INDUSTRY INSIGHT
ISSUES AFFECTING OLDER ADULTS
SPONSORED CONTENT
Meet Joan :
Active and Safe at Westminster Place
oan never planned on living in a personal care home . She was happy — and busy — living at home in suburban Pittsburgh . Well into her eighties , she hosted family gatherings with her homemade desserts , drove herself regularly , and was active in her local Catholic church .
However , an unexpected accident changed everything . Suddenly , Joan was no longer able to go back home and take care of her lawn and flowers , or feed the birds , like she used to do .
Her four daughters arranged for a tour of Westminster Place , a personal care community in Oakmont from Presbyterian SeniorCare Network , because of the exemplary care their father received years ago at the Willows .
That was two years ago . Now , Joan can ’ t imagine living anywhere else .
“ I didn ’ t initially want to move out of the home I loved so much , but after a while , I really started to like it ,” Joan said . “ There ’ s lots to do and I ’ ve made many friends . My daughters know I ’ m safe . The place is beautiful , the staff ’ s wonderful , and the residents are great .”
Joan ’ s favorite activities include dice games , sing-a-longs , golf card games , and Wednesday cookouts on the patio . She enjoys visiting the resident store to buy household items . To keep her mind sharp , Joan and several of her friends challenge themselves by playing “ Word Wipe ,” a word-making game , on a large screen in the activity room , excitedly calling out clues and answers .
For her health , she attends exercise class six days a week and walks as often as she can along the landscaped yard outside Westminster Place . “ I ’ m 91 years old ,” Joan said . “ We all need to exercise . I appreciate that so much . My daughters are very supportive of me walking , so they bought me a Rollator . I love that Rollator .”
And she remains active spiritually . She attends the weekly bible study and nondenominational service on Sunday , arriving early to distribute bulletins . After service , she assists Chaplain Mark with the preparations for afternoon tea . “ Once a month , we have Catholic mass here , and I appreciate that so much ,” she said .
Joan ’ s daughters credit their mom ’ s contentment to her engagement with others and to her faith .
It ’ s an adjustment to come here , but we all agree , this is a good place for me . There are a lot of activities , and I love people , and we ’ re all content . My kids are content , and it ’ s a safe place . I ’ m safe .”
~ Joan , Westminster Place resident
She is described as a devoted person who sparks conversations easily and wants to make people smile . She aims to help where she can and finds that light teasing eases the concerns of aging .
Her daughters add : “ We appreciate not only the safety of her home within the senior care system , but also the staff ’ s pride in their workplace . Westminster Place staff members seek our input and strive to make improvements . They value each resident of their threefloor community and honor the extended families as well . We are truly grateful to each of them .”
This Industry Insight was provided by Presbyterian SeniorCare Network , a non-profit , faith-based network of living and care options . For more than 95 years , Presbyterian SeniorCare Network has been focused on Making Aging Easier ® for older adults and their families . To learn more , visit SrCare . org .
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