“Being grateful all the time isn’t easy. But it’s when you least feel thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive.” – Oprah Winfrey

A popular tradition at some Thanksgiving tables is to ask each person to say what they are grateful for. It’s a lovely tradition meant to bring meaning and increased connection to the shared dining experience, and research also shows that being grateful is even associated with greater happiness.

According to Harvard Medical School, “gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

To mark the Thanksgiving holiday, we recently asked some of our residents and employees living and working at Tapestry at Arbutus Walk to talk about what they are most grateful for in their experience of living or working here, and here’s what they shared with us:

Denise, who moved into Tapestry in July 2024, says she’s thankful she made the decision to move here, and for the safety and security she feels living in the community. “I have found it very easy to settle in here,” she says. “Tapestry has been beyond all my expectations. I have every comfort I need here, and more.”

After living on her own for eight years following her husband’s passing, Denise is also grateful that she is healthy enough to live in an active aging environment like Tapestry’s. “I’ve done the right thing at the right time in my life,” she adds.

Pat says she is thankful for the life she has now at Tapestry. “I’m experiencing new things and meeting new people,” she says. Pat enjoys Sunday night dinners in Tapestry’s restaurant with friends, along with lively games of “Mexican Train” (a tile game similar to dominoes), regular bus tours and the walking groups. She adds that the wonderful employees at Tapestry have also become new friends.

Having moved to Tapestry from Sechelt, BC, Pat is also thankful to now be living closer to more of her family members. “I’m seeing my nieces and nephews a lot more often,” she says.

Sue, who has lived at Tapestry a little over five years, says she is thankful for “this very friendly, loving community where you can be totally independent and as involved as you want. I’ve always been a busy person and so I’m very thankful for being able to get involved in lots of activities,” she says.

Sue says she was very lucky that her friend Barbara moved to Tapestry around the same time that she did. As a member of the Resident Advisory Committee, she makes an effort to get to know new residents and help them to also feel welcome.

The other big thing for Sue, she says, is how caring and committed all Tapestry employees are.

The warmth between residents and employees at Tapestry is obvious to anyone who has visited the community. Tammie Dahmer, who has been a server in the restaurant for close to five years, describes Tapestry as a big family. “My family is in Ontario and spread across the United States,” she says. “Your work is kind of like a second home, so my friends at work are my family, and the residents are like my parents or grandparents.”

“If someone misses a scheduled day of work, everyone asks about them. We all look out for each other,” Tammie says. “I feel very appreciated here and I look forward to coming in every day.”

Mayana Fontenele, Wellness Associate, says she’s thankful to work in a place that has such a strong sense of community and connection.

“The thing I’m most thankful for is the opportunity to work so closely with our residents. They bring their stories and their experiences to every activity we do together, and we build deep connections,” Mayana says.

“I previously worked with children and in that work, there is a lot of giving. When you work with older adults – especially those at Tapestry who are committed to active aging and have a positive outlook on life – it’s more of a two-way street because you give, but you also receive so much from them,” Mayana adds.

Connecting with his co-workers has made a huge difference in the life of Sous Chef Chuck So. “I’m in my 12^th year at Tapestry, and it’s been the best professional choice I’ve ever made,” says Chuck.

From the beginning, Chuck says, he found everyone at Tapestry so welcoming, and he’s thankful for the career path he’s followed here; having started as a dishwasher, he says he has benefited from being in an environment where everyone is encouraged to learn every day and have fun while doing it.

“I’m most grateful for the people I work with,” Chuck says. “I remember when I started here there were two people who were so kind and generous to me – Restaurant Manager Kevin Leeming and Wellness Supervisor Amanda Davis. I’m lucky to still be working with them every day.”

If Tapestry sounds like the right kind of independent senior living community for you, please contact us. We would be pleased to host you for lunch and a tour and introduce you to more of our residents and employees.

And if this story has inspired you to explore joining the Tapestry team, please visit our Careers page for our complete list of job postings.