Brookdale Jackson Oaks seniors celebrate Memorial Day
Brookdale Jackson Oaks is home to 28 veterans. And on Memorial Day, they were honored with a program, complete with music, poetry, and a guest speaker.
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84-year-old veteran saves memories from Vietnam in journals
In 1968, Lyle Parker was in Vietnam. He saved three fellow soldiers' lives, which earned him a Soldier's Medal. But Lyle is humble about it. “It didn’t seem like much,” he says. “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.” Now, at 84, Lyle lives at Brookdale Wilmington. He journaled his experiences in Vietnam, and says it's helpful, as he has dementia.
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Brookdale Northwest Hills veteran recalls months as POW in Germany
Eighty years ago, George Burson remembers being shot down over Germany in World War II. For months, he and 19 other men lived as prisoners of war. They were finally freed after Russian liberated the camp. George was awarded a purple heart by General Dwight D. Eisenhower. But if George could have lived his life differently, he would have. "I would just work for the forest service. I wouldn't go to war."
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World War II Veteran remembers fallen brothers on Memorial Day
78 years ago, James Baynham was shot down over Germany. He and four others were held as POWs for eight months. Now, James is the only surviving member. “I just want my guys to be remembered,” he said. “They gave their lives for us.” James just turned 100. At Brookdale Club Hill, his family and friends hosted a patriotic birthday celebration for him.
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The "Brookdale Boys" bring music and friendship to their community
The "Brookdale Boys" aren't a typical boy band. But they know how to put on a show. They perform once a month, and practice a couple times a week. "Perfect, perfect, keep the life going, see?" says one member. "I'll soon be 90, and I'm more viable because of it. It's fun, we laugh a lot, and that's important."
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Vietnam War Veteran shares his experience through photo journals
Dr. Lyle Parker lives at Brookdale Wilmington. He was diagnosed with dementia several years ago, but he combats it through his photographs. Dr. Parker has hundreds of photos taken during his time in Vietnam. "A very foreign and strange place," he recalls. "It wasn't really a scenic country."
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105-year-old crowned prom queen at Brookdale Middleton Century Avenue
Residents at the Brookdale Middleton Century Avenue senior living community got to enjoy a "senior" prom on Thursday, and 105-year-old Emilie Novotoy was crowned the Prom Queen. She says it's not something she gets to experience every day. "They put a crown on me to see if I can behave," she joked.
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Brookdale Yakima helps raise money for Alzheimer's Awareness
In Yakima, Washington, senior living communities are teaming up with a local baseball team for the second annual Alzheimer's Awareness Night set for June 9. That includes Brookdale Yakima. They're putting on a fundraiser leading up to the game, and auctioning off 44 special jerseys that the baseball players will wear to the game and autograph. They hope to raise $8,000 this year. All proceeds will go to Walk to End Alzheimer's.
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Brookdale Seeks Memory Care Evolution With HealthPlus Growth Strategy
Brookdale Healthplus is meant to help residents live their healthiest lives, and by extension stay in their care setting for longer. That includes in memory care. “It's such an important element of taking care of their health care needs, and making sure that that's convenient and on site,” Brookdale's Kim Elliott told Memory Care Business. “It's just critical… that you're taking care of the obvious … and you're taking care of those underlying concerns that you don't necessarily see or deal with every day.”
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Brookdale Castle Gardens celebrates rebranding
After being acquired last June, Brookdale Castle Gardens has now officially rebranded. Residents held a Hollywood-themed party. Employees say the rebranding won't cause any major changes, just some much-needed upgrades. "We look forward to celebrating that with Brookdale, and new resources available to us, and maybe a spruce up here and there. And welcome more families and support them throughout whatever their journey is."
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Inside Brookdale Senior Living's HealthPlus Growth Plans, Strategy
In 2024, Brookdale plans to rapidly grow its Brookdale HealthPlus program – to expand to 129 communities. In an interview with Senior Housing News, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Kim Elliott explains how bringing Brookdale Healthplus to a community can transform it. “We intentionally disrupt a senior living community and every single element of the way that it runs changes,” she added. “It is a major transformation, and there's a lot of work.” Communities using Brookdale HealthPlus have seen 78% fewer urgent care visits, 36% fewer hospitalizations for residents and 63% more completed annual resident wellness visits.
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Brookdale Riverwalk residents take off on unique “Dream Flight”
A group of veterans had their dreams come true, including three Brookdale residents. As part of a "Dream Flight," they flew over Bakersfield in a 1944 Red Stearman, a biplane used by the Air Force and the Navy during World War II. “I'll tell you, it was so much fun," said Bob Lechtreck, one of the residents. "It's something else, I didn't know where I was half the time, but I saw a lot of the town.”
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More Than a Job
Our mission to enrich seniors’ lives is much more than a job for these Brookdale associates. It’s a connection to honor loved ones or a continuation of a calling that began earlier in life. In the video below, hear from three of our Brookdale associates about the personal reasons they chose a career serving seniors.
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Residents reunite months after storm damages community
For the first time in months, residents at Brookdale Oswego Springs were reunited. In January, a tree fell through an apartment. It triggered the sprinkler system, which caused damage to a lot of the building. Thirty residents were forced out of their homes. Now, they're back together. “We're so glad to have it over with and to have them back home,” said Connie Guardino, who lives in the building. “We hope this never happens again."
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"Think of others": Brookdale Beckett Meadows resident knits scarves for troops overseas
In her free time, Jean Koppernalle knits scarves for soldiers. She's made over 500 of them for Operation Gratitude, a non-profit that sends care packages to troops. "It makes me feel like I'm worthwhile," Jean says. "Keeping me busy, and probably more alert."
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