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by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
When you hear the word “walkers” at Saratoga Grove, the Providence retirement community in Downers Grove, Illinois, it likely refers to members of the Walking Club, 16 residents who have together logged 2,706,787 steps or 505 miles in a year. “That’s like walking from Downers Grove to Charleston, WV,” says Francine Myers, our Community Relations Director there.
Walker Joan Vanderkamp poses by the whiteboard where members of the Walking Club log their steps.
The club organized last July and began tracking their steps, which they register on a public whiteboard. By the end of June 2010, Jim Ulrich (age 85) had walked the farthest — 75 miles. Clara Zuidema (age 93) was right behind him with 69 miles, and Shirley Vroom (84) and Joan Vanderkamp (88) had each logged 50 miles.
The club doesn’t know if they will be able to maintain that pace throughout their second year, but they plan to try. “That’s one benefit of being in a club or in a community,” says Fran. “The members motivate each other and encourage each other. Maybe, for example, Jim will walk only 70 miles this year, and maybe Clara will match that. Maybe Shirley and Joan will each improve their contribution by just 5 miles. If that happens, and everyone else at least maintains, that’s all it would take for the club to beat their record.”
Having worked among these residents for a few years, Fran is confident in their ability to exceed expectations. “I know they can do it,” she says, “and I think they will!”
She’s also impressed with the example they set for others: “They really are putting some of us to shame — they are twice as active at twice our age!”
Update: View the article — with photos of Clara and Jim — published in the August 24, 2010, Downers Grove Reporter!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
“Caregiving changes it all,” says Denise Brown about family dynamics. An author, speaker, and founder of Caregiving.com, Denise will be at Saratoga Grove, our retirement community in Downers Grove, to share her expertise with local families on August 26. Her presentation, “Healing the Life-long Family Rift,” is the latest in a series of practical lectures hosted by Saratoga Grove’s CAPS (Children of Aging Parents) support group.
Saratoga Grove is one of only five designated CAPS chapters in Illinois. They offer free meetings every other month, featuring professional speakers, networking opportunities, and resources for coping.
In some cases, says Denise, the stresses of caregiving can divide families and cause additional hurts. In other cases, caregiving roles force family members to depend on each other, and rifts are healed. Denise’s presentation on August 26 will help families find healing even in the midst of strain.
The evening will begin at 6:30pm with substantial appetizers for people coming right from work. Participants and attenders will have chances to connect with each other before and after the main presentation.
“Healing the Life-long Family Rift” is open to all caregivers in the Downers Grove area. Seating is limited, so an RSVP is recommended to reserve participation. Email Fran Myers to RSVP, or call her at 630-971-1995.
To see a schedule of upcoming CAPS lectures at Saratoga Grove, and to enroll, visit the Saratoga Grove CAPS enrollment page.
Saratoga Grove is located at 3460 Saratoga Avenue in Downers Grove, Illinois.
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
Mary and Helen bring Christmas to life at Saratoga Grove.
The two ladies in the photo above — Mary and Helen — understand a few things about life and death. One of them suffered at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. The other just recently received news about some serious health challenges she will be facing.
Throughout November, Mary and Helen and a few other residents of Saratoga Grove Christian Retirement Community collected new and gently-used gloves, hats, scarves, and coats. Last week, they delivered these gifts to a P.A.D.S. site in DuPage County, an organization that provides homeless people with meals and places to stay overnight. The gifts were delivered just in time for a December drop in temperature and a prediction of snowfall. “It warms our hearts to know they will be warmer!” said Joan Lawson, the Life Enrichment Director at Saratoga Grove who organized the gift drive.
Joan added, “Mary and Helen were most compassionate. And they were hesitant to be photographed because they didn’t want credit and they said they don’t look pretty. I told them they were beautiful!”
When Jesus came to earth that first Christmas, He too was homeless and poor. In reaching out to the homeless of DuPage County, Mary and Helen are honoring the King whose birth we commemorate each December. I can’t think of any better way to celebrate Christmas!
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
When Commander Woody Kawaters of the Downers Grove American Legion (Post 80) contacted Joan Lawson about hosting a “Veterans Coffee,” she was thrilled. “He just wanted to do something to show respect to our veterans,” says Joan, the Life Enrichment Coordinator at Saratoga Grove Christian Retirement Community. “I thought that was wonderful. These men deserve to be remembered.”
So, this Saturday, June 27, Commander Kawaters and one or two other officers will bring donuts to the bistro at Saratoga Grove. They’ll spend an hour or so visiting with the 6-8 veterans who currently live on campus. And they’ll return, once a month, to fellowship again and keep developing those coffee-fueled relationships.
The Saratoga Grove veterans are already eagerly anticipating the monthly visits. “For one thing,” says Joan, “the men are a little outnumbered here, so it will be nice to have this all-men activity they can be a part of!
“But also, it’s nice to know their service has not been forgotten. We owe them so much.”
If you want to express your appreciation for one of our veterans, feel free to send a card or stop by and visit. Or visit the Saratoga Grove Facebook page and post your appreciation on the wall — your note might inspire others to do the same!
Saratoga Grove is located at 3460 Saratoga Avenue in Downers Grove. Call 630-971-1995 for more information.
by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications
When a TV meteorologist agrees to help you celebrate your 20th anniversary, that’s something to get excited about!
This Monday, June 22, Tracy Butler will visit Saratoga Grove, our Retirement and Assisted Living community in Downers Grove, Illinois. “I am so excited that Tracy agreed to come and share with us,” says Francine Myers, our Community Relations Director there. “She’s so gracious, and I’m eager to hear what she has to say!”
Francine originally reached out to the ABC meteorologist earlier this year. “This is our 20th anniversary of serving people here in Downers Grove,” she explains. “I really wanted to celebrate, and I wondered if Tracy Butler would be able to help. She’s a daughter and a mom, so I knew she could relate to our residents and their families.”
With a presentation titled “Weather or Knot,” Tracy Butler will share her story. The public is invited to enjoy the presentation at 1:30pm and stay for refreshments afterwards. Because space is limited, RSVPs are requested.
Glimpses of Providence 