This article is reprinted with permission of the Georgian College Alumni Association. The original version was included in the 2023 GeorgianView magazine for alumni, donors and friends of Georgian.
“I want to develop people into their best selves and connect them with opportunities that will empower them,” says Rose Lamb, senior vice president of Schlegel Villages and graduate from Georgian College's Culinary Management program (class of 1987).
“If they are fresh out of high school, or a new resident in one of our homes, it’s our duty as leaders to create hope, build trust, show compassion, and provide a stable environment.”
Arriving at Georgian in 1983 from the family farm, Lamb flourished and was hired immediately after graduating to one of the top four hotels in the world, in Australia.
After a year abroad, she boomeranged back to Barrie to build up and support the college’s budding Georgian Dining Room restaurant. From there, with business partner Terry, they would open the Ossawippi Express Dining Cars in Orillia, where her calling appeared almost every day.
“I noticed that 90 or 95 per cent of our clients were seniors and it clicked: people seek authentic food and experiences reflecting their lived lives.”
Lamb sold her shares in the food business and began her career in elder care, helping open and manage two retirement homes.
“That inner voice, an inner chef, always pushed me: if someone with throat cancer cannot chew or swallow, they are limited in their options," Lamb explained. "Anybody can make food, but how do you make modified food taste and look good? If I can’t do that as a chef, then I shouldn’t be a chef. Every piece needs to impress."
Lamb recruited chefs from resorts to help achieve seemingly small items that are infinitely valuable to the residents, like fresh dinner rolls. That commitment to creating hope and providing a stable environment in retirement care would lead her to Schlegel Village.
“My lifelong mentor, Bob, gave me an eye-opening tour of Schlegel homes,” shared Lamb. “The attention to detail, even in the room paneling that’s entirely wood − not just press board or veneer, that dedication to quality resonated. I was hooked.”
“When you understand your values, it empowers you to connect with others and change the world. That is something we are fiercely proud of at Schlegel Villages, and we want to see in the changing face of elder care," said Lamb.
"Our approach at Schlegel is to always be preparing the next generation. Schooling can happen at any age, and elder care is any age," she explained.
“Georgian took me around the world. I started in 1983 peeling carrots, and now I am part of a team to choose people with the same mission and values to take care and give life purpose to over 5,000 elders," said Lamb.
"That’s a calling, not a job. Every day I get to create hope, build trust, show compassion, and provide a stable environment for both team members and residents alike.”
