Senior Living

For the fourth straight year the Gardens at Westlake senior living community hosted students from Avon Heritage South Elementary school for a Right to Read Week project. The students came on May 20 to read their stories to the residents.

The students brought their favorite books to read and some students brought books they wrote and illustrated. The 25 third-grade students had a great time, as did the residents of the Gardens at Westlake who enjoyed listening to the stories being read.

The Westlake Women's Club recently joined forces with the Westlake Center for Community Services to honor our residents who are 90 years old and then some! The birthday celebration took place at the Westlake Recreation Center and it included brunch, birthday cake and a formal recognition of all honorees by Mayor Dennis Clough who presented them with proclamations. 

Papparazzi were plentiful as there were so many picture-worthy moments. About 100 guests enjoyed the event. Some were residents of our local assisted living facilities: Arden Courts, Devon Oaks, Our House and Brighton Gardens, along with one-third of the honorees who live independently. Pianist Jack Hogue provided entertainment. The oldest attendee was 103!

Mother’s Day was celebrated at O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village with a very special Mother/Daughter Tea.  The dining room was decorated with more than 100 antique dolls from around the world. A delicious brunch was served to 80 residents and their guests, while they learned about antique dolls from the guest speaker, Evelyn Krause. It was a wonderful afternoon in celebration of great moms.

O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village, a senior living community on Bradley Road, had surprise guests on April 24 – Cowboy Bill and his pony, "Silver," of Pony Tales Farm, a non-profit farm in North Ridgeville, which is home to many rescued and rehabilitated ponies. As Silver walked around to greet the residents, Cowboy Bill sang campfire songs from the Old West and played his guitar. It was a wonderful event enjoyed by all.

The long winter is behind us and the seniors at the Knickerbocker Residence in Bay Village are ready to break out. The courtyard has been decorated by longtime resident Chuck McKee and everyone is looking forward to the upcoming blooms.

The Knickerbocker seniors have gathered for an Indians Home Opener Dinner on Friday, April 10, and for an Easter celebration put on by the Bay Presbyterian congregation on April 12. Everyone was so appreciative of the wonderful meal that was presented.

Bay Village is just full of wonderful neighbors.

A lighthearted music video featuring 90-something-year-olds doing a parody of  the iconic Beastie Boys hit song, “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party),” has been viewed nearly 2 million times since it was posted to YouTube March 30.

The video features residents and staff of The Belvedere of Westlake, and was filmed by the facility’s program coordinator, Stephanie Gumina.

“I posted a link to the video on my Facebook page on March 30 and when I went to bed that night, there were about 20 views,” says Gumina. “When I woke up the next morning, there were 800. The whole next day, we saw another 10,000 views, and another 10,000 views, and it just kept building. I really don’t know how it caught fire.”

Indians fever was in the air on March 30 at Gardens at Westlake as team mascot, Slider, entertained a crowd that included baseball fans of all ages. Recreating the fun and excitement of a ballpark, people were treated to hot dogs, nachos, pretzels and popcorn, all served from actual vendor carts. With everyone decked out in Indians gear, it really felt like walking into Progressive Field.

The mission of the Dwyer Memorial Senior Center is to offer social, educational, and wellness programs for people ages 55 and up that will improve their quality of life. We do this by offering a variety of activities and services, including:

• Exercise classes, from line dancing to tai chi to yoga. We will be offering Silver Sneakers classes in the near future.
• Activities, such as card playing, a fully equipped woodshop, knitting and needlecraft and entertainment programs
• Monthly trips and outings to area restaurants, museums, exhibits and entertainment
• Informational programs provided by community partners and experts
• Book clubs

Valentine’s Day was a hit among the assisted living residents of O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village as 17 members of the Singing Seniors performed. The dining room was decorated with red and pink balloons, not to mention red desserts and paper hearts. The Singing Seniors were dressed for the occasion in red shirts, crazy hats and even added Mardi Gras beads. 

One of the former rehab residents of O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village has found an excuse to keep returning on a regular basis. Al Fuller, a jazz enthusiast and sax player, has found the perfect location for band practice. 

Every second and fourth Thursday, from 7 to 9 p.m., you will find the 16-piece M2B2 Band in the main dining room of the facility, playing big band music. M2B2 – or the Martinez Memorial Big Band – named in honor of a former band member, has been making music together for six years. The residents are enjoying the “concerts” and we welcome guests to stop in and enjoy the music.

Every once in a while you run across someone who does their job so well, and with such exuberance, that you find yourself asking, "How did I get so lucky as to have this individual enter my life"? Such is the case with postal carrier Tom Mrvetz!

Since the very first day he walked through the doors of the Knickerbocker Apartments, the residents have been overwhelmed by his kindness and warm friendship.

The Gardens at Westlake was presented with a 2015 Best of Assisted Living Award for receiving consistently high ratings from residents and their families in the past year on SeniorAdvisor.com, the premier ratings and reviews site for senior care and services nationwide.

Ring in the New Year early on Wednesday, Dec. 31, starting at 10 a.m. with a Tropical Island theme! Tom Todd will entertain us Jimmy Buffet-style with island music as well as some classics. Lunch, served at 11:30 a.m., will also be tropical-themed. Cost is $7; RSVP and payment are required by Dec. 22. Don your favorite Hawaiian shirt and dust off that Parrot-Head hat and let's party! We will have door prizes and a non-alcoholic toast at noon to welcome 2015.

If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to try something new, come to our Newcomers Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 7. If you aren't new to the Westlake Center for Community Services, then bring someone who is! This event is at 10 a.m. and is an informal introduction to our many opportunities, programs and services. Receive a tour of the facility and meet the staff. We hope that this will encourage you to make new friends and keep coming back! Light refreshments will be available. This free event is open to everyone 50 and older. Reservations are required by Jan. 5.

On Wednesday, Nov. 19, O'Neill Healthcare Bay Village celebrated their annual Thanksgiving feast in appreciation of the residents and their families. Nearly 400 traditional Thanksgiving dinners were served. The entire meal was lovingly prepared in-house by our staff. Each of the five dining rooms were filled with families and friends enjoying the feast with their loved one.

This event is a long-standing tradition at the Bay Village campus which is comprised of skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living. Candy Sanson, administrator of O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village, stated: “This is our opportunity to thank our residents and families for the privilege of caring for them.” The residents of the health campus will receive a repeat performance of the meal on Thanksgiving Day.

O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village honored 23 veterans for their military service on Veterans Day. This distinguished group was comprised of 21 men and two women representing every branch of the armed forces and also included WWII veterans from the British and Hungarian armies.

A Color Guard from the North Ridgeville VFW Post led the ceremony honoring our vets and O’Neill Healthcare Hospice was on hand to commemorate each veteran’s service with the presentation of a certificate and pinning ceremony.

Wally Bass is the only former Marine in residence at O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village. In honor of Veterans Day, Wally experienced a “mass assault” – a special visit by members of the Marine Corp League. 

Four members of the Gung Ho Detachment #650, from Brookpark, led by Senior Vice Commander William J. Mascoll, surprised Wally and presented him with a certificate, and spent time talking about their Marine experiences.

The Knickerbocker is getting spruced up for the coming holidays. The dining room has brand new sheer curtains. The only person brave enough to climb the tall ladder several times, carrying the freshly ironed curtains, was our building manager, Diana Pickering. Thanks, Diana. We couldn't have done it without you. When the curtains were hung, newly made bows were pinned on the gathered part of the drapes, handmade by Mary Varadi, who has created quilts, bows and other works of art for many years.

The residents of O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay enjoyed Trick or Treat with the cutest pumpkins, pirates and princesses that we have ever seen!

The “Mothers of Pre-Schoolers” group from Bay Presbyterian Church came in two days before Halloween with 35 children, dressed in costume and ready for candy.

The Red Hot Chili Steppers was the moniker for this year's Westlake Walkers, an over-50 walking group organized by the Westlake Center for Community Services. The group walks the equivalent of a marathon over a six-month period, meeting twice a month at different park locations. Each walk is two miles. The season kicks off with a motivational breakfast and ends with a celebratory brunch where members also earn their certificates of achievement. 

Medicare Open Enrollment, the annual period for beneficiaries to review coverage and consider making changes for next year, began on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7.

Who should be concerned with open enrollment? 

Once per year, everyone who is eligible and wants to enroll or already is enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and/or a Medicare Advantage Plan/Medicare Part C can either enroll without penalty during this time or review their current plan to see if it is still the most advantageous based on their current situation.

O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay residents enjoyed an evening of music and dancing at the annual Stepping Out dance held at St. Ladislas Catholic Church in Westlake. Each year the church donates the use of their church hall and invites nursing home and assisted living residents from the local area to come together for an evening of fun. This year the residents sang and danced the night away to the musical renderings of the Johnny Pastirik Band.

Residents of O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay Assisted Living were invited to submit their original artwork at the annual Northern Ohio Association of Activity Professionals art show, held at the 78th Street Studios in the Gordon Square area of Cleveland. The fine arts complex is known for its extensive artistic talent and has over 50 art studios. Bradley Bay residents have been honing their artistic talents in the use of watercolor over the past three months as part of the activities programming. Each artist received a participation ribbon and an art lesson from one of the resident artists of the Studio. Our senior artists came back inspired to expand on their artistic skills – we can’t wait to see what their creativity brings.

Sunday, Sept. 7, was National Grandparents Day, and at O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay it was celebrated in style! On a “picture-perfect” weather day, 175 residents and guests gathered outside. Musical entertainment was provided by the Johnny Pastirik Band while residents and their families enjoyed root beer floats. Volunteers from Providence Church and the Lake Breeze Youth Group joined in the fun, and along with the Bradley Bay staff made sure that every resident felt honored and cherished for the special gifts that only a grandparent can give.

After 40 years of northern Ohio weather, the Knickerbocker Senior Apartment building was showing signs of its age. When the wind and rain hit the sides of the building, the water would run off but during the winter ice forms on the bricks and freezes in the cracks in the cement.

Little by little the cement crumbles, the masonry falls apart and water seeps into the walls and damages the flooring. Temporary fixes helped, but this year tuck pointing had to be done. Last month the bricklayers began their tedious job.

A new monthly program underway in our Assisted Living at O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay may lead us to discover the next Henri Matisse! Watercolorist Mary Lou Palermo has created a program, focused on the senior population, to help individuals develop their own unique painting style. Classes can be enjoyed by all Bradley Bay residents, regardless of their artistic ability.

One year ago, an innovative music program called “Hear My Song” was introduced at the Gardens at Westlake for members in its Residence Club, a transitional memory care program geared toward early to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias. Dr. Cameron Camp, Ph.D., from the Applied Research for Dementia Association, developed “Hear My Song” to teach people with early to moderate forms of memory loss, known as Mild Cognitive Impairment, to play musical instruments. This type of music therapy is shown to enhance the ability to retain short-term memory.

Meet Cleopatra, aka “Cleo”, the only four-legged member of the O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay team. Cleo is an 8-year-old Pekingese therapy dog. Her owner is Kathryn Hiendlmayr. Kathryn is a retired teacher from Fairview Park and became a Certified Therapy Animal Handler in 2010. She and Cleo have begun volunteering at Bradley Bay and the residents are really enjoying their new furry friend – and Kathryn too!

On Wednesday, July 30, the residents of O’Neill Healthcare Bradley Bay experienced an evening of joy – joyful music that is – listening to the glorious singing of the talented Joyful Hearts Choir. Volunteer members of the choir belong to the Sacred Heart Chapel in Lorain. With almost 50 residents in attendance, we sang and moved to the choir who brought joy to everyone in our community. They promised to be back in the fall – and we can’t wait!

Weddings are traditionally shared with the bride and groom’s family and friends but this mother/daughter caregiver team made a last quick stop to Arden Courts Memory Care Community to share their joy with their residents. Michelle and Brittany Yereb have been caregivers at Arden Courts for over three years and consider their residents part of their extended family.

“The residents have been hearing about the wedding since Brittany and DJ became engaged. We just had to stop by and let them all see her in her dress,” said proud mom Michelle.

Riding bikes is all the rage now, but not everyone has the mobility and dexterity to balance a moving bike. Bad weather, puddles, pot holes, and dogs that chase anything moving are all in the minds of the good folks of the Knickerbocker Apartments in Bay Village.

So what to do? In our rec room there are several pedal-powered bikes. With the summer here, a parade would be great. The upside is no sunburn, no bumpy sidewalks or distracting ice cream stores. Only shouts from the sidelines cheering the bikers on, resulting in hand waving, just like a real parade. Older folks are fun folks ... and stationary bikes are great!

On June 26, the residents of Bradley Bay Health Center were treated to a concert by a very surprising group of musicians. They are musicians by night but letter carriers by day! That’s right – the Cleveland Letter Carriers Band performed for us for over an hour. More than 25 of the approximate 80-person band entertained our residents and had everyone singing a happy tune.

When the Second World War started, millions of new jobs were soon to be filled by loyal citizens from all walks of life. The newly enlisted men and women needed training and supplies, guns and all the tools of warfare. Guns and ammunition, iron ore and steel had to be produced in our plants and factories. These products were delivered by lake freighters. Each freighter had a full crew. Many jobs were created to keep up with the need for equipment for the war.

Dick Dillon, a volunteer and friend of the Village Bicycle Cooperative, is 86 years old and an avid adult tri-cyclist. As a former NASA aerospace engineer who was head of Engine Systems in the Launch Vehicles Division and a Marine Motorcycle Scout in the Pacific during WWII, Dick became an expert on two- and three-wheeled vehicles.

Over the past six years, Dick has developed a passion for adult tricycles as a method of providing enjoyment, physical activity, freedom and, of course, transportation.

Dick lives in Bay Village with his wife Dona, who helps contribute to his exercise regimen by providing a list of errands for him to run on his blue tricycle, which he explained he carefully chose to match the “blue” in everything else around Bay. In the process of running all his errands, Dick was able to save enough in gasoline costs over the first two years of tricycle ownership to pay for his trike.

If your aging loved one has a knack for gardening, encourage her passion for this activity, but also take steps to ensure she is safe every step of the way. Here are some tips for gardening with a senior with Alzheimer's disease that will keep your aging loved one and the rest of your family safe and secure while enjoying this time together:

• Try to limit gardening activities to early in the morning and later in the evening to avoid the most intense heat and sun of the day.
• Make sure your loved one is wearing adequate sun protection, including sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Avoid giving your loved one sharp gardening tools such as spades, picks and hand rakes.
• Avoid using potting soil or fertilizers that contain dangerous chemicals in case your loved one tries to consume these products.
• Never leave your loved one alone in the garden.

Stephen Riley, a Life Scout of Troop #338 in Avon Lake has made the residents of Bradley Bay Health Center very happy. Stephen decided that he would build two raised planting beds for Bradley Bay. This was Stephen's Eagle project, and along with the help of a few of his troup members, these wonderful beds were built. 

They are raised, so that the residents don't have to bend over to plant and they are on casters, so that they can be moved around the grounds at Bradley Bay for all of the residents to enjoy as the flowers grow throughout the summer. Stephen succeeded in completing his project, but more importantly he will bring smiles to the residents of Bradley Bay all summer long.

The rain did not dampen the spirit of Key Bank volunteers who visited Eliza Jennings Assisted Living Community at Devon Oaks Wednesday, May 14, for KeyBank’s 24th annual "Neighbors Make the Difference Day." The volunteers spruced up the outdoor patios, planted flowers and stained patio furniture. Devon Oaks hosted a family-style barbeque in appreciation of the volunteers' efforts.

Elizabeth Culley celebrated her 100th birthday on May 16 at Bradley Bay Health Center, where she is a resident. Elizabeth was born in Germany, grew up in Lakewood, and after graduation lived in New York City where she met her late husband, Ray. They later moved to Rocky River, where she and Ray were married for 44 years, and had three sons – John, James and Ray. She also has nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Involved with Baycrafters (now BAYarts), Elizabeth loved to create enameling and stained glass pieces. Bay Village Mayor Deborah Sutherland created a proclamation for Elizabeth's centenarian status.

On April 12, the student council of the Westlake Chinese Cultural School (WCCC) held the opening of their art show at Bradley Bay Health Center’s assisted living facility.

Approximately 75 children, parents and their guests attended the opening. Also in attendance were Bay Village Mayor Debbie Sutherland and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, along with school board members from Westlake and the WCCC.

The residents of Bradley Bay were thrilled to be able to enjoy the wonderful art on display. Artwork was separated into three age categories, and first, second and third place prizes were awarded in each. Judging was conducted by area art professionals.

The children from the Westerly Elementary School in Bay Village enterained the residents of the Knickerbocker apartments on March 27. Third- and fourth-graders, led by their music teacher, Mrs. Carrie Engelbrecht, spent many hours working on the songs and dances, practicing speaking parts and music. The costumes were very colorful and creative I'm sure many people helped out with making and fitting the costume to the child.

Saxophone player Al Fuller, in Bradley Bay Health Center rehabbing a knee, can’t get out to play with his regular musician friends, so they came to play with him.

A number of local musicians and vocalists came to the nursing home recently to have a jam session that made everyone, including Al and numerous nursing-home residents who crowded into the day room to enjoy the music, feel better.

Al, age 75, already had his saxophone; he insisted it be brought to him when he went into the nursing home. He plays it, accompanied by a CD player, to help ease his pain.