By Leah Murray

Retirement Villa opens its doors to College students

Jun 26, 2018 | 7:20 PM

MEDICINE HAT – The Medicine Hat Retirement Villa is no longer just a residence for seniors.

The apartment complex downtown has started offering available rooms to students attending Medicine Hat College and artists in residence at Medalta.

Manager Lorraine Dalla-Longa said she decided to implement the new initiative after seeing similar programs at senior’s homes in the Netherlands.

“It’s nice and quiet,” Dalla-Longa said. “We’ve had a couple of residents come here because it’s too hard to study in [college residence] and they enjoy the atmosphere and it’s safe, so they like that.”

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Jonathan Pfiefer has been living at the Villa, while taking courses at Medicine Hat College.

“It’s been quite good,” said Pfiefer. “I like the people, they’re very friendly.”

Pfiefer said he enjoys interacting with the residents and likes that he’s always got a quiet place to study.

“I would definitely encourage other students to come here, I really like it, it’s good for learning,” he said.

The residents also seem to enjoy being able to interact with younger generations on a regular basis.

“They seem to be very friendly and willing to get along with older people and the older people get along with the younger people,” said 95 year old Colin Cowling. “It seems to work out pretty good that way.

“They never passed you by without saying ‘good morning, how are you?’ They were nice,” said 86 year old Lenora Hilderman.

The students, like the seniors who live at the Villa, have their own private suites that include a bed, a TV, a desk, closet space and their own private bathroom. The rooms are cleaned and the bedding is washed every week. Meals are also provided.

There are also rules the young men and women need to follow, there are no parties, no smoking and no drinking. They have an additional requirement they must complete in order to live at the Villa.

“Every month we do ask that the students to give a talk to the seniors about what their taking in school and what they do,” Dalla-Longa explained. “They enjoy doing that and the seniors like that too.”

Dalla-Longa said they are taking applications for around six suites from interested students. She said if the spaces fill up, the students will be placed on a waiting list.

For more information, or to contact the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa, click here.