Benson new program coordinator at Aspen House

Heritage Lodge residents and staff said farewell to Program Coordinator Mary Benson July 10. Benson was presented with flowers and a card from Assistant Administrator Wendy Ozipko on behalf of Sturgeon Foundation. Benson started working at Aspen house last week. – Lucie Roy Photo

by Stephen Dafoe

There was a somewhat new face at Aspen House last week. Mary Benson left her position as Program Coordinator at Heritage Lodge July 10 and started last Wednesday at Aspen. At her new post, Benson will perform the same work she did at her former job, providing programing for residents.

Benson said her experience at Heritage Lodge over the years caused her to have an appreciation for the challenges of people with dementia and Alzheimers. “I think coming here will give me an opportunity to work really closely with people [that are going through those challenges],” she said, adding she is looking forward to her new role. “It’s one thing to say you want to work with seniors to fulfill parts of their lives that are missing. Families are all over the place these days and not always in their community. Part of the recreation to me was trying to fulfill that every day need to be socially engaged.”

Though looking forward to new opportunities at Aspen House, Benson said leaving Heritage was a difficult decision.
“I didn’t leave behind anything,” she said, adding she expects to see friends again. “I had a lot of wonderful relationships and still hope to be able to continue on in the form of volunteering at a community level at Heritage Place Lodge. I had a lot of support there. That’s what made it [leaving] hard.”

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