History . . .

In 1994, inspired by the sufferings of a dear friend, Maria Labrecque, sp., a nurse who had organized and managed a number of healthcare centres throughout Canada, Micheline Paré opened the Paré Labrecque Training Centre in Calgary to provide training in geriatric care with a team of professionals.

 “The idea of a Centre started a few years ago in my heart as I was journeying with Maria. My father Léo Paré, and Maria were suffering from cognitive impairment both at the same time. There was for a long time ( and there still is at times) darkness in my life. As a gift from above, the dream of compassion for all the voiceless seniors losing their autonomy emerged from my darkness and provided to me a light.

As a friend and family member at heart caring for Maria, I touched the wall of so many limits. I felt powerless for days, months, and years…ready to collapse, angry, unreachable for so many reasons. Don't we all experience, at one time in our lives, the choice to either die with pain or to turn it into a challenge, a dream, a privilege to go to the limit as a tribute to our love stories. So that a seed could be planted….For Maria and myself, it is the seed of a flower, the Flower of Compassion” which came from the thousands of flowers she colored during her illness. Now this flower has its heart beat around the world.”

From 1994 to 2007, 350 students graduated from the Paré Labrecque Training Centre in Calgary and Sylvan Lake, in Alberta. The Specialized Geriatric Care Attendant Program was accredited by Alberta Leaning, a credentialing educational arm of the Government of Alberta.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Micheline created the Congruent Compassionate Approach™ (CCA) training modules. This CCA™ emphasizes the importance of treating cognitively impaired seniors with respect and compassionate care, in order to preserve their comfort and dignity at all stages of their illness. Conferences, in-services, retreats are offered across Canada and abroad. Suggestions adapted to your needs are also considered.

The Centre facilitates partnerships and communications with employers, health professionals and other disciplines to promote a higher quality of life for seniors who have lost their independence.

At the time of the International Year of the Older Person in 1999, Micheline Paré, Simone Michaud, co-director and friends were welcomed to the Senate of Canada, Ottawa, by the Honorable Dan Hays. May 20th, Maria's birthday…, was proclaimed a “Day of Compassion. We are proud that this honor has grown to be an international recognition.


 


 


 




 


 

In 2005, Micheline published a book, The Passion of Loving. This publication is an insightful and moving work about the Congruent Compassionate Approach™ in caring for people in loss of autonomy.

The Paré Labrecque Training Centre has also a dream….to create a Centre that combine a peaceful landscape with beautiful scenery to contribute to the entire well-being of residents and their families. The design of the facility and the care model we espouse are beyond the conventional but all facilities can be improved with appropriate staff education. We have a dream that we hope you will share and that together and with your help we can and will make a difference to and for the lives of the voiceless that we serve.