Senior Living Blog by UMH | Journey of Dreams

Journey of Dreams | Stories and Spotlights

Casting Dreams, Catching Deep Sea Fish

By: Chelsea Sayegh August 9th, 2018

Salty air, gently rocking boat, warm sunshine and the thrill of catching fish - sounds like life on the ocean! David Kruh, 3 year resident of Middlewoods of Farmington, spent most of his life on the Connecticut shoreline, having grown up in Old Saybrook. From an early age, he developed a love for fishing and the open water. Although David sometimes goes to Old Saybrook to fish with his brother, he admitted to staff members at Middlewoods of Farmington that he hadn’t been on a charter boat in a very long time. After hearing this, the Middlewoods Dream Team, led by Activities Director, Tanya Janeczko and Maintenance Director, Mike LaMere, worked to make David’s dream come true.

Journey of Dreams | Meet The Family

A Little Night Life Excitement

By: Chelsea Sayegh July 19th, 2018

If life is truly about entertaining every possibility, Carmella Barone, 94, and Eileen Pastore, 91, are ready for excitement on any given day. These two ladies, both residents of Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center in Shelton, Connecticut, share a vibrant spirit, a young-at-heart attitude, and a love of gaming. Since moving to the award-winning healthcare community, neither of them have stopped talking about their dream to experience the night life at Mohegan Sun. Sure, they’ve taken day trips to the casino and enjoyed themselves, but these ladies are hoping for just a bit more. They both know that to really experience the excitement of Mohegan Sun, they need to stay awake a little later. After all, life is a late night out and an even later morning in, right?

Not sure what senior living and care solution is best for your loved one? Start making sense of your options.

Get the award-winning guide and subscribe to our blog.

Journey of Dreams | Meet The Family | Stories and Spotlights

Friends, Family and a Fantastic Show

By: Chelsea Sayegh June 7th, 2018

Through the award-winning Journey of Dreams program offered at UMH senior living communities, a committee of staff members have the opportunity to make residents’ lifelong dreams come true. Recently, the committee had the privilege of fulfilling Francis (Frank) Linden’s dream, who is in the unique position of being both an employee and a resident of Wesley Village. Frank comes from a small family, many of whom have passed. His father died was he was around 20 years old and his mother passed away 10 years later. Frank is an only child and he and Claudia never had children. Although his biological family is small, Frank has a close relationship with them and also with the co-workers he refers to fondly as his “work family.”

The Taj Mahal Comes to Crosby Commons

By: Chelsea Sayegh May 8th, 2018

For Christmas, most families give their loved ones clothes, games, or sweets, but this Christmas, Don Walkley, a 92-year-old resident of Crosby Commons Assisted Living Community, received a 5,923 piece LEGO set of the Taj Mahal. Lining the shelves of his apartment are famous buildings Don’s built from intricate LEGO sets, including the White House, Eifel Tower, and the Lincoln Memorial, but none have compared in size to his new Taj Mahal display. Don’s family chipped in for Christmas and surprised him with the $300 puzzle and since December, Don has worked hours every day to complete the massive puzzle.

Meet Norma Remele of Wesley Village

By: Chelsea Sayegh December 21st, 2017

Today, we highlight a woman whose perseverance and strength have gotten her so far in life. With a musical background and a love for theater, it’s no surprise Norma Remele, 3 year resident of Wesley Heights, has a particular fondness of Phantom of the Opera. When Activities Director, Linda Fera, heard about Norma’s interest in this esteemed musical, she jumped into action to see what she could do with the UMH Journey of Dreams program.

Crosby Commons Community Welcomes the Vaudeville Act

By: Elizabeth Bemis July 17th, 2013

The vaudeville act, “Make ‘Em Laugh & Sing”, from Manchester, Massachusetts, paid a visit to Crosby Commons Assisted Living community in Shelton on Friday, June 28 as part of the Journey of Dreams program at the assisted living community on the Wesley Village campus.

Journey of Dreams

Crosby Commons Assisted Living Makes A Wish Come True for Seniors

By: Elizabeth Bemis May 20th, 2013

Dreams Can Come True at Crosby Commons Crosby Commons resident, Ted Pfeuffer, saw his dream come true on Wednesday, thanks to the “Journey of Dreams" program at Wesley Village Assisted and Independent Living Community. Ted and his fellow residents enjoyed horse and buggy rides around the campus. Why was this so special and how did the staff at Crosby Commons know to make this dream a reality? As residents and staff gathered together during the February blizzard to share stories and reminisce, Ted shared his story. During the February blizzard of 1978, when Governor Ella Grasso closed down Connecticut roads to all traffic except emergency vehicles, travel was no problem for Ted. He had his horse Ginger hooked up to a 100-year-old sleigh and together they made the rounds through town. As he and his daughter Kristin, drove through town, they were stopped by a young woman from the local pharmacy, who asked them to deliver prescriptions to his Thomaston neighbors, which they happily did! Ted has loved and owned horses all his life and often entered them in horse and buggy shows so this special day was perfect for him. A little bit of rain on Wednesday didn’t dampen the mood; considering some of the other weather conditions Ted and Ginger experienced!