Senior Living Blog

(Newington, CT – December 9, 2015) - Middlewoods of Newington resident, Ralph Holmstrom has been a Mason for 72 years. During these 72 years of service, he was raised to the degree of Master Mason in 1943, served as Worshipful Master of Walnut Hill Lodge 139 (now part of Unity Lodge 148) in 1949, served as District Deputy from 1983-1985, and served as Lodge secretary for 38 years. When health limitations made it difficult from him to attend Lodge, a few brothers from Unity Lodge 148 (New Britain) and Frederick Franklin Lodge 14 (Plainville) decided to bring the lodge to him!

(Shelton, CT – December 14, 2015) - Residents and staff at the Wesley Village senior living campus in Shelton gathered together on Friday, December 4th to celebrate Christina Sudol’s 100th birthday. Christina, a resident in the Lifestyle Transitions neighborhood on the campus, was the first resident to move in to the new wing, which was opened in January 2015. Staff from across the campus joined in the celebration and sent birthday wishes through 100 greeting cards, which were presented to Christina by Lifestyle Transitions program director, Lisa Kelleher. “We’ve been collecting cards from everyone – staff, residents, family and friends. Students from Park City Magnet School in Bridgeport even sent a bundle of handmade cards for Christina,” stated Kelleher. “She was delighted!”

[Newington, CT – December 8, 2015] — Middlewoods of Newington is pleased to announce it has been selected as a "Caring Star of 2016” for service excellence in assisted living. In ratings and reviews from older adults and their family members, Middlewoods of Newington earned a 5-star consumer rating (the highest possible score), while also meeting other qualifying criteria for this national honor. There are only 9 Caring Star 2016 communities in the state of Connecticut, and Middlewoods of Newington is among 787 Caring Stars across the country.

Farmington, CT (November 30, 2015) - Residents and staff at Middlewoods of Farmington Assisted and Independent Living Community are making the holiday season a bit brighter this year by reaching out to their local community... and beyond! During November, the community served as a drop-off point for the Farmington Food Pantry and collected six boxes of non-perishable food items to help stock the shelves in time for the holidays. Along with the food drive, Middlewoods also proudly participated in “Operation Christmas Child,” with Samaritan’s Purse, an International Relief organization based in North Carolina. The community collected shoe boxes filled with small gifts, which are then hand-delivered by the organization to needy children around the world. Staff, residents, and families of Middlewoods of Farmington organized the collection and donated eighteen shoe box gifts together with the Middlewoods Resident Council, which covered the cost of shipping for the boxes.

Farmington, CT (November 12, 2015) - Middlewoods of Farmington Independent and Assisted Living Community is pleased to introduce Ginny Brown as the new Director of Community Relations. Ginny has been part of the Middlewoods family for the past nine years, making residents feel at home, leading and coordinating the award-winning activities program, and supporting the local community through a variety of outreach efforts. Her knowledge of the resident and family experience and her close work with the community made her the perfect fit for her new position as Director of Community Relations. Ginny will be working closely with families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who are looking for the right senior living option for a loved one or client. Contact her today with any questions about life at Middlewoods or to schedule a tour and learn more. Ginny can be reached in the office at 860-284-5700 or at 860.808.9719, or by email at gbrown@umh.org.

Shelton, CT (November 2, 2015) - On Saturday, October 24th, Wesley Village hosted their 7th annual 5k and Fun Walk on their senior living campus on Long Hill Avenue in Shelton, CT. Truly a “Race for All Generations,” the event boasted over 300 total participants, 33 of which were over the age of 70, with the oldest runner age 93! All participants (some in costume) crossed the finish line at the front entrance of Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center, to the roaring cheers of dozens of Wesley Village residents, staff, volunteers, and family members.