Senior Living Blog

A simple act of kindness goes a long way for those in need. This is the motto for Church Street Eats, a ministry of over 40 groups who commit their time and talents to help feed and clothe community members. Schools, businesses, and various religious groups from all over the state participate in this great cause. Last weekend, residents of Middlewoods of Farmington Independent and Assisted Living community, a group affiliated with Church Street Eats, prepared 100 lunch bags to deliver to Bushnell Park in Hartford. This was part of a weekly initiative designed to help feed locals in need.

We all know that one person who selflessly spreads happiness and positivity to everyone they know. With this in mind, Crosby Commons Independent and Assisted Living Community decided to show one of their beloved residents just how special they really are. Through Crosby Common’s Journey of Dreams program, a program designed to make the various dreams of residents come true, “All about Peggie Day” was born.

Kind gestures, no matter how small, have an incredible ability to create lasting joy and happiness for all parties involved. This certainly was true for the residents of Crosby Commons, an independent and assisted living community in Shelton, CT, as they worked to inspire New Haven schoolchildren. This mission was part of a project where volunteers created inspiring messages on lunch bags for local schools in hopes of reducing stigmas within their communities. After hearing about this cause, Crosby Commons residents helped make 100 inspirational lunch bags for students who participate in the Free Lunch Program. The bags were covered in drawings, colorful stickers, and quotes like “Happy Lunching”, “Do Great Things” and “Have a great meal!”

What better way to stay active and inside this winter than participating in a Wii bowling tournament? Age was certainly not a factor for over 100 seniors who participated in an annual Wii tournament held at the Bristol Senior Center. The Residents from Middlewoods Independent and Assisted Living Communities in Farmington and Newington, accompanied by their teammates from the Newington Senior Center, played exceptionally well at this fun-filled event! “The Woodchucks”, as this team is known, is comprised of 14 players, all of whom have been practicing daily for months in preparation of this tournament.

Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center was recently selected by U.S. News and World Report to receive a Best Nursing Homes Ranking for 2016-17, a title they have continued to earn since 2013. U.S. News rated over 15,000 nursing homes across the country in an effort to help caregivers and families find the best nursing home for their loved one. At the top of the Connecticut nursing homes list are those with a rating of five stars from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for their overall performance in health inspections, nurse staffing and quality of medical care. Of the 227 nursing homes in the state, 16 percent earned an overall five-star rating, including Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center. To view the rankings by location, visit http://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes.

The Connecticut Assisted Living Association (CALA) recently selected United Methodist Homes (UMH) as the recipient of three of their Annual Best Practices awards for 2016! UMH, a mission based, not-for-profit organization, with independent and assisted living communities in Newington and Farmington, as well as Shelton, CT, were presented these prestigious awards at CALA’s 21st Annual Meeting and Awards Program held at the Aqua Turf in Southington on Wednesday, December 7th.