Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Almost every Monday morning, volunteer Esther Braden, 89, sits at the keyboard at Aven Manor longterm seniors' care home or Aven Cottages territorial dementia facility to enliven her audience with familiar music.

Esther Braden, 89, will be the guest of honour at her 90th birthday party from 2 to 5 p.m. on Monday at the Baker Centre. The public open house is being organized by the Yellowknife Seniors' Society. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo

The weekly routine, which she shares alongside vocalist Dawn Lacey, reflects Braden's decades-long commitment to improving the quality of life for Yellowknife seniors.

This coming Monday, however, many of the seniors who enjoy Braden's weekly performances have the opportunity to help her celebrate her 90th birthday at the Baker Centre.

The Braden family is inviting residents of all ages to join them as they celebrate the milestone birthday from 2 until 5 p.m.

"My family will be there and it will be open to any of my friends or all the folks in Yellowknife that are interested in coming," Braden said.

Braden is well-known in Yellowknife for many accomplishments since moving North from Saskatchewan in 1964. She worked for the Geological Survey of Canada, co-founded the Nahanni chapter of IODE Canada, a national women's charitable organization; lobbied the GNWT for healthcare for seniors aged 60 and up; helped found Alison McAteer House in 1986 and served as president of the YWCA. She has also raised awareness through her work with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and as a board member of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and is a former organist with the Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

Braden has been an active member of the Yellowknife Seniors' Society since it formed in 1992.

"We really appreciate and admire her for the work that she has done," said Yellowknife Seniors' Society president Maureen Hall. "She fights for the rights of the seniors - trying to get more housing, because we need it desperately. She's in there doing what she can. She's behind the scenes and she's done a lot of work. She's done a fabulous job."

Braden earned national praise for her commitment to women and seniors in 2006 when she was made a member of the Order of Canada. However, for Braden, one of her most rewarding experiences is seeing seniors respond with enthusiasm during her musical visits to Aven Manor and Aven Cottages with Lacey. Braden and the late Theresa Crane performed for seniors together for almost 30 years. Lacey joined them 15 years ago.

"When we first start at 10:30 a.m. a lot of the residents are perhaps not too wide awake and as the morning goes along they become very animated," Braden said. "It is a wonderful thing, really. Sometimes an hour is not enough. Dawn and I look forward to it. It's good for us and it's certainly good for the residents."

Braden does her best to select music they know, including standards such as You are my Sunshine and Home on the Range, in an effort to inspire pleasant memories in her audience.

"Sometimes, music is among the last things certain parts of the brain can recall. It's a wonderful thing, really, what can be done for people to revive their memory and stimulate them. It's just a wonderful therapy. I don't pretend to be an expert in this kind of thing, but I certainly have the experience to see what reaction and change can happen to people that are, sometimes you think, well-advanced in dementia and what wonderful things they can recall and what it does for them."

In addition to the pleasant music, it is Braden's warm approach that appeals to the Aven residents, Lacey said, adding Braden takes time to greet each member of her audience personally.

"Above all, the main thing that Esther has that's also key is her sensitivity to people and respect. She has been an incredible role model just in her way of speaking with people - always looking for what their needs are - always making people's lives better through music. It really is music therapy. Esther is always looking for the latest research, but she does that intuitively," she said.

Braden is all set to make her 90th birthday wish on Monday, she said, pointing out the need for a $33-million expansion of AVENS' senior housing complex.

"My biggest wish is that there would be full and generous support from all levels of government and all the people of Yellowknife and the NWT to see this facility built here in the next few years," she said.

Family members attending Monday's party include Esther's son Pat Braden and his wife Laurie Nowakowski of Yellowknife and granddaughters Jazzan and Elora of B.C., son Bill Braden and wife Val Braden and granddaughters Carmen and Rae of Yellowknife, daughter Sandy Dehnke and granddaughters Tony and Jaime of B.C., son Max Braden and his wife Kate Braden and grandchildren Seamus and Kelda of B.C., and son George Braden of Ottawa.

Esther's late husband Bill Braden died in 1991.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.