By Alexander Germanis
As the prairie winds gain strength and the temperatures drop, our minds tend to turn away from the sun-drenched activities and vacations of summer, and we instead seek shelter in warm, inviting, familiar surroundings.
Such comforts are best found in the places we call home, wherever that may be. For many seniors in the Morton area, home is found at Brandon Wood Retirement Center.
At Brandon Wood, seniors have not only found warmth and comfort in their surroundings, but they, and the men and women who serve them, have also found ways to provide those feelings of home for one another.
From Friends to Family
When many seniors move into a retirement community, it is not uncommon for them to feel as if they’re leaving behind their home and, with that, a form of connection they had with their family.
Home and family are not, however, meant to be left behind when one moves into Brandon Wood, they are simply meant to be found anew. “Family here at Brandon Wood is a big part of who we are,” states Brandon Wood Director Susan Heath. “We are a smaller community, so we want all of our tenants to feel as if we are just one big family. This is their home. Our seniors make this one big family.”
Of course, the tenants are not the only members of that newly found extended family. As Susan declares, the staff members themselves become like family to the tenants; and family looks out for one another. “We are here for all of them,” she says. “If our tenants need anything they know they can ask, and we will provide whatever is needed for them, whether it’s just to visit with them, or if they need some advice, or help with something in their apartment. All of our tenants deserve to have a family and we all care for them as if they are our own. We start out as friends but become family in the end.”
Filling in the Gaps
One might contest there is no true replacement for one’s actual family, but as children grow to adulthood and start families of their own, it is common for them to spend less time with their own parents. Nevertheless, the need for seniors to still feel connected remains. That’s where a community like Brandon Wood comes in.
“Here at Brandon Wood, we are here to fill in the gaps for our tenants as their families are so busy trying to navigate their own busy schedules,” Susan points out. “We are here to fill that void. It could be by just being here for social interaction or by helping with any medical emergency that is needed day or night. It can be by our cooks feeding them nutritious meals or by housekeeping helping with their rooms.”
With meals provided daily to the tenants, and served by an attentive waitstaff, it is easily noticed if one of the seniors has not made it in to dine. “If they do not show up for their selected meal, we check on them to make sure they are okay and nothing has happened,” Susan says. “If they are not feeling well, we can help with delivering a meal or take their blood pressure.” Sometimes, Susan says, all that is needed is a quick pick-me-up by having a cup of coffee in the Garden Room.
However, during those other times of need, specifically when family cannot be there, Brandon Wood staff is there to help. If a trip to the store is needed, a medication or prescription needs to be picked up at the pharmacy, or a tenant needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment, the staff will be there to help arrange it. “Our staff will do whatever we can to help,” Susan assures. “We never want our tenants to feel as if they are on their own.”
Never Abandoned
Not being and especially not feeling alone are vital when it comes to staying healthy and happy at any stage of life. At Brandon Wood, tenants are given ample opportunities to spend time with their friends and new family in a variety of ways.
“Since Brandon Wood is their home, they can feel free to do or be part of whatever they would like,” Susan says, “ranging from watching TV in our lounge to gardening in our courtyard or playing cards with their friends. We provide a lot of activities that our activities director involves them in.”
Indeed, Mondays through Fridays the schedule is chocked full of activities like audio book club, trivia, music, bingo, banjo club, coffee hour, baking games, Bible study, crochet club, and exercise classes.
Other avenues are open for socializing. Beside the card and game room, there is also an activity room, library, beautiful dining room that overlooks the atrium, a beauty/barber shop, lounges and seating areas, and a gift shop.
All of these activities and amenities are just a portion of what Brandon Wood has to offer. Tenants can also enjoy laundry facilities, personally controlled air conditioning and heating in their rooms, a personal phone line and television, and reserved parking.
Health and safety are never abandoned at Brandon Wood either. Also provided are monthly blood pressure screenings, podiatry services, prescription delivery, transportation, weekly housekeeping, 24-hour security, and both apartment and grounds maintenance. On-site daily home care services and three meals with a wait staff are also available.
Something Intangible
For centuries, writers, artists, and philosophers have attempted to summarize or define what makes any place feel like home. Films, songs, poems, books, and scores of pithy sayings have, nevertheless, only managed to encapsulate mere portions of the intangible quality of home.
Some would argue that family is what it takes to make a place a home and that is certainly a part of it. As the old saying “home is where the heart is” indicates, the roof and walls of a building are not what makes it home. The safety, comfort, and joy one feels often stem from the loving arms, listening ears, and caring hands of family.
While the tenants of Brandon Wood Retirement Center may not be surrounded by their children and grandchildren all the time, their fellow tenants and the staff members themselves have become members of their extended families, providing the same care, attention, and love that makes Brandon Wood truly feel like home.
Brandon Wood Retirement Center is located at 730 West Jefferson in Morton, Illinois. If you are interested in touring our home to see if it is right for you, please give us a call at (309) 263-7341. Or, to learn more about us, please visit us on the web at www.brandonwoodretirementcommunity.com.
