Peace of mind and contentment mark Bill Warner’s new life at Touchmark

Bill Warner confesses he has had a “pretty rough time” this past year.

But thanks to a dedicated family and his supportive community at Touchmark at Wedgewood, Bill is looking forward to a life once again marked by easy mobility and the company of good friends.

“Do my children and I have more peace of mind now?” he asks. “Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed.”

Bill explains that ‘peace of mind’ means ‘contentment’ to him. “I’ve had a tough life lately,” he says. “If I wasn’t happy here at Touchmark, I don’t think I could go on.”

Making the right move at a difficult time

Bill and his wife had been living in their own home, surrounded by a nice yard and apples trees. His wife had been ill for some time, and then Bill had a stroke, followed by a series of ministrokes.

“We became aware that we might eventually require another living situation,” he recalls. So his wife and a daughter began looking around Edmonton for places that offered Assisted Living options.

They found Touchmark at Wedgewood, took a tour, and liked what they saw. On their insistence, Bill also toured Touchmark. “I liked what I saw, too.”

Subsequently, Bill’s wife went into the hospital. While she was there, Bill made the arrangements and moved into Touchmark in May 2008. But the same day his wife was scheduled to be released from the hospital and join him, she passed away. Within the month, Bill suffered more ministrokes, which sent him to the hospital for four months.

Some welcome assistance and amenities

After returning from the hospital to his new home at Touchmark, Bill has continued to make progress. “Recovery has been a long, difficult process,” he says, but he’s so glad he’s right where he is ... with just the right amount of assistance.

“They get me mobile in the morning, make my bed, wash my dishes — just any little thing you want them to do,” he says. “And they have excellent meal service. I do indeed enjoy the food here. It’s wonderful!”

“My personal doctor has said that if he were to retire today, he and his wife would live in Touchmark. He has been here and seen it, and he said it would be his choice of all the places in the city. That’s a great testimony, because I have the greatest respect for the man. He has seen all the places around town.”

Feeling content and right at home

When Bill first visited Touchmark at Wedgewood, he had a definite affinity with a certain room just beyond the entryway. A self-proclaimed “bookworm,” he was immediately drawn to the library. “I stepped inside, and I felt like I was right at home.”

In fact, Bill says everything about Touchmark makes him feel very comfortable and content. “It has a homey feeling to it,” he says. “It is so joyful meeting so many friendly people.”

Bill goes regularly to the library, where he says Touchmark offers an “excellent selection” of books, magazines, and local newspapers. When he’s not engrossed in his reading, you will probably see him traveling around the halls with the aid of his walker, greeting residents, staff, and checking out the latest art exhibits.

Bill is always working to increase his mobility so that he can eventually participate more fully in activities offered by Touchmark’s award-winning Life Enrichment/Wellness program.

Work and family

Bill joined Richardson’s Securities of Canada as an investment broker as soon as he got out of the Air Force in 1945. He retired as a branch manager in 1981 after 47 years with the company.

In 1953, Bill’s work transferred him to Edmonton, where he and his wife raised their family. Two of their four children still live in Edmonton, and they, too, have gained peace of mind knowing that their dad is in such a secure and supportive living environment.

“I’m very content here at Wedgewood,” says Bill, “content in the deepest sense of the word.”

Looking forward

Bill Warner has been through a lot in the last year, but the twinkle in his voice affirms his optimism and hope for a much better tomorrow. He’s now looking forward to all of the positive things that life and his new community have to offer.

“I still have a ways to go,” says Bill. “But I’ve made a lot of progress with my health issues here. I have a goal, and I’m going to reach it,” he says with cheery conviction. “Every day I improve.”

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