Finding Community and Connection at The Hawthorn

When Andrew Enyvari moved to Chilliwack, he already knew he loved the community. What he didn’t know was just how quickly he would find a community of his own at The Hawthorn at Elim Village Garrison Crossing.

After spending 40 years in the same Port Moody home, Andrew was ready for a change. He had spent the previous several years caring for his wife, taking on the everyday responsibilities of their home alongside everything else. After she passed away, maintaining a large house on his own became overwhelming.

He was looking for a place where he could leave those responsibilities behind—and, just as importantly, have people around him.

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“I really enjoy chatting with others,” shares Andrew. “I’ve chatted with people my entire life, and I get to do that again here.”

That was one of the biggest draws of The Hawthorn, Elim Village’s Independent Plus Living community. Andrew’s son, a doctor who works in Chilliwack, was the one who first suggested Elim.

“It was my son who told me about Elim. He’s also a doctor and works in Chilliwack, and some of his patients live here,” Andrew explains. “He had mentioned my situation to some of his patients, sharing how lonely I’d become and that I was in need of people to chat with after losing my wife. They all recommended The Hawthorn and I thought…well, I’ve always loved Chilliwack.”

Andrew had also spent his career as an ear, nose and throat doctor in Port Moody, earning him the nickname “Doc” among Elim staff. It didn’t take long for him to settle into his new surroundings.

Today, Andrew enjoys the architecture and design of his home, along with the views, dining and amenities at The Hawthorn.

“I really like the high ceilings in my suite, as well as the large windows and wide corridors,” Andrew says. “I also like being able to see all the mountains in a panoramic view. The food is top class too—you can’t find a restaurant in Chilliwack that can compete with The Hawthorn!”

For Andrew, good food is about more than taste. He appreciates the emphasis on fresh, nutritious meals and the work that goes into preparing them.

“It’s very important to eat healthy and have fresh produce as a part of your diet,” Andrew notes. “We need those vitamins and minerals to move our muscles and keep our brains active, and that’s what we get here. The food is always fresh, and you can tell a lot of work is going on behind the scenes.”

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But it’s the people who have made the biggest difference.

Andrew says residents regularly invite him to join them for meals, making it easy to meet people and build connections. Before long, the neighbours he was meeting at the dining table began to feel like friends.

He now “considers all of the residents here to be friends of mine.”

And Andrew has plenty of positive things to say about the staff, too.

“The Hawthorn is a very, very nice place and I recommend that everybody live here! The staff are real professionals, from the top to the bottom. You can tell for many of the staff, it’s more than a job, it’s a vocation. They have compassion, empathy, understanding, and love towards the residents.”

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For someone who spent much of his life in one home and one community, moving to Chilliwack was a big change. At The Hawthorn, Andrew has found a place where he can enjoy his independence while having the opportunity to connect with the people around him.

And for Andrew, that connection makes all the difference.

To learn more about Independent Plus Living at The Hawthorn at Elim Village Garrison Crossing, call 604-769-0022 or email garrisoncrossing@elimvillage.com.