People of Perley - Louis Dorval

Loyalty. Fraternity. Keeping one's word. The right combination of skill, compassion, and military tradition, within a deeply collaborative care community, can make a world of difference in one life.

That interdisciplinary approach to long-term healthcare for Seniors and Veterans, is illustrated by a recent Perley Health event. That interdisciplinary approach to long-term healthcare for Seniors and Veterans, is illustrated by a recent Perley Health event. Louis-Matthieu Dorval, Lead Physiotherapist, explains what happened.

“Perley Health's Spiritual Health Practitioner, Jessie Stephenson, approached me about a Veteran who wanted to take part in the upcoming Remembrance Day ceremony,” Louis recalls. The man was concerned that he would not be physically able to lay a wreath at the cenotaph, but had been reluctant to attend physiotherapy sessions that could help. “He was nervous, but as a proud former soldier, he wanted to be the one to go up and lay the wreath.”

Jessie and Louis, along with other Perley Health staff, coaxed the Veteran into giving physiotherapy a try, to achieve his goal for that solemn day. “It was tricky to convince him to do physiotherapy,” Louis says. Yet, it drew the Veteran into working actively with the physiotherapy team. “I think that convinced him to stick with physiotherapy long enough that he saw what we could do for him.”

It was a moving experience for all. Louis says, “I was honoured to be at his side when he got up from his power chair and was able to come and place the wreath. He was so proud. The look on his face was well worth it.”

Indeed, that team approach, with its resident-focused mission, is one factor that attracted Louis to Perley Health four years ago. Louis had witnessed that philosophy at work himself, a decade or so earlier. Louis's grandfather, a Second World War Veteran, lived his final years happily at Perley, creating “quite impressive” paintings with the Therapeutic Recreation and Creative Arts staff. When he saw a physiotherapy job posting for Perley Health, Louis jumped at the chance to work with Veterans. They remind him of his grandfather.

Louis proudly displays his grandfather's paintings at home. His grandfather was the only serving military member in his close family. Other family members who are police officers, joined the United Nations peacekeepers organization known as the Casques Bleu, for their blue helmets. They served tours in Haiti and Kosovo, to restore security and support the transition from conflict to peace.

Louis notes the remarkable connections between Louis's grandfather and the Veterans he now works with. The bonds can be emotional and poignant. “We have a Veteran here who's now in the three digits as far as his age,” Louis says. “He knew my grandfather well. I believe they shared some military service together. He knew my grandparents. And he's an avid painter himself.”

“Then there are people who simply remind me of members of my family who have passed. And as cheesy as it may sound, I do truly believe that many of us on our physiotherapy team treat our residents just as if they were part of our own family.”

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"When I landed here, it felt like I was in the right place. There's so much to learn and grow from, not only with the colleagues and the great teams, but also with the residents.” - Louis-Matthieu Dorval, Lead Physiotherapist