Franco Monopoli, general manager of Amica at
West Vancouver, laughs when he says that Kay
Hutchinson and Jean Brown are “the quietest ones
we have” in the community.
Kay Hutchinson and Jean Brown, Amica at West Vancouver
Kim Stallknecht
They’re a pair of real live wires. Kay is 86 and
Jean is 81. When it comes to activities, they both
insist that mental exercise is just as important
as physical.
And that includes the occasional night out at a bar!
“I’m on the activity committee and I insist that
we include the mind as well as the body,” says Kay.
“We have so much to choose from, you could be
on the go all day. But we have a new venture—a
discussion group. Our first topic was global warming
and then we talked about global migration and
Canada’s immigration policies.
“It’s heavy-duty stuff—really gets you thinking and
broadens your outlook. There are about 18 people
in the group. We only have two men so far, but
they’re the biggest trouble! No, really, there’s some
good discussion that goes on.”
But what about those trips to a bar?
“Franco lets us have a bus and a driver every
Friday evening to do whatever we want,” says Jean.
“We go to plays and musical events. And sometimes
sit in a bar and talk and watch what’s going on. It’s
really fun. We went to one of the big downtown hotels
recently and visited their cocktail lounge.”
“We’ve been to a golf club for dinner, too,” adds
Kay. “Right now, we’re seeing all the movies that
had Academy Award nominations.
“It’s all part of wellness and vitality. You really
must include the mind.”
“Getting out and meeting people—it’s better than
sitting in a chair,” says Jean.
Kay believes the next generation of senior
citizens will be in a better position to enjoy all that
a retirement community can offer.
“Our generation, when we got married in the
1930s and 1940s, women weren’t generally
going out to work,” she explains. “So we weren’t
exposed to the learning side of being at work. And
exercise—my lord, I had to stop and think before it
would occur to me to go for a walk!
“The next generation will be stimulated to go
on learning. They’ve grown up with new ways of
eating and healthier living. They’ll be more active in
retirement,” Kay says.
“My son teaches philosophy at the University of
Toronto. He loves this place. He loves that we’re
getting people to think.”
“My son found this place for me,” says Jean. “He
decided he wanted to move in too!”
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