understand the dynamics of the 

behavior of the d i f f e r e n t age groups, and many have made special 

e f f o r t s to understand the fears, longings and ambitions of the 

aged. 

Since Menno Home Is a r e l a t i v e l y small i n s t i t u t i o n , i t 

would at t h i s stage l i k e l y not be p r o f i t a b l e to employ a f u l l 

time group worker or caseworker, or one trained i n both f i e l d s . 

However, i t would be p r o f i t a b l e f o r both the s t a f f , and the 

Board of Directors, to consider employing a s o c i a l work con-

sultant, who:(a) could advise the Board regarding admissions 

p o l i c y and procedure and (b) could develop knowledge on what 

community resources are available to the aged. This consultant 

could also (c) advise the Board on recent findings i n g e r i a t r i c 

research i n the f i e l d s of vocational r e h a b i l i t a t i o n , health 

services, housing, and r e c r e a t i o n a l programmes. Given time and 

the opportunity to know the residents, this consultant could 

become increasingly h e l p f u l to the administration i n (d^ assessing 



- 56 -

t h e needs o f t h e r e s i d e n t s , d i s c u s s i n g v a r i o u s and p a r t i c u l a r 

c o n c e r n s as t h e y a r i s e , and d e t e r m i n e w i t h them what c o u l d be 

done u n d e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s . I n t h i s way the c o n s u l t a n t 

c o u l d a s s i s t (e) i n d e v e l o p i n g a p r o g r a m o f a c t i v i t i e s t h a t 

w o u l d be b e n e f i c i a l n o t o n l y t o t h e r e s i d e n t , b u t a l s o t o t h e 

i n s t i t u t i o n . 

A C o u n s e l i n g S e r v i c e 

R e f e r r i n g t o some a r e a s i n w h i c h s p e c i a l s k i l l s w i l l be 

r e q u i r e d I n programmes f o r a g e d , L i l l i a n S i b u l k i n p a y s p a r t i c u -

l a r a t t e n t i o n t o c o u n s e l i n g n e e d s : 

Some a g e n c i e s a d d r e s s t h e m s e l v e s s o l e l y t o t h e a g i n g 
p e r s o n and g i v e l i t t l e o r no a t t e n t i o n t o f a m i l y t i e s 
o r t o l a c k o f s o c i a l and p s y c h o l o g i c a l s u p p o r t s w i t h -
i n t h e f a m i l y . Our ( S o c i a l Work) p r a c t i c e i s t o c o n -
s i d e r t h e o l d e r p e r s o n w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f h i s f a m i l y , 
b u t a l s o when he i s l i v i n g a p a r t f r o m them... The 
c a s e w o r k e r must a l w a y s keep i n p e r s p e c t i v e t h e p r o b l e m s 
o f t h e o l d e r c l i e n t , t h e p r o b l e m s o f h i s r e l a t i v e , a n d 
n a t u r e o f f a m i l y t i e s i n p l a n n i n g s e r v i c e t h a t w i l l i m -
p r o v e t h e s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g o f e a c h . ' 

S p e c i a l s k i l l i s n e e d e d i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e o l d e r p e r s o n 

whose c a p a c i t y t o t h i n k has d e t e r i o r a t e d . S i n c e c l i e n t s o f t h i s 

t y p e c a n n o t c o n c e n t r a t e o n t h e one p o i n t u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n , 

t h e c o u n s e l o r m#st l e a r n t o a s k q u e s t i o n s and r e - d i r e c t t h e d i s -

c u s s i o n so as t o g i v e t h e i n t e r v i e w t h e n e e d e d f o c u s . S i n c e 

1. S i b u l k i n , L i l l i a n , " S p e c i a l S k i l l s i n W o r k i n g w i t h t h e 
O l d e r P e r s o n , " S o c i a l Casework, A p r i l , 1 9 5 9 , V o l . k O . p.2 1 0 . 



- 57 -

a b s t r a c t t h i n k i n g i s n o t as a c u t e as i n p r e v i o u s y e a r s , s k i l l 

w i l l be n e e d e d t o e l i c i t d u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w c l u e s t h a t m i g h t 

l e a d t o a d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f what t h e p e r s o n ' s r e a l n e e d s and 

C o n c e r n s a r e . 

A d m i s s i o n and E l i g i b i l i t y 

One p a r t i c u l a r a r e a i n w h i c h a s o c i a l w o r k e r c o u l d be 

h e l p f u l i s i n " i n t a k e , " E n t e r i n g a home o f t e n r e p r e s e n t s a 

d r a s t i c b r e a k w i t h p a s t l i f e . The e x p e r i e n c e s may be q u i t e 

t r a u m a t i c i f no i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f s u c h a move i s g i v e n , o r 

e l s e i f no s u p p o r t d u r i n g s u c h a t r a n s i t i o n i s o f f e r e d . Many 

p e r s o n s who a p p l y f o r a d m i s s i o n do so i n d e s p e r a t i o n . I n some 

I n s t a n c e s , p e o p l e c o u l d be h e l p e d t o e x p l o r e community r e -

s o u r c e s w h i c h w o u l d p e r m i t o t h e r p l a n s t h a t m i g h t be more 

s u i t e d t o t h e p e r s o n ' s n e e d s . 

Menno Home h a s , up t o t h e p r e s e n t , n o t h a d l o n g w a i t i n g 

l i s t s . T h i s h a s meant t h a t t h e Home has a c c e p t e d v i r t u a l l y 

any p e r s o n who c o u l d be a d m i t t e d w i t h i n the framework o f 

e s t a b l i s h e d h e a l t h and l e g a l r e g u l a t i o n s . However, t h e t i m e 

w i l l l i k e l y come when t h e w a i t i n g l i s t w i l l be l o n g e r , a n d when 

s e l e c t i o n o f t e n a n t s , who c o u l d most b e n e f i c i a l l y u s e t h e Home 

e x p e r i e n c e , w i l l n e e d t o be made. I f a t r a i n e d s o c i a l w o r k e r 

c o u l d e v e n t u a l l y be employed, e v e n i f on a p a r t - t i m e b a s i s t o 

s t a r t o u t w i t h , t h a t w o r k e r c o u l d p r e p a r e t h e a p p l i c a n t f o r 

what may w e l l be h i s f i r s t e x p e r i e n c e i n s u c h i n t i m a t e , c o r p o r -

a t e l i v i n g . On a c o n t i n u i n g b a s i s , the w o r k e r c o u l d h e l p t h e 



- 5 8 -

new r e s i d e n t with, p r o b l e m s o f a d j u s t m e n t t o t h e home and t o 

t h e o t h e r r e s i d e n t s . The w o r k e r w o u l d be i n c l i n e d t o k e e p 

t h e f a m i l y o f t h e o c c u p a n t i n f o r m e d as t o t h e p e r s o n ' s p r o g r e s s 

and a d j u s t m e n t , a n d h e l p i n g them t o c a r r y a s h a r e o f r e s p o n s i -

b i l i t y f o r t h e o l d e r p e r s o n ' s w e l l - b e i n g . 

F u r t h e r , t h e w o r k e r c o u l d h e l p i n w o r k i n g o u t a l t e r n a -

t i v e p l a n s o f h o u s i n g f o r a p p l i c a n t s r e j e c t e d f o r w h a t e v e r 

r e a s o n . One s u c h a l t e r n a t i v e may, f o r i n s t a n c e , be "homemaker 

s e r v i c e . " L o u i s K u p l a n s a y s , 

I t h i n k we n e e d t o d e v e l o p a s t r u c t u r e o f s e r v i c e s w h i c h 
w i l l remove t h e p r e s e n t h e a v y emphasis on i n s t i t u t i o n a l 
c a r e and p l a c e i t i n s t e a d , where i t r i g h t l y b e l o n g s o n 
t h e home. We n e e d , f o r example, a s y s t e m o f v i s i t i n g 
h o u s e k e e p i n g s e r v i c e s w h i c h w i l l h e l p o l d p e o p l e cope 
w i t h t h e p h y s i c a l p r o b l e m s o f m a i n t a i n i n g a home. We 
n e e d a s y s t e m o f f r i e n d l y v i s i t o r s e r v i c e s t o h e l p o v e r -
come t h e l o n e l i n e s s a n d i s o l a t i o n w h i c h a r e a s s o c i a t e d 
w i t h o l d age. We n e e d , a l s o , a s y s t e m o f v i s i t i n g n u r s -

" i n g s e r v i c e s so t h a t we c a n a v o i d t h e a l l t o o common 
e x p e d i e n t o f c o m m i t t i n g t h e e l d e r l y t o h o s p i t a l as s o o n 
as t h e y f a l l i l l . 1 

One f a c t o r w h i c h w i l l remove i n t a k e p r e s s u r e o f f Menno 

Home i s t h a t s t i l l a n o t h e r Home i s b e i n g b u i l t i n C l e a r b r o o k . 

T h i s new kO b e d home i s u n d e r t h e M e n n o n i t e B r e t h r e n C h u r c h , 

and w i l l c a t e r p r i m a r i l y t o i t s own c o n s t i t u e n t g r o u p . T h i s 

w i l l mean t h a t a t l e a s t s e v e r a l o f t h e M e n n o n i t e B r e t h r e n r e s i -

d e n t s now a t Menno Home w i l l l i k e l y t r a n s f e r t o t h e i r own i n -

s t i t u t i o n . When t h i s h a p p e n s , t h e p r e s e n t w a i t i n g l i s t o f f i v e 

1. K u p l a n , L o u i s , " L e i s u r e Time S e r v i c e s f o r t h e A g e d and 
P a t t e r n s o f O r g a n i z a t i o n . " P r o c e e d i n g s , t h e f i r s t B.C. C o n f e r -
e n c e on The Heeds and P r o b l e m s o f t h e A g i n g . The U n i v e r s i t y o f 
B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a , p . 3 2 . 



-59 -

w i l l be depleted. 

However, once i t Is known that long waiting periods are 

not necessary, applicants w i l l request immediate entrance once 

the decision to enter the Home has been made. Accepting a l l 

who apply may present the d i f f i c u l t y of having i n the Home r e s i -

dents who simply do not f i t i n . Here, too, a trained s o c i a l 

worker aware of community resources could make r e f e r r a l s on 

behalf of the c l i e n t s to other services which might more nearly 

s a t i s f y the needs of the person concerned. 

A further area i n which a s o c i a l worker could be h e l p f u l 

i s that of providing protective services. These are services 

which are required where the person's capacity to act prudently 

i n h i s own behalf are diminished, and which demand varying 

measures of intervention with the Intent of protecting the i n -

terests of the aged person. Reviewing a great variety of such 

services which might be relevant, Mary Hemming and Marcella 

Parror, writing on this point, suggest that, 

The nature of the protective problem i s such that re-
sources of many kinds must be r e a d i l y available, to 
be used immediately and f l e x i b l y , to supplement those 
of the c l i e n t , his family, and friends. Among these 
resources are medical and p s y c h i a t r i c care, l e g a l ser-
v i c e s , nursing care, h o s p i t a l and home nursing care, 
family home care, housekeeper and homemaker services, 
drugs, ambulance service, and funds f o r immediate 
needs such as rent, ( clothing, and food. The s o c i a l 
worker i s at the hub i n mobilizing each needed.resource 
quickly, both for diagnosis and treatment. 

1. Hemming, Mary, L., and Parror, Marcella S., "Protective 
Services for Older People." Social Casework, January, I 9 6 0 , 
V o l . k 2 . p.1 9 . 



- 60 -

Although Menno Home already provides many of the above 

services, there are some that could more reasonably be handled 

by u t i l i z i n g resources, public and private, which are generally 

available for senior c i t i z e n s i n the community or province. 

I t would seem p r o f i t a b l e f o r Menno Home to take steps to 

employ a s o c i a l work consultant f o r the Board of Directors and 

the Administration. Some i n s t i t u t i o n s elect such a person to 

the Board, and then assign c e r t a i n duties to this consultant. 

Eventually, the services would be developed s u f f i c i e n t l y , both 

i n q u a l i t y and quantity, to warrant contemplation of h i r i n g a 

f u l l - t i m e group worker or caseworker. 

An alternative to the above might be to make provision 

f o r a s o c i a l worker - chaplain to be employed f u l l time. There 

are students i n Schools of S o c i a l Work who are also graduates 

of B i b l i c a l Seminaries. These could be used to advantage i n de-

veloping a program for Menno Home that would minister to "the 

whole man." 

Recreational A c t i v i t i e s 

The residents of housing projects have free time they some-

times just "do not know what to do with." They need an a c t i v i t y 

program geared to t h e i r i n t e r e s t s , capacities, and needs. Of 

course, since the residents of Menno Home at present are on the 

average between 70 and 80 years of age, there may be the temptation 

to think that people of this age would not be too interested i n 



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v a r i o u s a c t i v i t i e s and t h a t , t h e r e f o r e , i t w o u l d he s e n s e l e s s 

t o e v e n b o t h e r p l a n n i n g a p r o g r a m . However, i t i s l i k e l y t h a t , 

i n t i m e , p e o p l e I n t h e 65 t o 75 age r a n g e may be t h e p r e d o m i n a n t 

g r o u p , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e M e n n o n i t e s t o d a y a r e g o i n g i n t o v a r i o u s 

i n d u s t r i e s where t h e c o m p u l s o r y r e t i r e m e n t age i s 65 f o r men a n d 

60 f o r women. B e i n g d e p r i v e d o f a r e g u l a r i n c o m e , t h e y move I n -

t o h o u s i n g p r o j e c t s w h i c h t h e y c a n a f f o r d . However, a t t h i s age 

t h e r e i s s t i l l a good d e a l o f e n e r g y and a m b i t i o n a v a i l a b l e , and 

i t w i l l n e e d t o be c h a n n e l e d i f t h e Home i s t o p r o v i d e a b e n e f i -

c i a l "way o f l i f e . " 

A l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g t h a t o l d e r p e o p l e l i k e t o do t o g e t h e r 

c a n be i n c l u d e d i n t h e p r o g r a m . C e r t a i n games s u c h as c h e s s , 

c h e c k e r s , C h i n e s e c h e c k e r s a r e a c t i v i t i e s t h a t o l d e r p e o p l e e n j o y 

t h o r o u g h l y i n t h e i r own homes, and c o u l d w e l l i n v e s t t h e m s e l v e s 

i n w h i l e i n an i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l a r e a s w h i c h c a n 

be e x p l o r e d . As s u g g e s t e d i n t h e s t u d y b y P a t r i c i a S h a r p , The 

P a i r Haven Home h a s a S o c i a l Committee w h i c h was e s t a b l i s h e d b y 

t h e B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s , w i t h one o f t h e B o a r d members a c t i n g as 

c h a i r m a n . T h i s c o m m i t t e e p l a n s p r o g r a m s , i n c l u d i n g o c c a s i o n a l 

t r i p s w h i c h t h e r e s i d e n t s o f t h a t home e n j o y i m m e n s e l y . The 

r e s i d e n t s o f F a i r Haven have a l o u n g e w h i c h t h e y u s e f o r many 

and v a r i e d a c t i v i t i e s . 

Some homes e n j o y p r o v i s i o n s whereby p r o g r a m s a r e i n i t i a t e d 

b y o u t s i d e r s . D a n i a Home h a s a number o f i n t e r e s t e d g r o u p s w h i c h 

c o n t a c t t h e m a t r o n t o o f f e r t h e i r s e r v i c e s . A l t h o u g h r e s i d e n t s 



- 62 -

of Dania do not participate i n planning the programs and a c t i -
v i t i e s , they do enjoy them and turn out in good numbers for 
them. 

Other activities that could be of benefit to residents of 
Menno Home would be musical programs, discussion groups around 
various areas of interest, craftwork, sewing, knitting and 
making bandages for the Red Cross or some other such organization. 

The residents could well be encouraged to participate i n 
activities similar to those they took part In in earlier years, 
even i f on a much smaller scale. Since most of the residents 
come from a rural, farming background, they could be encouraged 
to take part in some gardening or general maintenance work around 
the buildings. Done properly, such activities would help the 
aged person to realize that there can be continuity in l i f e as 
l i f e advances from stage to stage; that there need not be an 
abrupt end to a l l activities even though circumstances place them 
i n a home for the aged. 

To create the most effective activity program, i t is 
necessary to let the residents take part i n the planning. The 
family, or even the referral source, may question the capacity 
of older people to be useful planning participants, but the re-
sponsible program i n i t i a t o r w i l l need to determine to what ex-
tent i t i s f a i r to c a l l upon the residents to do their own plann-
ing. 

Many of the ordinary problems the residents of Menno Home 



- 6 3 -

face are looked after by the management, and by the Mennonite 

ministers i n the community. However, some of the problems 

could be lessened i f the residents were given i n t e r e s t i n g things 

to do. A trained s o c i a l worker would be able to a s s i s t the 

residents i n developing a program of a c t i v i t i e s geared to cor-

porate interests of Menno Home occupants. This would mean an 

assessment of former i n t e r e s t s as well as a condideration of what 

things are s t i l l within t h e i r capacity. 

In the l i g h t of the considerations set out here, I t Is a 

major recommendation of this study that steps should be taken 

to provide a lounge about equal i n size to the present dining 

area f o r recreational and worship purposes. In the opinion of 

the writer, t h i s could best be done by adding a wing, s i m i l a r 

to the one now housing the dining area, o f f the kitchen on the 

west side of the b u i l d i n g . This new part could then be used as 

dining area, and the present dining room could serve as a lounge. 

This would also permit the residents to profer a cup of tea to 

t h e i r occasional guests. 

A further recommendation i s that garden plots, f o r the men 

capable and interested, be developed. Some of the produce thus 

r e a l i z e d could be u t i l i z e d by the i n s t i t u t i o n , giving the r e s i -

dent the s a t i s f a c t i o n that he was able to contribute to the Home 

i n ways other than cash. 

A group worker could be used to help the Home f a c i l i t a t e 

the above a c t i v i t i e s by selecting residents who would be interested. 



- 6k -

A f t e r a l l , the purpose of a group work program i n a home for the 

aged must be to help people to help themselves, through.the de-

velopment of an i n t e r e s t i n g and v i t a l group experience. This 

could take place through discussion groups, panel discussions, 

short talks or through question and answer periods. It may be 

d i f f i c u l t , but i t s p o s s i b i l i t i e s are always worth exploring. 

I t i s too easy i n the area of leisure-time a c t i v i t i e s to 

"do f o r " older people rather than "do with" them. What Louis 

Kuplan says about doing things f o r older people i n the way of 

planning for t h e i r future applies to recreation as much as to 

any other area: 

I believe that we must not rewove from people responsi-
b i l i t y for themselves and f o r others purely because of 
age. But we tend to do just that. In essence, what we 
do with our old people i s to k i l l them with kindness be-
cause we take away from them t h e i r sense of r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . 
We think we are being kind to our older people, to our 
parents, when we t e l l them not to work on the dishes, not 
to cook, not to mend, not to keep house or not to do v a r i -
ous things they want to do... Let us encourage the reten-
t i o n of a sense of r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for the aged and f o r 
others. 1 

To f u l f i l l the requirements necessary to s t a r t a good 

a c t i v i t y program, and to involve the residents themselves not only 

i n planning, but i n carrying out the plan, demands adequate t r a i n -

ing. This i s where the group worker, grounded i n the knowledge of 

c o l l e c t i v e human behavior, could make a substantial contribution 

to the leisure-time a c t i v i t i e s of Menno Home. 

1. Kuplan, Louis, Building a Philosophy Towards Aging, The Univer-
s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia, Department of University Extension, 
January, 1958. 



- 65 -

Conclusions 
The sponsors of Menno Home are to be commended not only 

for getting the Home b u i l t , and made a r e a l i t y from i t s f i r s t 
d i f f i c u l t beginnings, but for t h e i r continuing a c t i v i t y on behalf 
of the o l d people w i t h i n the community. The overwhelming majority 
of the tenants spoken to by the w r i t e r expressed s a t i s f a c t i o n with 
t h e i r l i v i n g quarters. The most.significant hesitance on the part 
of some was that they f e l t so lonely. 

Menno Home i s another example of the tendency to concentr-
ate only on housing for the older person rathar. than providing 
public housing for old persons within the low income bracket. This 
has served to i s o l a t e the older person from the rest of the commun-
i t y , with the r e s u l t that they cannot benefit from the many ser-
vices the community o r d i n a r i l y affords for those able to get around. 
What i s worse, these experienced older people cannot contribute 
i n a s i g n i f i c a n t sense to the welfare of the community at large. 
Recourse to parks, stores, l i b r a r i e s , churches and c i v i c a c t i v i -
t i e s i s a l l too often quite not possible for these residents. 

I t can be f a i r l y said that simply to provide housing for 
the aged i s not enough to keep them content. They s t i l l desire, 
at least i n most instances, to remain a part of the community, 
sharing i n i t s i n t e r e s t s , and i n i t s general endeavors. However, 
for many of the residents of such homes t h i s i s impossible. 
Therefore, i t becomes the duty of the administration to provide a 
program of a c t i v i t i e s that i s as nearly akin to ordinary, private 



- 66 -

l i v i n g as the resources and circumstances would allow. This 
means that the residents w i l l need to be advised and guided i n 
providing t h e i r own a c t i v i t i e s and entertainment. To make these 
a c t i v i t i e s meaningful requires the insights of a person w e l l 
versed In both s o c i a l and community r e l a t i o n s h i p s . 

Menno Home makes extensive e f f o r t s to serve i t s residents 
w e l l . The Mennonite Church M i n i s t e r s , and the Ministers of 
other f a i t h s whose services may be required, are available at 
any time to anyone who may request t h e i r presence. The services 
these men render could p r o f i t a b l y be coupled with the experience, 
t r a i n i n g and good w i l l of a s o c i a l worker, r e s u l t i n g i n a progr-
amme of a c t i v i t i e s that would minister to "the whole man."" 



- 67 -

APPENDIX A 

Mennonite Benevolent Society 

Date A d m i t t e d : 

1. Name A g e 

2. Address from which admitted 

3. Date, month and year of birth 

4. Place of birth , 5. Came to B.C 

6. Marital Status 7. Nationality 

8. Religion 9. What Church 

10. Name and Address of Next of Kin : 

A 

Phone 

B 

.- Phone 

11. O l d - A g e Securtiy (Pension) File No A m o u n t $ ... 

12. O l d - A g e Assistance (Bonus) File No A m o u n t $ ... 

13. Social Welfare Registration File N o A m o u n t $ ... 

14. Social Responsibility of 

15. Medical Identity N o 

16. Person or Organization responsible for maintenance : 

; A m o u n t $ 

17. Address of Person or Organization responsible for maintenance : 

18. Maintenance charges $ 

19. Date of discharge 

20. Reason for discharge .. 

2 1 . Address discharged to 

M E N N O N I T E B E N E V . S O C I E T Y 

M E N N O - H O M E 

M A R S H A L L R D . , R . R. 5 „ 
& B B 0 T S E 0 R D , B . Q< 

Uk. 3 - v Y / / , 

22. Remarks 



- 68 -

APPENDIX B 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

General 

Bonhoeffer, D i e t r i c h , The Cost of D i s c i p l e s h i p . SCM Press 
Limited, London, 1959. 

Cavan, R., Burgess, E. W., Havighurst, R. J., and Goldhamer, H., 
Personal Adjustment i n Old Age. Science Research Associates 
Inc., Chicago, 19k9. 

Pollak, Otto, S o c i a l Adjustment i n Old Age. S o c i a l Science 
Research Council, New York, 19k8. 

Selye, Hans, The Stress of L i f e . McGraw-Hill Co.,. New York, 
1956. ! 

Smith, Henry C , The Story of the Mennonites. Mennonite 
Publication O f f i c e , Newton, Kansas, 1951. 

Thiessen, Henry C , Introductory Lectures i n Systematic Theo- 
logy. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 
Michigan, 1 9 5 1 . 

T i b b i t s , Clark and Donahue, Wilma, Aging i n Today's Society. 
Prentice H a l l Incorporated, EnglewoodCliffs, N.J., I960. 

A r t i c l e s 

Angell, S y l v i a , "The Role of the S o c i a l Worker i n a Home for 
the Aged." The S o c i a l Worker, January, I960, V o l . 2 8 , 
No. 1. pp. 16-22. 

H emmy, Mary L., and Parrar, Marcella, "Protective Services 
f o r Older People." S o c i a l Casework, February, I960, 
V o l . k l , No. 2 . pp. 60-61. 

McCabe, A l i c e R.,. "Pastoral Counseling and Casework." The  
Family, November, 19k3, Vol. 2k. pp. 2 5 6 - 2 6 1 . 



- 69 -

S i b u l k i n , L i l l i a n , "Special S k i l l s i n Working With Older 
People." S o c i a l Casework, A p r i l , 1 9 5 9 , Vol. kO, No. k. 
pp. 2 0 8 - 2 1 3 . 

Spencer, Sue, "Religious and S p i r i t u a l Values i n S o c i a l Case-
work P r a c t i c e . " S o c i a l Casework, December, 1 9 5 7 , V o l . 3 8 , 
No. 16. pp. 519-^26^ 

Public Documents 

Canada Year Book, 19,56. Queen's P r i n t e r , Ottawa, 1 9 5 6 . 
pp. 160-165. 

Dominion Bureau of S t a t i s t i c s , Ninth Census of Canada, 1 9 5 1 . 
pp. 6 k - 6 5 . 

Reports 

Charter for the Aging. New York State conference convened 
by Governor Harriman at the State Capitol i n Albany, 1 9 5 5 . 
pp. 3 7 1 - 3 8 7 . 

Housing Management. Issued by The Ministry of Health. His 
Majesty's Stationery O f f i c e , London, 1 9 5 0 . 

Housing Our Older C i t i z e n s . Reprinted from The Annals of the  
American Academy of P o l i t i c a l and S o c i a l Science, P h i l a -
delphia, 1 9 5 2 . 

Pedersen, D., Public Housing Management. Reprinted from The  
Journal of Property Management, National Association of 
Real Estate Boards, September, 1 9 k 2 . 

The F i r s t B.C. Conference on The Needs and Problems of the  
Aging. Sponsored by the Community Chest and Council of 
Greater Vancouver, and The University of B r i t i s h Columbia, 
May, 1 9 5 7 . 

Vancouver Housing Association, Building for Senior C i t i z e n s . 
Vancouver, 1 9 5 9 . 



- 7 0 -

Pamphlets 

Becker, Charles S., Toward Better Understanding of the Aged. 
Council on S o c i a l Work Education, New York, 1 9 5 8 . 

Kuplan, Louis, Building A Philosophy Towards Aging. Occasional 
Papers on Adult Education. The University of B r i t i s h 
Columbia, Department of University Extension, 1958. 

Theses 

Barberie, Dorothy Joan, The "New V i s t a " : A Housing Project,  
Burnaby, B.C. Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis, University of 
B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., 1959. 

Guest, Dennis, T., Taylor Manor: A Survey of the F a c i l i t i e s  
of Vancouver's Home for the Aged. Master of S o c i a l Work 
Thesis, University of B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., 
1 9 5 2 . 

MacKinnon, Dolina F., and Angel, Jerome H., Housing Needs  
and Preferences Among Senior C i t i z e n s (West" Vancouver). 
Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis, University of B r i t i s h Colum-
b i a , Vancouver, B.C., 1 9 5 7 . 

Morrow, Henry McFarlane, The Community Services of F i r s t  
United Church. Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis, University 
of B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., 19k8. 

Sharp, P a t r i c i a , Housing Projects for Old People. Master of 
S o c i a l Work Thesis, University of B r i t i s h Columbia, 
Vancouver, B.C., 1957. 

Skenfield, Alfreda, S o c i a l Worker and Minister i n Welfare  
Services. Master of S o c i a l Work Thesis, University of 
B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., 19.6Q.