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Question: How did you meet your wife Diane? Answer: “We met through a mutual friend at a root beer stand, back when there were root beer stands and started dating for a few months and then started going more steady. We found out we had a lot in common. She was living by the river and my dad had a spot by the river and we ended up going out together on the river skiing and boating. We started out in the summer, so that was good timing to be […]

For many older adults, there’s a great appeal in creating a life free from sudden changes and upheavals. You’ve “been there, done that” when it comes to packing, moving and resettling. While seniors love their freedom and independence, the desire for a sense of permanence is strong. It’s one of the reasons moving to a senior living community that offers a continuum of care is so desirable. What Defines a Continuum of Care? Choosing a community for its location and lifestyle are good starting points, but it’s essential for seniors […]

Question: When you were a child, what was your favorite thing to do? Answer: “Play in the water. As a really young girl, I loved staying in the bathtub, splashing around and all that. Also, we lived on the Rock River in Illinois and I loved being in the river! We had a little fishing boat and my brother and sister would drag me behind in the boat on a surfboard and then I learned how to water ski. So, that was the best part of my life, I think. […]

Question: What’s a hobby you’ve had that some people might not know about? Answer: “I’ve always loved cats and my mom had a Siamese cat and when I was young, we always had cats and dogs. And then later in life, I showed cats for seventeen years. I started with Abyssinians and also showed Russian Blue(s) and travelled throughout the Midwest, as far as I could drive…I never went on a plane with my cats. And I retired after I Granded (Grand Champion) five cats from the same female I […]

It’s healthy to enjoy “alone time,” but to stay healthy in mind, spirit and body, we need to strike a balance. It’s good to enjoy time to yourself, but it’s equally important to socialize with others. We saw the effects of isolation on people of all ages during the pandemic, when cases of stress, anxiety and depression spiked. Proof of the benefits of socialization for seniors was especially apparent during the pandemic when so many older adults were forced to remain in their homes and apartments, unable to have contact […]

Question: You say you used to show dogs. What drew you to do that? Answer: “It was a lifestyle, definitely, like owning a boat or something like that. I used to travel a lot, mostly from here to Boston. I bread Weimaraners, delivered puppies, raised them and then showed them for ten years. I just enjoyed the breed. They’re beautiful dogs and are highly intelligent. I loved the traveling and meeting people when I was showing dogs. I’m a people person. I even showed dogs for other people. I never […]

As an older adult who is close to or already in retirement, you’ve got more freedom and options about how to spend your time than ever before. You’re also in a position to decide the ideal place to live and enjoy that freedom to the max. If you’ve decided that the ideal place is a senior living community, you’re in for a great lifestyle! Now comes the big task – choosing a senior living community that feels like the perfect fit. The best senior living communities, like Friendship Village Sunset […]

If you’ve never personally dealt with a loved one’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, you may be unfamiliar with how the disease progresses. What starts out as simple as misplacing car keys can eventually result in a progressive loss of cognitive functioning diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease.  Understanding the seven stages of Alzheimer’s is valuable for older adults like yourself or your loved ones because it gives you an understanding of the signs to look for and pay close attention to over time. Knowing and understanding the seven stages of Alzheimer’s can help you […]

Question: You’ve done a lot of work as a volunteer. How has volunteering over the years enriched your life? Answer: I’m a people lover, and that brought me into becoming a guru volunteer. I love everything about volunteering, especially at church. It has taken me into all kinds of wonderful aspects of meeting and enjoying different people. I’ve even gone so far as to volunteer our home to give fundraisers for different organizations in the past. But probably the biggest volunteer job I ever did was at the Good Shepherd […]