Happy New Year From The Jura Care Village

Happy new year everyone!

It’s the 1st of January, 2016 as we sat outside in the warm sun. The champagne popped open a new year for the Jura Care Village. The lamb ‘potjie’ or stew sizzled as we enjoyed a beautiful day together. I reflected on how far we have come, how we have grown. It has been a year since the Jura Care Village was founded, a very productive and rewarding year.

We have learnt so much about the many forms of Dementia and how to care for people with Dementia. Learning from each resident that there is no such thing as a set of standards when it comes to Dementia. Each person experiences the mental disease in a different and unique manner and each person requires a different manner of care, a different way of communication, of union. We have learnt the importance of the intelligent and appropriate involvement between our Jura Care residents and their respective family and friends. We have learned substantially of the role medication has to play on the development and agitation of the different forms of Dementia. Seeing how medication, like everything else, can be used appropriately and positively as well as ignorantly and negatively. We have learnt the importance of building a family between all staff members, carers and residents. We have learnt how beneficial and stimulating a natural environment can be for both carers and residents. And most importantly, we have seen over and over again how powerful sincere, unconditional love and compassion can be.

Stirring up a nourishing lamb ‘potjie’ to celebrate the beginning of a new year

I reflected on how we have built Jura Care’s foundation on the solid hearth of loving compassion and compassionate love and on synergistic teamwork. The foundation of the Jura Care Village stands true to its slogan, being ‘The Heart And Soul Of Our People.‘

We are mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, we are sons and we are daughters. Together, we are one family. And this family unites for the purpose of creating a special expression in this day and age. We come together and weave a tapestry of care, of hard work, of emotion whether tears or laughter. We join hands, vanilla, chocolate and caramel and dance to the melodious embrace of a courageous community. We stare death straight in the eyes and wave from a distance with a calm smile, knowing that he will only enter our doors when the call is near. We stare life too in the eyes as we dance with her voluptuous rhythm, singing, cheering, loving my dear.

We are the Jura Care family and we welcome all those who hear the call of compassion, those who wish to step to our beat, the movement of the heart. The Jura Care Village is excited for the year that lays ahead, a marble stone yet to be carved to completion. Blessings then, for all who have ears to hear our song, for all who have eyes to see our expression and all who shall touch the hand of the life we live.