Marvin Emshoff's military ties run deep. His family served in World War II, Vietnam, and his son is a Captain in the U.S. Space Force. Marvin himself served in an engineer battalion in Louisiana.

There are just over 2,000 WWII veterans still living in Virginia. George Hubbard, at Brookdale Salem, is one of them. He joined the Navy when he was just 17, and fought in both Normandy and Okinawa. "We were at war," he says. "It was just what you did." Veterans Day means a lot to him, all these years later. "I take pride in [my] service in the Navy. I was just a kid."

Resident Engagement Director Amber Storey-Knight gained her U.S. citizenship in 2001 and she takes a lot of pride in being an American. That's why, each year, she puts on a Veterans Day program for the veterans at the community. "[Veterans are] disappearing at a very fast rate," she says. "We've got the new veterans coming along, but this is really [about] honoring the older veterans."

World War II veteran James Baynham has a treasure trove of stories. He was part of a B-24 crew that was shot down over Germany. He and four other men were held as prisoners of war for months. Now, Baynham is the last surviving crew member.

Only 66,000 of the 16.5 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive. That includes James Baynham of Brookdale Club Hill. The community is honoring him and other veterans with a ceremony and bagpipe performance.

As the weather gets colder, Brookdale Stanwood is looking out for their neighbors. They're hosting a warm clothing drive. All the donations will go to The Caring Place, which gives clothes to people in need. Resident Engagement Coordinator Christy Proud says the idea just popped into her head. "I talked about it amongst the residents...they all wanted to contribute."

Hospice of Santa Cruz County held pinning ceremonies for local veterans at senior living communities - including Brookdale Scotts Valley. They stopped by to give veterans a certificate of service and a pin, as well as speaking to veterans about resources for PTSD and trauma.

Brookdale Mirage Inn is home to two World War II veterans: Jack Talan and Wallace Grove. They both served on what is now Indonesia, though at different times. Both men faced many hardships, from discrimination to the horrors of war. But they have no regrets. “I wouldn't mind living that over again,” Jack says. “I wouldn't do anything different.”

It may be as easy as turning the clock back one hour, but daylight saving time can have a big impact on seniors diagnoses with dementia. "We have [residents] on a structured routine," says Tameka Beane, health and wellness director at Brookdale South Park. But changing the time can accelerate sundowning symptoms like anxiety, mood changes, and increased confusion. "Eating, sleeping, it throws everything off."

Residents of Brookdale Ithaca, an assisted living community, rode in a Brookdale van to the polls to vote on Election Day.

The Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District regularly monitors restaurants and food establishments for compliance with state food safety requirements. They recently inspected Brookdale Midwestern and gave it a perfect score.

Brookdale Senior Living honors the service and sacrifice of our American heroes. In honor of National Veterans Day, several of our residents who served are sharing their experiences.

The sights and sounds of autumn came to life at Brookdale Dickinson Avenue. The community is back to hosting its annual fall festival after hitting pause on it during COVID. Resident Jan Thornton loves events like this. “They know how the people react to them, how happy they are and that’s all I have seen here since I have been here. They’ve had just lots of things to do which is wonderful.”

Brookdale Medford is calling all trick-or-treaters to put a smile on a senior’s face. This Halloween, they are welcoming kids into their community. According to a Brookdale Medford associate, this helps foster important social engagement for the residents.

In Maywood, California, in 1943, Mary Kay Howell and Carol Joan Braasch met in Kindergarten. And all these years later, they spend nearly every day together at Brookdale Sunwest. They have a wealth of memories: from trips, to triumphs. So how do you keep up a friendship lasting 80 years? "It takes some effort," Mary Kay says. "You have to care, but it's not burdensome."