Thank You to the Heroes of Chartwell Retirement Residences

MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 11, 2021 – Chartwell Retirement Residences CEO Vlad Volodarski released a heartfelt statement of gratitude recognizing the dedication and courage of Chartwell’s employees.

“To Chartwell Heroes,

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Stepping into my new role on March 15th of last year, I could not have imagined that the road ahead would be this long and this arduous. Nor could I have fully imagined that I would be so privileged to be a part of and experience such a tremendous showing of resolve, commitment, and sacrifice in the name of safety and the well-being of our residents and their families.

没有什么比你们的个人故事更能说明你们已经做过的事情和将要继续做的事情了。来自萨拉，她辞掉了在医院收入更高的工作，回到她的长期护理之家，帮助他们度过疫情;感谢Lisa和其他15名企业团队成员，他们自愿支持我们的家庭度过最具挑战性的疫情，在酒店里住上几周甚至几个月，以确保家中亲人的安全;感谢布伦达和我们的人员团队中的许多人，他们每周七天、不分昼夜地工作，稳定我们受疫情影响最严重的家庭的人员;感谢露西和我们的护理团队，他们与各公共卫生部门和现场护理团队日夜工作，解读不断变化的指令，确保及时执行以拯救生命。这样的故事有成千上万个，每一个都值得讲很多遍。

Then there are the stories of our residents – the people to whom you have become family when the pandemic kept their loved ones away. You provided them with companionship, love, and care, you laughed and cried with them, you created numerous special memories, celebrated their birthdays and anniversaries, and mourned with them their losses. The words of appreciation and encouragement we received from our residents and their families inspired all of us to keep going, even when the going got tough. It is no coincidence that 96% of our residents and 95% of their families and friends said that Chartwell made important steps to protect them during the pandemic, and 94% of family members felt that their loved ones were safe at Chartwell.

The ingenuity, drive, and tenacity you have demonstrated through this crisis have been nothing short of extraordinary. Enhanced infection prevention and control protocols, modified dining and activities programs, accelerated implementation of various technology solutions, new ways of recruiting and working with agencies, regular and meaningful communications with residents and families, sorting through enormous complexities of various expenses, reimbursements and forecasting, working with lenders and investors to maintain a strong financial position, and even starting a new development project – you have done it all!

When COVID-19 began, senior living sector companies quickly came together in new and innovative ways to meet the challenge. Chartwell is a lead member of CAPES (Canadian Alliance to Protect and Equip Seniors Living) in which retirement and long-term care operators banded together to source, supply and share PPE concerned not only for their own staff and residents, but all staff and residents living in senior housing, including small operators in their time of greatest need. We are also proud to be a founding partner of the Senior Living CaRES Fund, providing emergency financial assistance to senior living sector employees facing extraordinary circumstances, including in light of COVID-19. Nearly 700 front-line long-term care and retirement living employees across Canada have benefitted from grants totaling more than $2.3M.

I also want to thank your loved ones who provided you with their support, encouragement and comfort, and who took on more than their fair share of domestic duties to allow you to be there for your residents when they needed you the most.

Words cannot express how proud and how grateful I am for what you have done and continue doing for our residents, their families, each other, and for our truly exceptional company called Chartwell. Despite the significant impact this pandemic has had on our business, because of you, I have never been more optimistic about its future.

谢谢你！为我所做的一切。”
#ChartwellStrong.
Vlad Volodarski,
CEO, Chartwell Retirement Residences

About Chartwell

Chartwell Retirement Residences is Canada’s largest operator in the senior living sector with over 200 quality retirement communities in four provinces offering a complete range of services from independent supportive living through assisted living to long term care. Chartwell is committed to its vision of Making People's Lives BETTER and to providing a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life experience for its residents. For more information, visitwww.www.familygivers.com.

For more information about Chartwell’s career development programs, photos and to interview one of our inspiring women leaders in your area, please contact:

Claire Bickley
Senior Manager, Communications & Public Relations
Chartwell Retirement Residences
416-937-4622 |cbickley@www.familygivers.com