Anthony Tse sits across from a friend at Carefor’s Carling Adult Day Program, brush in hand, carefully writing Chinese characters in calligraphy. The two talk about history, Anthony pulling from his deep personal experiences. At 92 years old, the retired surgeon still carries with him a curiosity for learning, and a love of connecting with others.

For Anthony, the Carling Adult Day Program is more than a place to go each week—it helps him stay connected and active, something his blindness and fading hearing can be a barrier to. Carefor’s Adult Day Program is designed for people living with dementia, giving them opportunities to engage socially, participate in activities, and share their stories, while also providing family caregivers a much-needed break. In Anthony’s case, it gives his wife Kathy peace of mind knowing he is in a safe and supportive environment.

Despite the challenges of dementia, Anthony continues to shine in conversations with peers and staff. He loves to speak about a wide range of topics, drawing on his remarkable life experiences. These discussions keep his mind stimulated, while also inspiring those around him. For Anthony, staying socially connected is vital, and the program gives him that space to share, listen, and belong.

Anthony’s path to medicine was shaped by perseverance and faith. Born and raised in Macau, China, he graduated high school shortly after the Communist revolution in 1949, a time when opportunities were scarce for young people. In 1951, he left Macau for Southern China to begin studying medicine under prominent U.S. doctors and professors who had escaped Beijing. He then traveled to Eastern China for five years to complete his surgical training under a Chief of Surgery who was an English missionary. Fluent in English from his experience in Missionary-led Christian churches, Anthony often found himself the only student using Western medical journals, which shaped his understanding of modern medicine.

By the early 1960s, Anthony had relocated to Hong Kong, where the city’s population had exploded and many refugees were living in overcrowded settlements. He worked as a physician for the Refugee Medical Service, a U.S.-funded program run by a doctor from California. Anthony oversaw six doctors, collectively seeing more than 300 patients a day, and worked in this demanding role for five to six years.

Anthony’s career and community leadership then brought him to Canada, arriving in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with his first wife and two children in the late 1960s. While practicing medicine, he also helped welcome Chinese students at the University, opening his home for a Wednesday prayer group, holding fellowships on Fridays, taking groups sightseeing and fishing on Saturdays, and hosting Sunday afternoon services at a local church. He later financed the building of a church, nurturing the community for 15 years before returning to Macau to care for his mother after his father passed away.

Every person who comes to Carefor’s adult day programs comes with a life of stories and experiences. Our staff are blessed to learn from all those who have come into our lives. Whatever their circumstances are today, our clients bring with them a lifetime of memories.

Now retired, Anthony’s days may look different, but through Carefor’s Adult Day Program, he continues to find connection, purpose, and joy. He captured that feeling in a poem he wrote for the program, which reads:

Carefor is love

What is love?

Love is patient and kind

Love is not jealous, not boastful

Love never ceases