Announcing 2023 Family Champion Award Winner, Irene Chan

BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) is pleased to announce Irene Chan as the winner of the 2023 Family Champion Award for the 10th Annual BC Care Awards.

Irene has been an active part of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society since 2012, after her husband moved into the home in 2011, helping advocate for all our seniors and family in the care home. During this time, Irene joined many programming and special events throughout the year to help and support the home, as well as to ask residents for feedback. As a counsellor, Irene was very supportive of fellow family members who joined the care home and was always available to support new residents in settling into the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. family. She was a great role model for the family council and helped make many recommendations that benefited the lives of residents.

After her husband passed in 2019, Irene stayed on the family council until a replacement was elected. In 2023, Irene joined the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Goodwill Ambassador which helps fundraise for different projects each year to help better the lives for residents. This past year, they had a successfully raised funds for more than 20 ceiling lifts for the care home.

Twice a month, Irene volunteers individually and hosts a special music group for the seniors at the care home. An accomplished singer and musician herself, Irene designed the ‘Singing with Irene’ program to teach seniors how to sing. During each visit, Irene plans a special song that the seniors are familiar, as well as prepares the lyrics and brings in instruments, such as her harmonica, to help residents familiarize with the tunes. Irene also brings homemade percussions, using aluminum cans to make shaking instruments for the seniors to play along to songs.

BCCPA commends Irene for her unwavering commitment and dedication to seniors. Through the hard work she channels into her program and fundraising efforts, it is clear how much of a difference she has made and continues to make at the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society home.