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by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
“Oh, no, I don’t need anything.” Have you heard this from your parents or grandparents when you ask for gift ideas? There may be several reasons they give this answer:
- They are from a generation that is used to “making do” an not complaining.
- They are self-sufficient they either buy it themselves, they already own it, or they simply aren’t interested in it.
- They really don’t need anything — they live in a Providence Life Services community where their day-to-day needs are met.
But what our self-sufficient, unimposing parents and grandparents may not realize is this: We want to give them something! We get more joy from the giving than they do from the receiving.
So if your loved one chooses not to communicate any needs to you, refer to this list for gift-giving ideas, several of which came from Elder Blog, a blog by and for elders:
- Large-print versions of books they would enjoy. Or even a Kindle or iPad, which allows readers to enlarge the size of the text they’re reading on-screen.
- DVDs of family movies you’ve made throughout the year. Even if your elder is computer-savvy enough to navigate YouTube, sometimes a DVD is simply easier to use and share.
- Local cuisine. When my grandmother moved to Florida years ago, there were no White Castles down there. When she visited us at Christmas, one of our holiday meals had to include White Castle hamburgers. At the time, frozen White Castle patties were not available, but that would have been a great gift!
- Extravagances they might not buy for themselves. Sure, maybe Dad doesn’t need cologne at this stage in his life, but is there a brand he always used to buy for himself? Perhaps he’s given it up as “unnecessary,” but wearing it again could make him feel good.
- Photo books. There are a number of online services that will allow you to upload photos into a template, and then have them printed as a coffee table book. You could make it a tradition to give your parents a photo book each Christmas that shows birthdays, vacations, pets, and ordinary life events throughout the year. Have one printed for yourself at the same time, and you’ll end up with a nice chronicle of your family life.
- Repairs and upgrades. If your parents or grandparents still live in their own home, check to see if they need handrails installed, or furniture replaced, or electronics set up for easy use.
- Travel-sized games. A Providence staff member whose mom lives in Holland Home (our retirement community in South Holland) once emailed me this idea: “We got my mom some of the ‘traveling’ Milton-Bradley games for her birthday. They’re compact, so they don’t take up much space in her closet or drawers. They also fit into her walker pouch, and she can take them to other friends’ rooms or down to the café. Many have the pieces attached so they can’t be lost.” Classic games like Monopoly, Sequence, Rummikub, Battleship, Skip-bo, Dominoes, and more are all available in a travel-sized version.
Do you have other gift ideas? Please share them in the comments below!
Related post: 5 Gift Ideas for Grandma and Grandpa
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Holland Home and other Providence communities often have guest rooms available for family members. Call the numbers listed at the end of this blog to find out specifics about current availability and pricing.
Want to take some of the stress out of your family’s holiday plans? Let Providence help! Many of our communities have guest rooms available that your out-of-towners can rent for incredibly reasonable rates.
For example, if your holiday travels include a stop in South Holland, Illinois, you can spend the night at Holland Home for only $40 (or $45 for two people). Believe it or not, that rate includes a hot breakfast in the dining room each morning! In addition, your room is equipped with a microwave, small refrigerator, and coffee, tea, and snacks, as well as a TV with DVD player to help you unwind at the end of a busy day.
In Michigan, the guest rooms at Royal Park Place are booked well in advance, so you may already be too late to reserve a room for this Thanksgiving or Christmas. But if you are planning to visit in the new year, call now to see what openings may be available. For $50 per night (or $30 per night if you stay more than one night), you can stay in a clean, comfortable, convenient room with microwave, refrigerator, two-burner stove, coffee maker, TV, and individual climate controls. Breakfast and lunch are not included in the room rate but both are available for an additional fee. And you can access the internet for free anywhere in the Royal Park Place lobby.
Staying with your loved one in a Providence community is affordable, comfortable, and convenient, but it’s also a great way to get a sense of the social opportunities and caring, Christian atmosphere that residents enjoy every day. You’ll meet your loved one’s friends and experience their schedule and taste the food and hear the conversations. It’s a great way to be reassured that they are participating in life as fully as possible.
If you think Providence Guest Rooms can enhance your holidays, call the numbers below to find out more specifics about availability and pricing. We’d love to have you as our guest! And if you have family members who need affordable, comfortable, convenient lodging during the holidays, please feel free to share this link with them!
Holland Home (South Holland, Illinois): (708) 596-3050
Royal Park Place (Zeeland, Michigan): (616) 772-2224
Village Woods (Crete, Illinois): (708) 672-6111
guest blog by Pastor Matt Waterstone, First Reformed Church of South Holland
Matt Waterstone is senior pastor of First Reformed Church in South Holland, Illinois. He enjoys spending time with his church members who live at Holland Home.
(NOTE: The blog that follows was originally written as a letter from Pastor Matt Waterstone to his congregation. That letter became a weekly letter, which later became a weekly blog. Because of Pastor Matt’s relationship with Providence Life Services, he was not only willing to share this letter on the Providence Life Services blog, he also linked us to updated information about Jeanette Gouwens, the resident highlighted below.)
It was a dreary Monday afternoon, and I had already gotten all of my typical Monday work done. Order of Worship was in good shape; I had memorized Sunday’s Scripture passage and had already tied any loose ends from last week. So, after visiting Cora VanDerBilt at Ingalls Hospital, I made my way over to Holland Home.
I first stopped at the little fellowship hall they have next to the gift shop and had a cup of coffee with Bertha Van Milligan and a dear woman named Edna. We didn’t exchange last names, but she kept inquiring about my marital status.… (Interesting, I thought.) I then took the elevator upstairs and knocked on Jeanette Gouwens’ door. This is where I experienced joy.
Jeanette let me in to her beautiful, warm room. Together we sat for the better part of an hour, talking about church and playing Dutch Bingo. (Her son-in-law works at Western Seminary and actually recruited me to go to Western!) Jeanette’s late husband’s name was Tys (what a great name!), and I made a mental note about that name for future Waterstone boys.
As Jeanette was talking about Tys, her face kind of squinted together, and she said, “O, how we’ve been blessed by God! You can’t imagine how much we’ve been blessed by God, Pastor.” Being the inquisitive young pastor that I am, I asked her to share a few of those blessings.
For starters, she shared that every single one of her kids and grandkids professes Jesus as Lord. Next, she shared that none of her family had been riven by divorce. Finally, she shared that she had been able to be with Tys when he went on to glory. Three profound blessings, shared with obvious joy.
When I read about corrupt political leaders and shaky financial futures, the darkness from the outside starts to get to my insides. I need more times with people like Jeanette to remind me of God’s blessings. I need her example, her encouragement, her testimony.
The more time I spend with Providence residents like Jeannette, the more I am reminded of God’s faithfulness. It’s a genuine joy for me to serve in a setting where I can continually learn from these senior saints!
_____
Pastor Matt shares additional thoughts about Providence residents in two videos on our website — Precious Residents and Living Gems.
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
When Rev. Senator James Meeks visited Holland Home on July 9, he asked if he could come back with his choir on July 25. (Rev. Meeks is founder and senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.) The residents responded enthusiastically, and this past Sunday they were treated to an hour-long concert of praise songs and hymns. The video below is a sampling of one of the classics they performed at the request of one of the residents:
Deana Wilson is Community Manager at Holland Home, our retirement community in South Holland, Illinois. She appreciates that “Rev. Meeks considers his political position and duties an extension of his ministry, particularly to those in need. He understands that faith is demonstrated by acts of compassion, care, and concern, and he has spent his life putting his faith into action and spurring others to do the same.”
Rev. Meeks’ friendliness and his choir’s enthusiasm were a blessing to both staff and residents, and there is already talk of a return visit during the upcoming Christmas season!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
“Visionary.” “Cutting-edge.” “Technologically savvy.” These are not usually the first phrases used when someone is describing a senior living community. More often, the people we serve want to be assured of tradition, familiarity, and community.
But Providence Life Services believes that visionary technology and traditional community do not have to be an either/or choice. Instead, we are using technology to enhance community.
For example, all of our locations — retirement living, assisted living, and skilled nursing — have a Facebook page. Staff at each location post news and photos that give people a sense of what life is like at that community. Birthday parties, Wii tournaments, chapel services, visits from local legislators — all these and more are highlighted.
Families are loving it.
“Wow!! This site is great,” wrote one family member on the Royal Park Place Facebook page. “Now I can talk to my father-in-law about the pictures we have seen, since we live in Florida and have not been [to his retirement community] yet.”
A young family in San Antonio, Texas, has used the Village Woods Facebook page to keep in touch with their grandmother, Helen. Via Facebook they have shared photos of their involvement in a 5K race to raise money for the American Lung Association, announced the upcoming arrival of Helen’s 100th grandchild, and posted photos of their three dogs. Village Woods staff print the family’s photos and announcements and deliver them to Helen, who loves being connected across the country this way.
Families are also using Facebook to express appreciation for the Providence staff who faithfully care for the residents. During National Nurses Week, our pages were filled with comments like this one from a Holland Home family member:
“My mom lives on the second floor. Any time she has needed more care, the nurses at Holland Home have been so wonderful…!!!! Everyone there is so nice…and it is so comforting to know that my mom is in such a caring place. She just loves it there. And I want to say Thank You all for what you do. It is so important, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Providence is even beginning to attract the attention of other senior living experts who want to understand the thinking behind our use of Facebook and other social media. Debra Sheridan, President of IVY Marketing, a consulting firm that specializes in the senior living industry, posted this article about Providence several weeks ago. And our participation in a “Social Media Insights” panel gave us an opportunity to help other retirement communities who are unsure about how to use tools like Facebook, blogging, Twitter, and YouTube.
Want to find us on Facebook? The links to all of our communities are included below. We hope you’ll “like” our pages, and interact with the information and photos we post. After all, that kind of interaction is what real community is all about!
In fact, if you have a favorite Providence community, forward its Facebook link to all your friends, and see which community can attract the most “likes”!
Find us on Facebook:
Providence Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center
• of Downers Grove
• of Palos Heights
• of South Holland
• of Zeeland
Providence Life Services (corporate office)
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
In anticipation of Mothers Day, we spent some time last week interviewing three sets of mothers and daughters — the daughters all work for Providence Life Services, and the mothers are all clients or residents of our communities. All three of these mother-daughter pairs are successfully navigating through the changes in their relationships that aging requires. Watch the video below to see what they’ve learned through their experiences:
[tweetmeme source=”provlife” only_single=false]
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Jarine Ostema and her vocal talents were featured about six years ago (left photo) in a series of "Great Lives" stories about residents at our communities. Today (right photo) she is 91 years old — and still singing!
Last Friday I was at Holland Home (our retirement community in South Holland, Illinois) for a special, historical celebration. We had invited all the residents and their families to walk down Memory Lane — in the Life Enrichment Center. Dozens of old photographs were scattered on the tables for people to sort through and help us identify. It was a wonderful, rich afternoon, and we’ll be sharing more about it in upcoming blogs and newsletters.
At this special meeting, I had the honor of meeting Jarine Ostema. She lives at Holland Home, and I felt like I already knew her, even though we had never met. You see, Jarine was featured in a series of “Great Lives” stories several years ago, which described some of the wonderful people in our various communities. I had seen Jarine’s photographs and studied her story when I first began working here.
Her story reads,
“A great smile. A great voice. She sang under Leonard Bernstein’s direction. Their trio won first place on the Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour radio program. She sang for soldiers in the hospital, and at hundreds of weddings and memorials. Word spread that she loved figurines. After each performance, she was presented with a figurine as a token of gratitude. Today she has hundreds of them, and she loves them all. But her favorites are the ones her sons bought her at Woolworth’s over 50 years ago.”
In talking with Jarine last week, I learned that she is still singing! At the age of 91 she told me she sang just this past Easter! “I sang ‘Because He Lives,'” she told me matter-of-factly. “Because it was Easter.”
Jarine Ostema is one of the reasons it’s so exciting to be a part of this 50th year of ministry with Providence Life Services! If you have any stories about her — or other “Great Lives” — would you share them in the comments below?
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
Kaci Anderson loves making a difference at Holland Home.
Kaci Anderson doesn’t know much about the original Holland Home that started in 1914. And she wasn’t even born yet when the Holland Home opened its new, six-story building in South Holland, Illinois, in 1973. She’s a newer member of the Providence family, but she embodies the same spirit of caring that has characterized this mission throughout our history. Kaci is a Dietary Aide and Nursing Aide at today’s Holland Home.
She’s been there three years, and she loves her job.
“I like to do extra for them,” she says about the people she serves each day. “When they’re feeling down, I like to help them see the brighter side of life. When they need help, I like to be there for them.”
She recalls a simple act in the dining room: a resident was struggling to open the tiny package of creamer, so Kaci opened it for her. “Thank you, Dearheart,” the resident told Kaci and kissed her on the hand.
“It was such a small thing,” says Kaci, still astonished, “but it meant so much to her. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
But Kaci’s supervisors and co-workers know that her acts of kindness are not limited to “the small things.” They cite examples of time spent after hours or on days off, visiting Holland Home residents who are receiving rehab at the neighboring Providence Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. “I don’t have any statistical data to prove it, but I like to think that her visits improve their recovery rates!” says Community Manager Deana Wilson. “I do know the residents appreciate it.”
Kaci doesn’t think her attitude or performance is anything special. She feels like she gets as much joy out of each interaction as she gives. Her co-workers, though, wanted her to know how much they appreciate her. Last year Kaci was nominated to attend the annual Hallmark of Caring, which celebrates the best of the best employees at each Providence location.
Kaci is part of the Providence family because she loves helping people. When you support a Christian, not-for-profit ministry like Providence Life Services, you are partnering with people like Kaci Anderson at Holland Home.
In fact, if you want to make the same kind of difference Kaci makes, consider volunteering. All our Providence locations could put your gifts of time and tenderness to good use! Start by completing this online form and let us know of your interest in serving others.
Glimpses of Providence 