Music knows no boundaries. It can transport you – taking you back to your youth or helping you recreate a special memory. It can also foster strong connections, bringing together strangers and creating friends.

When music aficionados Dominic Chianese and William (Bill) Henry Shave joined together in song at The Methodist Home of the District of Columbia – an assisted living and skilled nursing care community in Northwest Washington, D.C. – the connection was undeniable. The two passionate musicians quickly became a harmonious duo.

Dominic Chianese is an actor and musician best known for his role as Uncle Junior on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Chianese’s acting credits also include The Godfather Part II and several other films with Al Pacino. An accomplished musician, he has also released several CDs featuring American and Italian songs.

Throughout his career, Chianese has remained dedicated to giving back to his community through his art. He established the Joy Through Art Foundation to enrich the lives of nursing home residents by connecting them with professional artists. When he contacted the American Health Care Association looking for a local facility where he could perform, they suggested The Methodist Home. During his first performance, Chianese met a less famous but no less passionate singer: Bill Shave.

Dominic Chianese and Methodist Home resident WIlliam Shave were connected by their love of music.

Shave moved to The Methodist Home in 2010 to receive the care he needed in a comfortable and safe environment. He quickly developed a reputation as the community’s most accomplished – and zealous – singer.

“Mr. Shave was very active in all of our programs,” remembered Linda Moreno, Methodist Home’s Director of Therapeutic Recreation. “He would lead Karaoke, but he sang from the time he got up until he went to bed, and he encouraged other residents to sing along with him.”

During Chianese’s initial performance at The Methodist Home, Shave was the first to join in. “Everyone was singing, but of course Mr. Shave sang the loudest and knew every song,” Moreno said. “When Mr. Shave started singing, Dominic immediately started walking toward him.”

“When he sang, he inspired me,” recalled Chianese of his new friend. After that first performance, Chianese stayed to sing one-on-one with Shave. He also offered Shave his guitar. Shave readily accepted and quickly began playing and singing “Danny Boy.”

What Chianese didn’t know at the time was that Shave had left his most prized possession, a vintage Gibson Guitar, behind when he moved because it had become so difficult to play. The opportunity to sing and play again was truly priceless to him.

During subsequent performances at The Methodist Home, Chianese always invited Shave to accompany him and welcomed his booming voice. The two men quickly came to respect and appreciate each other as true music lovers.

Knowing how much Chianese’s performances had meant to her father, Bettie Shave reached out to him after her father passed away in late 2012. Chianese expressed his desire to attend Shave’s memorial service and even cleared his schedule so that he could be present to honor his friend.

During the memorial service on March 19, 2013, at The Methodist Home, Chianese performed “Amazing Grace” and “Danny Boy” and led a sing-a-long in memory of Mr. Shave following the service.

“I know that music heals, and Bill knew that music heals,” Chianese said prior to his performance. “Whenever I sang here, he would sing along, and he sang with love. That’s the most important thing: he had love, and he shared it.” He continued, “I’m so happy to be here to sing for his memory, his inspiration, and to sing for everything he stood for.”

While Dominic and Bill’s friendship was brief, it was based on a shared passion that has sustained both men throughout their lives. They were never a famous duo, but when their voices blended, they experienced real harmony.

One of Gertrude (Trudy) Virginia Chedister’s earliest memories is of caring for her siblings. Nearly a century has passed since that time. Now 100 years old, Trudy proved to be a natural caregiver, and she still puts the needs of others first.

Born in Salem, West Virginia, Trudy was the second of nine children in her family. As she grew up, she became a caretaker for her younger siblings. “I helped take care of the children under me, and I loved that job,” Trudy remembered. While her older sister preferred to spend her time reading, Trudy always welcomed the opportunity to care for her siblings. “I ended up taking care of the children the most because my older sister didn’t like it, and I really did,” she explained.

“Everybody here is my friend. And I’m a friend to everybody, and I
help people when I can.”

Trudy’s partiality for child care served her well later in life. “I happened to make a good wife when I got married,” she smiled as she recalled. “And I had three children, and I’m proud of them all.”

When Trudy was widowed at just 46 years old, she became the sole caregiver for her two younger children. “Mom moved back to where her parents lived and bought a house after she was widowed,” recalled Trudy’s eldest daughter, Jo Ellen Covell. “I was 18 at the time, but my sister was 11 and my brother was 5. She raised them by herself.”

While parenting on her own was undeniably challenging at times, Trudy always remained positive. “My husband was very good, but the Lord helped me get through losing him, and I’m still going,” she said.

Judging by the deep devotion she has inspired in her children, Trudy did a lot more than just survive; she thrived. “She gave us a wonderful life,” said Jo Ellen. “She was the best mother anyone could have ever had. She cared for us. She taught us things. We owe her so much.”

As her kids grew up and Trudy grew older, she was determined to never be a burden on her family. She also wanted to plan her own retirement, so she took the initiative and moved to an assisted living community near her long-time home in West Virginia when she was 85.

Trudy enjoyed the fact that she no longer had to worry about lawn or home maintenance, and she was happy in her new home. However, after a few years, Jo Ellen convinced her to move to be closer to family. “We wanted to see her more often and be close enough to help out more,” Jo Ellen said.

Jo Ellen started searching for an assisted living community in Winchester, Va., near both her home and her sister’s. “I looked at every place in the whole area, and I brought Mom to see the ones I hadn’t eliminated,” she recalled. “We knew we wanted The Willows at Meadow Branch, but they had a waiting list.” Just weeks after placing their name on the waiting list, the family was surprised to get a call from The Willows informing them of an opening.

That was nearly 13 years ago, and Trudy has made the most of her life at The Willows. From sitting on the large front porch in the summer to participating in a range of activities throughout the year, she takes advantage of everything that community life has to offer.

“I really love everything about The Willows,” Trudy said. “They are so good to me, and they meet my needs, whatever they might be.”

Of course, for a person who has always loved others, getting to know so many new people is one of the perks of her new home. “Everybody here is my friend,” Trudy smiled as she said. “And I’m a friend to everybody, and I help people when I can.”

For Trudy’s family, having her close by has been wonderful. “It’s so amazing that I can stop in and see her anytime, even if it is just for 15 minutes,” Jo Ellen said.

Their close family ties have served Trudy and her children well. “I think it’s essential to maintain a strong connection to your parent,” Jo Ellen explained. “People who don’t see their parents are missing a blessing because they have a lot of wisdom to share and a lot of encouragement and love to give.”

Beyond the close proximity, Trudy’s family also benefits from the security of knowing that their mother — who dedicated so much of her life to caring for others — is well cared for at The Willows. “The staff here is just amazing,” said Jo Ellen. “They keep in touch with me and give me updates. They offer advice about how to handle things and will even suggest I should call her doctor.”

Gertrude Chedister is a natural caregiver who always put the needs of others first. Today, her family benefits from the security of
knowing that she is well cared for at The Willows at Meadow Branch.

Still a natural caregiver, Trudy modestly underestimates how much she has given to her family and friends. “I just tried to treat everybody like I’d like to be treated,” she said of her life of service. “I also asked forgiveness if I needed to, and I helped anybody anyway I saw that I could.”

Trudy’s simple ideals and positive nature are perhaps best exemplified by her poetry. A lifelong lover of plays and poetry, she commemorated her move to The Willows with a short but poignant poem:

“I moved to The Willows to enjoy life.

No more packing, moving or strife.

The next time I move, I won’t have to pack.

I’ll just follow Jesus and never look back.”

Trudy is certainly enjoying everything life at The Willows has to offer. And, true to form, she continues to give all that she can to her new friends and neighbors. After all, Trudy’s second century of caring just began.

 Discover the Support You Need to Live the Life You Love 

In North Wales, The Solana^® Horsham offers senior accommodations that truly make a difference. That’s because our people strive each and every day to not only meet but also exceed the expectations of our residents and their families.

Step inside The Solana Horsham, and from the moment you do, you’ll be captivated by the comfortable surroundings, the sense of security and the welcoming environment. More than just a place to live, The Solana offers a way of life where you can immerse yourself in the activities that interest you most, while developing and nurturing new and enduring friendships. Most of all, you and your family will appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing your important needs are being met.

Now open, The Solana features Assistive Senior Living and Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care for residents who require specialized service and care.

Assistive Senior Living

The Solana’s special brand of Assistive Senior Living provides a beautiful place to live with just the right amount of help with everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing and grooming. Our care plans offer an ideal blend of convenience and support, enabling us to deliver personalized care with Respect for Individual Preferences^SM.

Working in concert with family members and personal physicians, we continually assess each resident and adjust services to meet their evolving needs. The result is a dignified lifestyle that is rich and rewarding and allows residents to live as independently as possible.

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care is provided in The Solana’s specialized Clare Bridge^® environment. A feature exclusive to Brookdale Senior Living^® communities, the Clare Bridge concept has evolved over more than 25 years by continually embracing the latest ideas in good Alzheimer’s care practice, coupled with the experience of caring for thousands of individuals and families touched by dementia. Each resident receives an individualized approach, depending on the progression of the disease.

The Solana offers two distinct Clare Bridge^® settings:

• Clare Bridge Crossings provides a bridge between Assistive Senior Living and more advanced care and is designed for individuals whose altered sense of time and place may result in anxiety and the need for additional support. This proactive program builds upon aging research to sustain mental functions that are often impacted in the early-to-mid stages of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

• As clinical and support needs increase, our Clare Bridge residence provides a specialized environment for those in mid-to-late stages of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Staff members are highly trained to understand and manage the unique challenges associated with dementia and implement a four-step plan each day to help residents achieve Daily Moments of Success^SM.

At The Solana, we know the key to aging well is living well. That’s why residents enjoy fabulous amenities, such as chef-prepared meals and housekeeping, laundry and transportation services. What’s more, our Optimum Life^® program supports residents’ pursuit of wellness through six key dimensions: purposeful, emotional, physical, social, spiritual, and intellectual. As a result, every day here is filled with opportunities and experiences to keep residents connected and engaged.

From the compassionate support of Assistive Senior Living to the comfort of specialized Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care, you’ll find everything residents need to enhance their quality of life in every possible way, even as their needs evolve. Best of all, it’s backed by the strength and stability of Brookdale Senior Living, the nation’s largest provider of senior accommodations.

Come see what our exceptional blend of hospitality, service and care means for you. Call (215) 642-2701 today to learn more.

THE SOLANA^® HORSHAM

A Brookdale^® Managed Community

Assistive Senior Living

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care

1419 Horsham Road

North Wales, PA 19454

(215) 642-2701

www.brookdaleliving.com

Respect for Individual Preferences and Daily Moments of Success are Service Marks of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA. ® Reg. U.S. Patent and TM Office.

During his remarkable career, Frank E. Braxton, Sr., has held positions ranging from shoemaker to political appointee.
He learned several trades, pursued a few different careers and discovered a couple of passions. Frank E. Braxton, Sr.’s, lengthy resume includes positions ranging from his early work as a shoemaker to his many political appointments.

While Frank’s job titles are impressive, they don’t reveal his incredible work ethic. His lifelong commitment to service is best reflected by the wide array of awards that adorn the walls of his apartment at Atrium Village.

Atrium Village is a Senior Lifestyle Community in Owings Mills, Md., offering independent living, assisted living and memory care. Frank made the move to Atrium’s assisted living community after a series of illnesses left him hospitalized.

During his remarkable career, Frank E. Braxton, Sr., has held positions ranging from shoemaker to political appointee.

Unsatisfied with the care he had been receiving and looking for answers, his family decided to have Frank transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital. His mysterious symptoms, including uncontrollable shaking, began to clear up in just a few days.After a brief stay in rehabilitation, Frank moved to Atrium Village and quickly became an active member of the community.For Frank, who recently celebrated his 98th birthday, getting involved has always come naturally. A native Washingtonian, he pursued many different opportunities before delving into local politics. Shortly after graduating from Armstrong Technical School in Washington, D.C., Frank became a shoemaker.

“I found out that I wasn’t a good shoemaker pretty quickly when I started working in one of those fast shoe shops,” he recalled.

After discovering that shoemaking was not his calling, Frank struggled to get another position. “Jobs were hard to find back in the 30s,” he said. “Those of us who actually lived in D.C. had very little chance of getting a good government job.”

Determined to make his own way, Frank began shining shoes at a barbershop that served an elite clientele. “One of the lawyers who came there ended up giving me a letter of recommendation to work at the post office,” Frank remembered. “Because of his letter, I got a job. It was 66 cents an hour, but that was a good job.”

After this crucial recommendation, Frank’s career really took off. He eventually got an appointment at the Government Printing Office. However, shortly after starting his new job, Frank was drafted and joined the U.S. Army. Following a brief but distinguished military career, he returned to the States and was called back to the U.S. Postal Service.
A postal worker by day, Frank also became a watchmaker. “I did anything I could to make an honest living, and I made watches for about 15 years,” he said.

During his remarkable career, Frank E. Braxton, Sr., has held positions ranging from shoemaker to political appointee.

During his tenure at the Postal Service, Frank became involved in The National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees Union. He served as the Vice President of the local chapter and later became the Financial Secretary of the chapter. His involvement with the union continued even after his retirement. “Our local president became the national union president,” Frank recalled. “By this time, I had retired, but he appointed me to serve as chair of the retirees division.”Even while working full time, Frank amassed a significant amount of experience in local politics. Through the years, he held both elected and appointed positions in the D.C. government. He is most proud of his service on the First District Citizens’ Advisory Council. The Council was responsible for advising the commander of the D.C. Police Force about the services the community wanted and needed.“While I was on that Council, we earned the confidence of the neighborhood and also of the police officers,” explained Frank. “We were able to achieve amazing reductions in crime.”

Frank’s many political positions also included an election to the Democratic State Committee and an appointment to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, among others. The Board investigated alleged abuse of power by police officers and made recommendations for punishment.

While he is immensely proud of his work in the community, Frank readily admits that it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of his wife, Geneva. Frank and Geneva met on a streetcar in D.C. Frank had a girlfriend when they first met, but he knew that something was different about this young woman. “She just struck a nerve,” he recalled fondly. “There was something there that I just really liked.”

The couple married and had two children, Frank, Jr., and Yvonne. While Frank pursued his personal and political ambitions, Geneva provided stability for the family. “I was able to do so much because I always had the backing of my wife. I think now of the many nights that she was left alone while I was out doing something for someone else. She always supported me,” he said.After Geneva passed away nearly 20 years ago, Frank continued to live alone in their home. Last year, he started to have some health issues, including episodes of uncontrollable shaking. Frank was leaving his doctor’s office after a follow-up visit when he collapsed. It was this episode that led to his eventual transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital. While Frank was recovering, his grandson found Atrium Village, and the family has never looked back.

“I would recommend this community to anyone because of the care we receive,” said Frank. “At home, I would miss taking my medicine or run out of medicine. Since I’ve been here, I don’t have to worry about that.”

Frank also enjoys having three delicious meals prepared for him every day. Perhaps, most importantly, he loves the genuine interactions between staff and residents. “The personnel here are very attentive to all of us,” he said. “You often see them hugging the residents and giving them attention, and the residents return the affection.”

In addition to great amenities and personal relationships, Atrium Village offers a variety of spacious apartment styles, including floor plans that residents can personalize with favorite furnishings and cherished possessions. Residents also enjoy events and programs, scheduled transportation to doctors’ appointments and local shopping.

Since moving to Atrium Village, Frank has quickly adjusted and made friends. He has become an integral part of his new community and continues to give back in any way he can.

Pointing to the diverse plaques acknowledging his service as a politician and a community volunteer, Frank notes, “All the awards you see here are for things I did because I wanted to. I never wanted to be paid for the things I did. If I couldn’t do it out of the goodness of my heart, I didn’t want to do it.” Whether he was serving his customers, his constituents or his community, Frank’s commitment to service never wavered, and he always delivered his help with a smile. That, it turns out, is the key to an award-winning life.

The best books leave the reader anxious to start each new chapter. The best people are no different. They approach the next chapter of their lives with anticipation and a sense of excitement that propels them into discovery, promotes creativity and provides a rich view of life.

Julia McLean Williams, at age 84, still can’t wait to turn the page! Throughout her many adventures all over the world, chapter after chapter have been added that continue to shape her life and philosophy.

Now living at Chesterbrook Residences, an active assisted living community in Falls Church, Virginia, Julia thrives. “It is a place that nourishes,“ she said. Chesterbrook Residences is a non-profit, mixed income assisted living supported by Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, Immanuel Presbyterian Church and Temple Rodef Shalom.

One of Julia’s earliest professional experiences set the tone for her remarkable career and her approach to life. In a job at the beginning of her career, she was asked to teach a severely handicapped child who had hydrocephalous. She found she had to become a scientist and search for ways to reach the person in this silent little girl.

“One day as I looked intently into the child’s eyes, I saw a sudden and unexpected flash of life, like a light, in her eyes,” Julia said. “I realized in that profound moment that she could understand love in the same way I did.” From then on throughout her teaching career, she looked into the face of her students to find that flash of light to build on. Following this experience, she was asked to start the first class for exceptional children in the public schools in Lincoln Parrish in Louisiana.

A great ten-year “chapter” took place in her life when Julia, her husband and children moved to the high plain of Bolivia, South America. Before their departure, they spent a year completing Spanish Language study in Costa Rica. Their work in Bolivia was to help the Aymara Indians improve their agricultural techniques and thus their well being. “We all became citizens of the world in those years,” Julia said.

Upon return to the U.S., Julia was asked to start a non-profit special school in Raleigh, NC. It incorporated her philosophy that interdependency is the highest form of maturity, not independence. “I put normal, gifted and handicapped children together because we live in the world that way,” she explained. The school is called Learning Together, Inc. and continues as an exemplary, award-winning program after 30 years.

Several years later when Julia was president of the Mission Board of the United Methodist Conference in North Carolina, she was involved in taking teams to Bolivia to work on special projects there. In a remote area in Trinidad, Bolivia, a team worked with a small group of lepers. Marcelo was the first leper they met. He was nearly blind, could stand, but not walk. He lived in a pitiful small room behind an abandoned hospital. He was isolated and ill.

Julia McLean Williams, at age 84

Julia remembered, “When I put my arm around him, he cried. He told me he was crying because no one had touched him for 20 years.”

Despite his circumstances, Marcelo thought only of the needs of others. He attributed his joy and concern for others to a vision he had in the middle of the night years before. He said that in the vision Jesus came and stood beside his cot and said to him, “Marcelo, use who you are and be happy.” Even the decades since this happened cannot dull the impact of this chapter. Marcelo has challenged the hundreds of people who have heard his story to “use who you are and be happy.”

After retiring, Julia developed macular degeneration and could no longer live at home alone. She began the extensive research of retirement facilities that led her to Chesterbrook Residences in Falls Church, VA.

“I looked at several places and knew I wouldn’t survive in them because there was no stimulation,” Julia remembered. When she walked into the lobby of Chesterbrook, the experience was much different. “People were sitting in lovely nooks, talking and laughing. The atmosphere was alive with energy,” Julia said. “I knew I was home. I never regretted moving one second.”

When she isn’t busy with Chesterbrook‘s many activities, Julia is often with companion, Bill Meyer. The two met shortly after she arrived at Chesterbrook. Her newfound love is one of the many things she treasures about this new chapter in her life.

Today, Julia focuses on finishing her book, How Do You Spell JOY? The title is derived from an innocent question asked of her by a young Chilean refugee as he wrote a letter to his grandmother in Chile about his new life after being adopted by Julia’s church.

Whether as an author, educator, missionary, mother of four or grandmother of eight, Julia looks forward to starting each new chapter. After all, a new chapter offers opportunities to give and receive JOY- no matter how you spell it!

Living at The Maples has allowed Margaret to continue her active lifestyle.

Margaret moved to The Maples following chemotherapy treatment for lymphoma. “I got very ill after the treatments, and the doctor said I would only live two-and-a-half months,” she recalled. Her family and her medical team arranged for her to move to The Maples, so she could receive the care she needed. “Three weeks later, I was in a wheelchair sitting up, and a week later I was walking down the steps,” Margaret exclaimed.

A native of Pennsylvania, Margaret moved to Baltimore, Md., as a young woman with her new husband, Lloyd, and fell in love with the city. The young couple quickly settled in and started a family. In addition to raising their two children, Margaret worked part-time at a local department store.

During her time at the department store, she had the opportunity to work in the record department, selling 45s. “I loved it because I had always been musical,” she said.

Margaret’s love of music started early but really blossomed after an impulse purchase. “I always sang in school,” she said. “Then one day my husband told me that he’d love to learn to play the organ, so I got him one for Christmas.”

While Lloyd was taking professionals lessons, Margaret was reading his books and teaching herself to play the organ. Years later, the couple sold that original organ and upgraded to a new one. It was then that Margaret decided to invest in some lessons of her own. The couple both continued to take periodic lessons and purchased five more organs over the years, including the one that is in her room at The Maples.

Margaret bought her first organ for her husband, but while he was taking lessons, she taught herself to play using his books.

As Margaret’s recovery has progressed, she has been able to participate in more community activities and has even become an unofficial part of the community’s diverse entertainment options. “They would have me play the organ every day, I think,” Margaret said of her fellow residents.

Margaret’s weekly performances are always well attended. Whenever her organ is rolled out of her room, her fans begin to line their chairs up. “I’m not the greatest organist in the world, but they don’t mind,” Margaret said. “If I make mistakes, they don’t care; I just start all over and do it again.” Margaret paused before smiling and adding, “That’s the way life is. You can’t always be perfect, and I’m not, but you have to enjoy life, and I do here.”

In fact, in the more than five years that she has been a resident at The Maples, Margaret has made the most of all the community has to offer. The Maples provides restaurant-style dining, an emergency call system, and daily social and entertainment opportunities. For the convenience of all residents, many medical services are available on site, including a physician, podiatrist, audiologist, physical/occupational/speech therapies, vision/eye care, counseling/psychiatric services, and diagnostic services including x-rays and routine lab work. In addition to all the amenities, Margaret also appreciated the support of the staff and her fellow residents after Lloyd passed away earlier this year.

“I’m just not a watcher,” Margaret concluded. “I can’t sit on the sidelines. I like to be active.” At The Maples, Margaret has gotten the care she needed to return to her active lifestyle — and acquired more than a few active listeners, who thoroughly enjoy watching as she perfects her tune.

What really makes a community? It is certainly not beautiful iron gates or modern homes filled with high-tech conveniences. Communities — real, strong communities — are made of dynamic individuals who share common interests and goals. A community is only as robust as its people.

It is the individuals at Chevy Chase House, a senior living residence in Washington, D.C., that are the heart of the vibrant community. Pictured from left to right: David Breasted, Ruth Nadel, Evie Thompson, Dallal Richards and Charles Missar.

At Chevy Chase House, an assisted living facility in Washington, D.C., an incredible group of active residents are the heart of this thriving community.

We met David Breasted, a former reporter for The Evening Star, and Evie Thompson, the mother of two incredibly accomplished women, Anne Henderson and Nina Altschiller. Dallal Richards, an avid horticulturalist, bridge player and flower show judge, is also a central part of the community. And Charles Missar, who worked for The Library of Congress and the Office of Education, is another of the many vibrant individuals who call Chevy Chase House home.

While there is no shortage of active residents with fascinating stories, no one better exemplifies the positive spirit that permeates Chevy Chase House than Ruth Nadel.

“I just celebrated my 98th birthday, and, I must say, I’ve enjoyed every bit of my 98 years,” said Ruth. A lifelong activist and organizer whose growing legacy includes a scholarship foundation and a volunteer network, Ruth has always been interested in furthering educational opportunities and building strong communities.

Ruth’s passion for education started early. She was a member of the first class at the City University of New York’s Baruch College that admitted women. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and later got her Master’s in Education and became a teacher.

At the tender age of 20, she was teaching high school students. She quickly became involved in the first of many community partnerships. “I taught many immigrant children; we’d give them vocational training and find them jobs provided by cooperating business organizations,” she said. “These youngsters never dropped out, and they got business experience.”

Later, as the mother of four boys, Ruth was active in the educational community as a volunteer. Her unpaid work did not go unnoticed. She was elected to the school board in Santa Barbara, CA, where the family lived in the 50s and 60s.

Through her work on the school board, Ruth realized that many minority children did not have an opportunity to continue their education. She, with several other community activists, took it upon themselves to start The Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation to provide support for these children. “Anyone seeking further or higher education is eligible – whether to be a plumber or an engineer, a student or an artist,” she said.

Reappointed by the Mayor, Ruth continues to serve on the D.C. Commission on Aging among other organizations. She especially appreciates her retirement community's limo service that helps her take advantage of these outside opportunities.

Ruth and her fellow founders invited Santa Barbara’s business and community leaders to a luncheon. “That was 50 years ago,” she said with genuine pleasure. “It was enlarged to include some neighboring counties, and it is rated today as one of the best nonprofits in the country.”

After raising their children in Santa Barbara, Ruth and her husband moved back to the east coast and settled at the Van Ness North in Washington, D.C. When the residents of the cooperative apartment building noticed that one of their neighbors was blind and needed extra help, they decided to take action.

They turned to Iona, a non-profit agency providing community-based programs and services to seniors in Washington, D.C. With the help of Iona, Ruth developed a questionnaire that polled residents about their need for help or, alternatively, their willingness to help their neighbors.

The response was overwhelming, and the project eventually became what is now the Volunteer Neighbor Network. “To this day, so many years later, it is still thriving,” said Ruth. “And now, would you believe there are over forty different kinds of services available, more than half of which are social?”

Based on accredited unpaid work after years of volunteering, Ruth became a public servant for 21 years in the Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor. During her tenure, she received the Distinguished Service Award for designing and developing the first employer supported child care center in a government agency. After retiring, she returned to her full time pro-bono work.

Today, Ruth continues her community involvement from her new home at Chevy Chase House. In fact, moving has made it easier for her to fulfill her many commitments.

Ruth was reappointed by the Mayor and continues to serve on the D.C. Commission on Aging. She is active in several organizations, including the National Council of Women’s Organizations. But even at 98, getting to meetings is never a concern, thanks to Chevy Chase House’s transportation service. “The thing that amazes me is the limo service,” Ruth declared. “It’s available to take you anywhere, and then you call and they come pick you up.”

When Ruth is not out fulfilling her many obligations, she is busy becoming part of her new community. She is even enjoying some leisure activities she never had time for, including a poetry reading group. “Chevy Chase House provides so many chances for you to enjoy yourself. You’re kept as busy as you want to be!” she observed.

In addition to the community’s many amenities, Ruth has welcomed making new friends in her 90s. “I enjoy everyone here. There are so many broad backgrounds and some very interesting people,” she stated. “The opportunity to make friends with these people here, it’s a new life.”

Ruth also appreciates the security that Chevy Chase House provides. From medication service to help with daily tasks, she knows that there is always someone available to help. Since her initial move was the result of a traumatic fall two years ago, she realizes just how essential this security is to her active lifestyle.

“Don’t believe the popular misconceptions about a retirement home,” Ruth said. “I call this my third life, and it really, really is.” She concluded, “It’s just wonderful that you can come here and see what a new life is like, and my nature is to take advantage of it.”

Ruth and her fellow residents are certainly benefiting from all that Chevy Chase House has to offer. As individuals, they are all remarkable seniors with a wide array of professional and personal accomplishments. Together, they have become collaborators in an exceptional community.

One person who preferred the latter is *Elizabeth Jones, who suffers from early onset dementia.  According to her daughter, *Lisa Benson, a larger assisted living community had not been a good fit in the past due to the age discrepancy between Elizabeth and other residents becoming an issue.

The small assisted living home she ultimately chose was Tysons Woods, which is owned and operated by Andy Cocito and has two locations that are actual residences located in the neighborhoods of Vienna, Va. Here, Elizabeth has a private apartment as well as access to the home’s common areas and gardens. In addition, the community’s staff ensures that she and her fellow residents receive the care they need as it is individually tailored to each person’s wants and needs.

To further ensure that Elizabeth and her peers get the care they need, Tysons Woods has been working with the medical team of DocTalker, a primary care practice whose doctors offer house calls and are available 24/7 via phone and email medical consultations.

“We act like a team,” said Andy. “The doctors help to make sure that all of our bases are covered. They will come to the house for everything from emergencies to regular check-ups and are always available when I call.”

Dr. Alan Dappen, Founder and Medical Director of DocTalker, has worked with the community for the past five years. “We like being there when Andy needs us, whether to do a medical consultation by phone or to make a house call for more complicated needs, or to do something like doing lab work,” he said.

With this care among other amenities, Lisa said her mother has thrived at the community.  “I haven’t seen her happier in her whole life,” she said, adding that her mother loves everything about the home from spending time with pets to seeing other families and kids passing through.  Most importantly, it has given Lisa peace of mind that her mother is in good hands.

“Having the doctor come in has been extremely helpful and Dr. Dappen has done everything from giving flu shots to helping diagnosis a urinary tract infection,” said Lisa.  “The way the community and doctors work together has taken a huge burden off of me.”

*Names have been changed.

A mother of seven daughters, Patricia Sears lives in a 15-resident assisted living community, where she enjoys a comfortable environment and feels at home.

“Mom had the toughest job in the world, and she did the best job ever!,” said Karen of her mother, Patricia Sears. A self-proclaimed “domestic engineer,” Patricia was a wife, mother, homemaker, chauffer and caregiver to seven girls.  “Seven girls,” said Karen. “And, yes, no boys.”

After her husband of 50 years passed away, Patricia and her family decided that she should move to a senior living apartment. In her new apartment, Patricia left behind home maintenance and found many new friendships. She also finally had the time to actively pursue her many hobbies, including quilting, gardening and participating in craft shows. “Neighbors and friends ordered her quilts and crafts and kept her plenty busy, which she loved,” said Karen.

When Patricia suffered a stroke, her family quickly realized that the constant demands of caring for her were more than they could handle alone. “We were considering assisted living, but were overwhelmed by the options,” said Karen.

With the help of Geriatric Care Manager Kimberly Landon, Patricia’s family began to look for the right home for their mother. “After touring several assisted living options, we selected a 15-resident home for the social environment and the intimacy of a smaller community,” said Karen of their decision to make Autumn Assisted Living in Cockeysville their mother’s new home.

Autumn Assisted Living offers Patricia a safe, comfortable environment that feels like home.  She enjoys all of the amenities, including a private, accessible bathroom; a full-time nurse; and a full-time activities coordinator. The caregivers at the small facility know all of the residents well, allowing them to provide care that Karen describes as “phenomenal.”

“The care and compassion extended to our mom every day, and the smiles they bring to her face, are absolutely priceless,” concluded Karen. “I have complete peace of mind knowing they are with mom and are taking care of her needs on a 24-7 basis.”

Patricia is “home” once again, and her family could not be happier.

It was the end of a long day when Mary Knapp, Director of Health Services, got an email from a bathtub vendor to enter a contest and “win a one-of-a-kind, pink spa tub, made in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 2011.”  The Mastercare manufacturer was asking healthcare providers to submit stories that described how they supported breast cancer awareness within their community.

Having just completed her annual budget planning meetings, where a State mandate forced her to included a request for funds to purchase an Abington House bathing tub, Mary decided to fire off an essay.  She had fresh memories of a member of Foulkeways healthcare team who had recently completed treatment for breast cancer and she could easily share how the entire team had rallied around their teammate.   When she finished her submission, she hit the ‘send’ button on her computer, then left for home, putting all thoughts of spa bathing tubs out of her mind.  Within a month, she received a call from the CEO of Mastercare, who told her that her essay had been chosen as ‘The Grand Prize Winner,’ and that a new, $13,900, pink, Entrée Bathing System was on its way to Foulkeways from Nebraska.  Mary couldn’t remember the details of what she had written in her essay, and because she never dreamed that her article would be chosen, hadn’t made a copy, so now she and found herself agreeing with the Mastercare CEO’s comments as he went on and on about her award-winning piece being both poignant and expressive.  “I was racking my brain trying to remember exactly what I had written; and he was being so kind and generous.”

By the end of 2011 the tub arrived, and it weighed a ton!  It took most of the Foulkeways Maintenance Department, working together, to move it but move it they did, right into the permanent home that had been created in Abington House just down the hall from the Haircrafters Hair Salon.   Once Jon La Rue from the Maintenance Department installed the Jacuzzi, the healthcare team realized that this magnificent, top-of-the-line, made in America, bathing tub was not just pink, it was HOT PINK….I’m talking bubble gum, flaming, flamingo, PINK!   The team decided that this ‘beauty’ needed to be showcased in the new spa area they had created.   After all, it pre-heats the seat and the water coming into the chamber and keeps the water heated to a preset temperature during the bath. It comes with hot air jets and a wave action to enhance the spa experience.  Aromatherapy and a side door that raises and lowers with a touch of a button, makes this no ordinary bathtub.

The healthcare team decided that this new, big, bright, bold spa tub needed to be surrounded by a big, bright, bold Caribbean theme, since the winning essay was inspired by a staff person from Jamaica who was being treated for breast cancer.  Nursing staff stayed late into the night hanging a wall mural with a fantastic tropical fish pattern found on sale, online, and the Maintenance staff painted the rest of the room and repaired wooden cabinets.  Lisa Cianci, Administrative Assistant in Health Services, found two vintage Foulkeways chairs that she volunteered to paint and recover to match the new décor.  Staff searched every store in the vicinity, and online, to find the perfect big, thick, thirsty, king-sized bath towels, on sale, that also color coordinated with the newly painted walls, the bold fish wallpaper, and of course, the PINK spa tub.  These economical beauties also had to pass the Foulkeways Housekeeping Team’s ‘wash and dry’ test.

“One day,” explains Mary, “when I was heading home on Folly Road, I came across a pile of old wooden window frames, lying along the side of the road.  Some homeowner was throwing them out!  They were nice wooden frames with wooden cross bars, so I slammed on the breaks, got out and threw them into the back of my car.  I took them home to my garage, thinking to myself, ‘I’ll bet I can use them, I’m just not quite sure how.’   After a few weeks my husband, Karl, starting grumping at me about the pile of old windows taking up garage space, but I knew I’d stumbled across them for a reason, so I just let his complaints go in one ear and out the other….

“As the spa neared completion, it suddenly dawned on me that we would have to keep the drapes on the windows in the room closed, for obvious reason!  That’s when I realized my ‘roadside treasures’ would come in handy, so I bought a couple of 99 cent posters printed with beach scenes, tacked the posters behind the old window frames and then had the windows  mounted on the walls of the Spa.  Now when residents are luxuriating in the PINK spa, they can look out the ‘windows’ and enjoy a view of the beach”.

All residents at Foulkeways are encouraged to enjoy the new Spa; its use is not limited to the residents in Abington House.  Creating this new space turned into a labor of love, shared by members of multiple Foulkeways departments.  What began as a tribute to honor the caring and support coworkers willingly extended to one of their own, has grown into a special project that has created a space devoted to relaxation and rejuvenation.  Thanks to our new PINK tub and the hard work of so many Foulkeways employees,  residents can ‘book’ a mini  tropical vacation in our Abington House Spa, without ever leaving our campus.  “For a brief moment, they can step away from their everyday lives and immerse themselves into the soothing warmth and relaxation afforded by our new Pink tub.  We think we’ve come as close to duplicating a tropical ‘HUG’ as we could, and everybody can use an extra hug from time to time!” smiles Mary.