With the rollout of the first COVID-19 vaccines, many people are wondering if they should get the vaccine and why. For answers, we turned to Dr. Peter Hucek, medical director at Willow Brook Christian Communities.
Dr. Hucek is a physician with Central Ohio Geriatrics, which serves our Willow Brook residents and the Delaware County community. Watch . . . Read More
In his personal essay, The Breath of Christmas, our Chief Executive Officer Larry Harris reflects on the challenges of 2020 and his hopes for the new year. May the breath of Christmas sweep away the dark clouds of despair and bring hope to our troubled hearts.
A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise . . . Read More
Do you wonder how assisted living residents are faring during COVID-19? And what are staff in senior living communities doing to ease residents’ burdens?
Connie McNeal, activities director at Willow Brook Christian Village in Delaware, Ohio, knows all about the daily challenges faced by her residents, about their fears and losses and about their longings . . . Read More
How do you balance older adults’ essential need for socialization with the urgent need to stay safe during this time of COVID-19?
Look to the experts who do this every day — activities directors at Willow Brook Christian Communities. They’ve become nimble and creative, finding ways to keep residents mentally and socially stimulated in the . . . Read More
For older adults, it’s never been more timely to take steps to boost your immune system. With the novel coronavirus, we’ve learned how important it is for seniors to build up their body’s natural defense system.
In this blog, we’ll give you 3 tips for boosting your immune system, which is an intricate . . . Read More
Are you ready to start researching assisted living communities, but don’t know how to compare one community to another? It can be intimidating at first, but just like when you bought your first home, having a process and plan will make things easier.
In this post, we’re going to break down several key considerations to help . . . Read More
Being a caregiver for your aging parent can be challenging at times. The truth is, even the best caregivers need some help from time to time. And it’s natural to start with your siblings and other family members.
But how are you supposed to go about asking for their help? While caregiving might seem more complex as you . . . Read More
You’ve been thinking that your senior loved one needs more support. They might be struggling to keep up with daily chores. Or they need help managing their medications and personal grooming. They may seem lonely as well.
The answer could be an assisted living community, but how is your family supposed to afford it? You’re . . . Read More
It seems like it was just yesterday when you were watching your children grow up. Now that you’re a senior, your children are adults, and they are the ones looking out for you. Having the roles reversed can be a tough change. And lately, you’ve noticed that your adult children have been hinting at wanting to . . . Read More
Following a fall, injury, stroke or other major medical issue, seniors often have one thing on their mind — going home and getting back to their normal routine. However, jumping right back into a routine may not be safe if their body hasn’t fully healed.
That’s where rehabilitation for seniors comes in. While rehabilitation or physical therapy might be the . . . Read More
The holidays are a meaningful time for caregivers and their loved ones with Alzheimer’s. This time of year is filled with family traditions, pastimes and memories. While these links to the past can be reassuring for your loved one, the holidays can sometimes cause fear and anxiety for those with Alzheimer’s.
As a caregiver, you might have mixed feelings . . . Read More
It seems like it was just yesterday that your parent or loved one was taking care of you, but now you’re a caregiver. No matter what the cause was, if you’ve had to step in with medical, housing, insurance or other assistance, you’ve become a senior caregiver.
At Willow Brook, many of our associates are senior caregivers themselves. While it is rewarding, becoming a . . . Read More
Your loved ones are ready for a change. As they grew older, their home turned into a grind they couldn’t keep up with. You’re happy that they’re making a change to improve their quality of life. But there’s one big thing left for you to handle – selling their house.
Whether you’re selling . . . Read More
You’ve probably imagined the moment when your loved ones’ circumstances change, and they won’t be able to manage their own care anymore. Whatever the event or emergency that ushers in the need for caregiving, you may find yourself on a journey into the unknown.
At Willow Brook, we understand how challenging it is to explore the . . . Read More
Barbara McVicker
National Eldercare Expert
By Barbara McVicker, Guest Blogger
(first in a multi-part caregiver series)
Being a caregiver for your elderly parents or relatives can be one of the most rewarding jobs, but also one of the hardest. If you are prepared, it can be quite fulfilling. If you are unprepared, it can definitely be one . . . Read More
When we all stand together, we can do amazing things to support research for Alzheimer’s disease. At Willow Brook at Delaware Run, our staff and residents recently raised $2,000 in two hours for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio at an event called Purple Day. Check out our video! And be sure to turn out . . . Read More
Kathi Paullin teams up with her mom to downsize.
We hear the term “downsizing,” and it has a negative feel. We think of it as losing items which we treasured for years.
But when we think of it is as LIGHTEN-ING the load of things that weigh us down, the word actually has a positive connotation. . . . Read More
How about a game of pommawanga? Or maybe you prefer wari or yoot? These were among the 50 high-quality wooden games made and sold by Willow Brook resident Mary Lea Bailey through the company she and her husband Warren founded: World Wide Games, which sold its products all over the country.
The Delaware business, which operated . . . Read More
Caregiver Angela (left) and Sally Gallant, Director of Willow Brook by Day
When Angela’s mother developed Alzheimer’s, Angela faced a quandary. She and her father wanted to keep her mother at home, but they struggled with balancing all of the responsibilities. They knew they needed support, but what exactly?
It’s a question faced by many families. More . . . Read More
As parents and loved ones get older, you may find yourself worried about their safety and wellbeing. In fact, you have been concerned for quite some time. When is it time to consider assisted living?
Here are some questions to ask as you explore the process:
Is he eating nutritious meals or losing weight?Does she misplace her . . . Read More
Assisted Living at Delaware Run
A Mother/Daughter Story
Interview with Kathryn H., daughter of resident Donna H.
Q: What was your mother’s situation before she moved to assisted living at Willow Brook at Delaware Run?
A: My Mom couldn’t live alone anymore because she had fallen several times, so she moved in with me. That worked until she began . . . Read More
By Jim Mattox
I suffered a huge loss when I was seven years old, and I bottled my grief for 71 years. I would never want anyone else to wait that long. I recently shared my story at the Grief Share Group at Willow Brook at Delaware Run, and I hope others will learn from my . . . Read More
By Marilyn Schroeder
Who are my teachers
now I have left the schoolrooms
of my youth, now that I am old?
Poet Mary Oliver with wisdoms –
her arms open to ponds, flowers,
creatures lovely and not, her words
lights to what I must learn – words rich
with how to spend my life. Friends
are . . . Read More
By Brenda Spradling
In 1946, Paul Harvey added “…and now you know the rest of the story” to his well-known radio broadcasts.
As I sat thinking about things one Sunday, I wondered what that phrase meant to me. My mind wandered to phrases like:
I’ve lived fun adventures—well, I did seven ziplines at 73, didn’t I?
There are some . . . Read More
By Tom MacLaughlin
He sits in his favorite chair by the window, and looks out across the lawn at the county road, and watches the cars as they travel past. He thinks back to what it was like to drive a car. That was a few years ago when he was living in his own house, . . . Read More
For an artist who started painting at age 10, Maxine Paca was long overdue for an exhibit of her art work.
At age 89, it happened. Her lovely paintings were featured recently in an exhibit at Willow Brook Christian Village, where she resides with her husband, Ned.
. . . Read More
In August, the Centrum Creative Writers won First Place for Cooperative Writing in a state competition sponsored by LeadingAge, a nonprofit association representing more than 400 long-term care organizations. The writers live at the Centrum, Willow Brook Christian Village’s assisted living center. They enjoyed collaborating to record their stories. Here we feature three more of . . . Read More
The Centrum Creative Writers won First Place for Cooperative Writing in a regional competition sponsored in June by LeadingAge, a nonprofit trade association representing more than 400 long-term care organizations. The writers live at the Centrum, Willow Brook Christian Village’s assisted living center. They enjoyed collaborating to record the stories of their lives. Here we . . . Read More
by Bill Chaddock, Willow Brook at Delaware Run resident
Each of us has a priceless legacy to leave our children, grandchildren and even descendants not yet born.
That legacy is the multitude of memories and experiences – some happy, some sad – about our lives and families that we have accumulated over the years. It is important . . . Read More
Ann Hopkins first learned to sew as a child and stitched up a storm all of her life. She made her own clothes and clothing for her mother, husband and children. It wasn’t until she retired in 1987 that she found time for another passion: quilting.
Now 93 and a resident of Delaware Run, Ann has . . . Read More
