A new adult day program for people living with cognitive impairment called The Bridge is an idea Melanie Hval has turned into a reality. Hval is the founder and director of Compass Rose Care, a home care company, and says clients were desperate for a program that bridged the gap between home care, assisted living and long-term care – and those exploring options for their loved ones who don’t need that level of care just yet. “This is an opportunity for folks that maybe are already in the public system going to day programing – because there are limitations in terms of how many days a week they can go,” she said. “So, this is an addition that people can use if they want more respite and we have no wait list.” Hval says the programming is led by athletic therapists and care aides, with a registered nurse providing clinical oversight, and has been running since April 2026. It’s designed to fit the participant’s needs. “We do interviews with the family and the potential attendee and find out what do they like and what they don’t like,” she said. “What did they do? What kind of a job did they have? And we really tailor the program specifically; it’s not cookie cutter.” Keith McGrath was diagnosed with dementia close to three years ago. The 84-year-old man’s main caregiver is his wife, Karen. “He looks forward to this and it’s an opportunity where he has something to do with other people every week,” she said. “It’s nice for him to have a chance to be out on his own – and for me, I wasn’t so worried about him, and I know I can go on Tuesday and book appointments or do errands and not have to worry.” Arlene Thoreson spent a long career as a nurse in acute and senior care. Now she’s the operations manager at Compass Rose Care. She says it’s important for participants to be social. “We’ve built this program to really provide some social engagement, some communication, some enjoyment and get them out of the house a little bit – because studies show that engaging in some sort of mindful activities, a little bit of light exercise, all of that helps to keep the brain healthy,” she said. “We’re not here to cure, but we’re The Bridge, so we’re kind of filling a void that they can’t get elsewhere.” She says Alberta Health Services lists adult day programs among recommended continuing care services, typically requiring a referral and involving long wait times. The Bridge operates independent of that referral system. “The process is quite cumbersome,” Thoreson said. “You have to go through home care, you have to have a case manager come out and assess and if you don’t meet a certain criteria – then you don’t fit, and those wait lists are very long for the publicly funded programs.” Hval says the program is in two Calgary communities with plans to expand into the four quadrants of the city. “The nice thing as well is we’re actually engaged in the communities,” Hval said. “So, we’re into community centers, we get to work in places where there’s preschools, for example, and other children’s programing and seniors from the community coming in so they can see what’s going on. “We’re not located in a long-term care facility or assisted living spot – we’re actually out in the community.”
