#ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench-logo

#ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench

Storytelling Podcasts

Erin Davis hosts the Stories from the Green Bench podcast, a virtual place to share, learn, grow, laugh and more in conversations with her co-host and a variety of guests. The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice. It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence. ”The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders.” -Ron Schlegel Your seat on the green bench is ready and waiting.

Erin Davis hosts the Stories from the Green Bench podcast, a virtual place to share, learn, grow, laugh and more in conversations with her co-host and a variety of guests. The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice. It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence. ”The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders.” -Ron Schlegel Your seat on the green bench is ready and waiting.

Location:

Canada

Description:

Erin Davis hosts the Stories from the Green Bench podcast, a virtual place to share, learn, grow, laugh and more in conversations with her co-host and a variety of guests. The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice. It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence. ”The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders.” -Ron Schlegel Your seat on the green bench is ready and waiting.

Language:

English

Contact:

5194965984

Episodes

Recipes, memories, pasta and the past with Anna Piccoli & daughter Franca

5/3/2022
Episode #38 - Erin Davis & Doug Robinson sit on the virtual green bench with Anna Piccoli and daughter Franca Smith to continue the conversation on our theme of connection, family, and service. Anna lives with her husband of 62 years, Aldo, and her sister Josephine at The Village of Glendale Crossing in London, Ontario. "I love everybody, especially my children and my grandchildren ... and nobody smokes." -Anna Piccoli Anna left Italy to live with her sister Josephine in Canada. While...

Duration:00:29:10

100 Years of Wisdom with Aunt Reta

4/19/2022
Episode #37 - Reta Baechler is the first centenarian guest to join Erin Davis and Doug Robinson on the green bench-as she shares her many years of wisdom and wit with us. Aunt Reta as we know her is the Aunt to Ron Schlegel who you heard from in episode 7. A Prestigious Club: The number of centenarians in Canada rose to 12, 822 as of July 1st, 2021. Aunt Reta is the sister to Wilfred Schlegel who is the father of Ron Schlegel. Five siblings with 3 older brothers and one younger brother and...

Duration:00:35:21

Meaningful relationships and growth in spirituality with Jack Paleczny

4/5/2022
Episode #36 - A conversation that is raw in its emotions, very honest and open with Jack Paleczny of The Village at University Gates in Waterloo. A beautiful example of the connection among us all as he shares his story from the Green Bench. Jack lives at The Village with and cares for his wife Diana Lynn who lives with both dementia and Parkinson's disease. He lives a life of service first as a leader to his community, serving God, serving the people around him, and today, serving up a...

Duration:00:32:07

”Who are you, anyway?” with The Right Honourable David Johnston

3/22/2022
Episode #35 - An enjoyable conversation about family connectivity, stories from his role as Governor-General, being a grandparent, hockey, and growing up in Northern Ontario. Erin Davis & Doug Robinson are honoured to be joined by The Right Honourable David Johnston, 28th Governor-General of Canada and Chair of the Rideau Hall Foundation on the green bench. "Who are you anyway?" In a story from Repulse Bay, during a Terry Fox Run, about a young Inuit lad who approached David with this...

Duration:00:23:37

A part of our Family - Pam Wiebe’s story of changing careers and family culture at Schlegel Village

3/8/2022
Episode #34 - The seeds for Pam Wiebe's work in nursing and quality improvement in long-term care were planted at her grandfather's feet. She shares her story of changing careers, the joy of being a great-grandparent, and the feeling of family as a team member at Schlegel Villages. "There's nothing like being a grandparent" - Doug Robinson "I try not to think about getting old and I certainly don't think old." - Pam Wiebe Formerly an accountant, at the age of 46 changed lanes to focus on...

Duration:00:29:53

Corrine Richard on meeting the Dionne Quintuplets, working the carnival and family relations

2/22/2022
Episode #33 - Corrine Richard shares her stories from the green bench with Erin Davis & co-host Doug Robinson from her home at Coleman Care Centre in Barrie. We hear of growing up in Callandar, Ontario, meeting the Dionne Quintuplets at the age of nine, and stories of family relations and working the summer carnival in Wasaga Beach. "It was a crazy proposal, and it was right up my alley." - Corrine Richard In Wasaga Beach at the age of 20 was quite happy working with the carnival and tried...

Duration:00:30:44

Trailer - #ElderWisdom

1/18/2022
The Green Bench is a symbol of elder wisdom. Physically or virtually, the bench invites us all to sit alongside a senior, share a conversation, or give and offer advice. It challenges the stigma seniors face; the ageism still so prevalent in society. It reminds us of the wealth of wisdom our elders offer and in doing so, helps restore them to a place of reverence. "The greatest untapped resource in Canada, if not the world, is the collective wisdom of our elders." -Ron Schlegel Subscribe,...

Duration:00:01:25

Reflections, gratitude, and tribute to the wisdom of Season 1

12/21/2021
Episode #32 - Erin Davis brings us this very special season-ending edition of #ElderWisdom | Stories from the Green Bench. "In more than 30 episodes, we have hit milestones, grown bigger, gone deeper than any one of us could have imagined back when Ron Schlegel gave his blessing to this idea of amplifying the voices and tapping the wisdom of those most cherished among us, our seniors." - Erin Davis "The position of co-host has the experience of a lifetime for me. I've grown in many many...

Duration:00:35:27

Rita Munro - How does your garden grow? Gardening, Nursing, and Journalism

12/7/2021
Episode #31 - Rita Munro joins Erin Davis from The Village of Arbour Trails in Guelph, a place she makes more beautiful simply by being there, sharing her outdoor expertise, and bringing people together to grow gardens and friendships. When Rita moved to the Village, she suggested a need for a garden outside the front of the Village. Pitched the idea to Wendy, Director of Lifestyle Options, and everyone came together to make this happen. Gardening advice from Rita. "Look at the...

Duration:00:30:03

Felix Rommens - Living with hearing impairment, keeping hands busy with art, and growing up during WW2

11/23/2021
Episode #30 - Felix Rommens is 97 years old. If you are wondering what keeps him young and loving life at The Village of Winston Park in Kitchener, it has to be his art. Erin Davis and guest co-host Doug Reed welcome Felix to the green bench to share in a conversation about his art and about his hearing impairment, which has formed the life is living today. Nearly 50% of people 75+ have trouble with their hearing. "Being deaf, I was kind of a loner. So, in order not to get completely...

Duration:00:28:40

Dr. Rea Brown - McGill University student, professor & athlete, remarkable medical career and surgeon during the Montreal massacre

11/9/2021
Episode #29 - Dr. Rea Brown shares his story from the green bench of a career nothing short of remarkable, from growing up with a critically ill brother to finding himself in the world of medicine surrounded by pro athletes and on December 6, 1989, in Montreal saving the lives of several women after the École Polytechnique Tragedy (Montreal Massacre). He joins us from his home at The Village of Humber Heights in Etobicoke. Erin Davis is joined by our guest co-host Doug Reed (Episode # 9) at...

Duration:00:10:33

Donna Duncan - reimagining long-term care, building community, and combatting ageism

10/26/2021
Episode #28 - Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington welcome the CEO for the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, Donna Duncan to the green bench. A passionate conversation about what aged care is, building community, combatting ageism, and reimagining what long-term care can be in the future. Donna first experienced long-term care in the 1980s with her grandmother and then again with her father living with alzheimers in 1999. She brings a personal view to what it is and what it can be as we look...

Duration:00:09:39

Sheri Noecker - A story of sudden illness, inspiration after a stroke, and the Program for Active Living

10/12/2021
Episode #27 - A sudden stroke caused Sheri Noecker to move into The Village at University Gates long-term care in Waterloo. While not being able to move, she was inspired by her friends and the team at the village to build an exercise plan and work with the Program for Active Living team in her determination to move again as she use to. Hear this inspiring and motivational story as Sheri sits on the green bench with hosts Erin Davis and Lloyd Hetherington. Sheri shares about her life when...

Duration:00:31:31

Korleen Schmidt - the full circle of life, combining love for geography & theology

9/28/2021
Episode #26 - Korleen Schmidt loves to talk about the weather and explain it to those who want to know about it. She joins hosts Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington on the green bench from The Village at University Gates in Waterloo, a widow, mother of 4, grandmother of 11, talks about the full circle of her life, combining her loves of geography and theology. "If not for the weather, we'd have nothing to talk about." "In her study of theology she's learning and teaching how to go to heaven,...

Duration:00:29:15

Ross C. Morton - Stories of a one-room schoolhouse, importance of sharing history, and reflections of time in the RCAF

9/14/2021
Episode #25 - Taking you back through the 20th century thanks to Ross C. Morton, 96yo who resides at The Village of Arbour Trails in Guelph and is accompanied by his daughter, Mavis Morton. Stories of a one-room school house education, the importance of sharing ones history with family, community and today, on this podcast. Ross has written 3 books and shares about his first book written in 1997: The Life And Times Of A One-Room School, a history of the Conway Public School, South...

Duration:00:29:54

BONUS | Jamie Schlegel - What is long-term care, an inside look at the Schlegel Villages organization, and the importance of community

9/7/2021
Bonus Episode - Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington are joined by Jamie Schlegel, President & CEO, on the green bench for a conversation about the Schlegel Villages organization, the differences between public, for-profit, charitable, and municipal long-term care, and the importance of community building. The Schlegel organization started back in the 1950s by Wilfred & Emma Schlegel, spending their lives in service to people. Making communities more inclusive, healthier, and allow people to be...

Duration:00:52:03

Betty Anne Millar - A fairytale career in the shopping mall industry, dressing to raise your spirits, and planning for later stages of life

8/31/2021
Episode #24 - Hosts Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington are joined on the green bench by the sparkling Betty Anne Millar from Burlington, Ontario. Fashionable in her only pair of jeans, they chat about her fairytale career in the Shopping Mall industry, dressing to raise your spirits, continuous contributions to her community, and planning for her future including getting her name on the list for a suite at The Village of Tansley Woods Retirement, for when she is ready. Betty Anne Never owned a...

Duration:00:30:13

Annie Whittle - connection to Harry Styles through a passion for knitting, keeping busy, and how to eat a pomegranate

8/17/2021
Episode #23 - Joining Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington on the green bench is Annie Whittle from The Village of Wentworth Heights in Hamilton. Her story includes a surprising connection with Harry Styles through her passion for Knitting, never allowing boredom to seep in, how to eat a pomegranate along with stories from her childhood. Erin & Lloyd get you hooked to this episode with some puns as they welcome Annie to the bench. Do you have any knitting puns to share? Knitting has been found...

Duration:00:28:41

Brendan Rossiter - Dublin to Canada, wisdom about work, kicking habits and being resourceful

8/3/2021
Episode #22 - Brendan Rossiter chose Canada to move to 52 years ago. He joins us from The Village of Erin Meadows long-term care in Mississauga to share a lifetime of wisdom about work, kicking habits, and being resourceful. Born in Ireland, Brendan is a natural storyteller, a perfect fit as Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington welcome him to the green bench. "Born in a great country, now living in a great country." Brendan had his own business as a sewing machine mechanic. He sold, rented,...

Duration:00:27:37

Steve Smith - a fascinating career as Red Green, stories from beyond the show and goose control

7/20/2021
Episode #21 - Steve Smith joins Erin Davis & Lloyd Hetherington to share his wisdom on the green bench, and today we're calling it the 'Red Green Bench'. He shares about his fascinating career as Red Green, stories from beyond the show, laughter, retirement, and a goose control project. With 15 seasons aired on CBC & PBS and reruns continuing to play today, what are your thoughts about a Red Green Reunion show? "There is a long list of things that will never happen, and it's near the top."...

Duration:00:33:41

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