Unique new program cooks for local longterm care residents

Posted on August 12, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Shaunavon Standard

Chef Garrett “Rusty” Thienes, owner of Shaunavon’s acclaimed Harvest Eatery, brought some culinary flair and small-town warmth to the Shaunavon Hospital and Care Centre last month, launching a unique cooking program for the facility’s long-term care residents.

Organized by the facility’s recreation department and funded by the federal New Horizons for Seniors Grant, the initiative bridges the gap between community-led experiences and therapeutic care.

Recreation Therapist Morgan Calladine, a recent graduate who stepped into her role at the facility just two months prior, spearheaded the project to put the grant funding into motion.

While residents looked forward to the hands-on kitchen sessions, the collaboration actually began over a casual chat. Chef Rusty – known for his award-winning, locally inspired cuisine – first visited the care centre on July 2nd.

“He came for coffee with the residents to visit and talk about what kinds of things they would like to make while we are having these cooking sessions,” Calladine explained.

This initial meeting allowed the residents to share their favourite food memories and help design the next step in the process.

He returned to the centre a few weeks later on Wednesday, July 22nd, marking the program’s official first live cooking demonstration.

“Rusty is able to bring out many different types of conversation with the residents, and they love visiting with him,” said Calladine, noting that the local chef was able to quickly establish a close bond with the residents.

“For the first session, he made homemade ice cream,” she added. “He had prepared a batch prior to the cooking class and got that going in the machine right away.”

The interactive session  proved to be a winning recipe.

With Chef Rusty guiding the way, residents stepped up to help mix and prepare a second batch right in the room. Participants took creative control, selecting the flavour profile from scratch and watching how raw ingredients were used to turn it into a classic summer dessert.

“Of course, we need to have a taste of what we have made together,”

smiled Calladine. “Everyone involved was able to sample the ice cream along with toppings Rusty brought along with him.”

Though cooking classes have been utilized by recreation therapists globally to promote cognitive stimulation, fine motor skills, and sensory triggers, this specific partnership represents a milestone for Shaunavon’s local care community.

“I personally have not witnessed something like this before as I am a new grad and have only been here for a couple of months,” offered Calladine. “However, I have heard of other recreation therapists bringing in a cooking class for residents in long-term care, as it allows for many residents to experience a wide range of benefits, each unique to every resident.”

With the successful  introduction of the program, Calladine is looking forward to arranging future workshops. There is already a second session planned with Rusty where they will cook homemade perogies.

“I would say the first session was a huge success,” she stated. “It sparked many conversations about memories related to treats the residents used to enjoy as children and even when they had children of their own.”

“I would definitely consider doing cooking classes again in the future,”

she added. “As for right now, I’m excited to see what Rusty and the residents here get up to each week that he comes.”

She added that the unique recreational therapy program means much more than just the simple task of taking part in cooking classes.

“It enhances the lives of the residents at Shaunavon Care Centre by fostering connection, purpose, joy and overall well-being,” she concluded.

Rusty was equally enthusiastic about the experience.

“I think it’s a wonderful program and kudos to the staff at LTC for taking the initiative to secure the grant funding to help subsidize the cost of the ingredients,” he told The Standard. “I appreciate that they thought of me to help with the program and I look forward to each session and hearing everyone’s stories. It literally leaves me feeling amazing everytime I leave and I’m just glad the residents seem to enjoy it as much as I do.  We will continue going for as long as we can and as long as there is interest.”