Residents, join us on October 5th at 3:15pm as Dr. Neil leads the discussion on racial tension in America today.
A couple of our residents who are members of our Book Lovers Group thought it would be a good idea to have tables with their own personal book picks for other residents to enjoy. The goal is to inspire residents to read more and share thoughts and opinions with one another. The tables are located in the halls, and more tables are being added from other residents this weekend! We have a large community, so checking out the different tables is also a great way to get some exercise!
Residents, take a book to enjoy, with no time limit to return. Our Book Lovers Group meets the fourth Thursday of each month and is open to anyone who loves to read. Bring what you are reading to share with the group. We look forward to seeing you then!
Introducing new resident Barbara to our community! Barbara is from Southern California and loves being around people and socializing. She is very friendly and is looking forward to making many friends here. Barbara recently lost her "soul mate", and although she is still reeling from that loss, she has a positive view on life. She has five children that she is very close to and loves dearly. Barbara was a school bus driver for 25 years, she worked for McDonald Douglas, made prototypes for NASA at an electronics company, and worked in a maternity ward as a physicians assistant. Barbara said she enjoyed every job she's ever had and that seems to fit her personality — easygoing and open to possibilities.
Welcome, Barbara to Brookdale Loma Linda! We are very happy you chose our community as your home.
Breast Cancer Awareness month begins today, October 1st. Managers and associates came together to wear pink to increase awareness of the disease, early detection, treatment, and support.
This is our community library, which is filled with hundreds of books and magazines of every kind of genre. Residents are welcome to come in and select a book, without signing it out. When you are finished, simply return them in the large basket on the floor for our librarian, resident, Nita. Nita has been taking care of our library and keeping it organized for thirteen years. We could not be more grateful for her help.
To residents and their families:
If you would like to set up a Zoom call with a loved one, please contact the front desk at 909-796-5421, and we will make it happen. If you do not know how to set up a Zoom call, no worries! We can do that for you, and then walk you through the process.
We want to welcome a new resident to our community, Judge James "Mike". Mike is happy to be here and says he looks forward to meeting and getting to know everyone, and being an active member of our community. Mike was born in Milwaukee in 1942 and moved to Redlands in 1949. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from Loyola Marymount in L.A. and his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1967. Mike practiced law from 1968 to 1995 and then was appointed to judge with the San Bernardino Superior Court by Gov. Pete Wilson. He is the recipient of multiple awards and honors for his charitable community service work, and described by other judges as a "very understanding individual who is blessed with the gift of reason."
Mike said he loved being a judge and misses it greatly. "I thoroughly loved helping people make their lives better," he said. We are very glad he chose Brookdale Loma Linda for his new home. Welcome, Mike!
Residents and associates voted Victor Guerrero as our Everyday Hero for the month of October. Victor was chosen for the way he expresses himself best: through wonderfully prepared food. Cooking is his passion; he often makes special dishes outside of mealtimes for everyone to enjoy, and just because. He is truly appreciated by all for being so giving of his time and talents.
Victor was awarded $100.00, eight hours of PTO, and an Everyday Heroes lunchbox.
Congratulations, Victor!
We want to welcome a new associate to our Brookdale team, Judith (Judy) Banuelos. Judy works our busy front desk and already handles it like a pro. She's a very warm and friendly person who says she finds purpose in helping others. "If I can make one person smile, or leave them feeling better, then that makes me very happy," she says. Judy went on to say that she realizes that she can't change the world all by herself, but feels that she can make a difference by being kind to others every day. We are so lucky to have her!
Personally, Judy has been married for eight years and has two children who are one and five years old. Her favorite thing to do outside of work is going to adventure parks with her family. Her goal for the future is to be financially secure and then do extensive traveling.
Best of luck to you, Judy, and welcome to our Brookdale family!
Of the young adults with autism that pursue further schooling after high school, 75% to 85% are unemployed after graduation. Octogenarian Beverly Ficon is helping change that through her work with Spectrum Works.
BROOKDALE.COM
How One Senior Is Helping Young Adults with Autism Find Jobs
Residents: Join us for our music appreciation group, Java & Jam, every Tuesday at 10:15am in the activity room. This week will view and discuss great musical performances throughout the decades. Coffee and hot croissants with butter and jam served to all those who attend.
Residents featured in this post either farmed for a living, grew up on a farm, or worked on a farm. The stories they have about growing food, taking care of animals, and working the land are so varied and interesting, we thought we would start a Farmer's Meetup group. This group will share their history, swap stories, and talk about their best practices in farming. They will also be part of our Spring Garden Planning Committee.
Residents, if you want to be a part of this group, please sign up at the front desk. The first meetup is scheduled for November 3rd at 3:15pm in the activity room.
We want to give a shout out today to the talented Barbara. An associate gave her a pumpkin pattern to crochet, and she finished the project in record time. She didn't make just one, but five cute pumpkins in a variety of colors. They look even cuter in person, too. Barbara is also known for her generous nature. Residents donate yarn and materials for her projects, which she happily makes free of charge.
Great job, Barbara!
We are proud to be named #1 in Customer Satisfaction in Assisted Living/Memory Care in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study. This honor is a testament to the resilience and dedication of our teams. http://bkd.co/6189p1ExH
From all of us at Brookdale, happy Veterans Day to those who have served to protect our freedom.
We are so very pleased to introduce and welcome our new Maintenance Director, Cesar Aguilar. Cesar is well qualified in this position with over eighteen years of experience in the senior living industry. Cesar enjoys working in this field primarily due to the people he serves every day. "Residents are so appreciative of the smallest things, like replacing a light bulb," he says. "It feels very rewarding to have a job where you can make a difference in someone's life."
Personally, Cesar is from Riverside. He served in the Army where he learned to lead a disciplined lifestyle. He enjoys working out and staying fit, being outdoors, and riding his motorcycle. Cesar also loves music and plays the guitar.
Again, welcome Cesar to our Brookdale Loma Linda family. Our residents and associates look forward to getting to know you better and wish you the best.
Our associate spotlight this week is on one of our newest caregivers, Marvin Ahumada. Marvin is new to the position of caregiving but is not new to caring for seniors. He helped with the care for his great-grandmother for several years, and he had a very special relationship with her. Many of our residents connected with Marvin quickly, and have articulated that they appreciate the respect he shows them, and for his gentle manner. He arrives to work every day with a positive attitude and smile that one can easily see through his mask.
Marvin lives in Menifee with his family and has one little brother that he describes as "awesome." His future plans are to attend flight school in San Diego and become a helicopter pilot. He's always had an interest in flying, especially helicopters.
We are very pleased to have Marvin with us for now, though. We wish him the best in pursuing his dream! Welcome, Marvin!
We had our first ever Harvest Mystery Party on Halloween, a themed event where attendees work together to solve a fictitious murder which occurred during the party. This event is often compared to a live-action version of the game Clue! We served drinks and appetizers, the crime occurred, and then clues were given to residents. Our brilliant group of residents solved the clues and the mystery within thirty minutes! We already made plans to do another mystery party for New Year's Eve and look forward to planning it!
Thank you to our wonderful residents and associates who got into the spirit of the occasion and dressed to the nines!
To our residents and families:
If you would like to set up a Zoom call to see and speak with your loved ones, please contact us at 909-796-5421. We supply the iPad, if needed, and will go to the resident's apartment to assist. Once you are connected with your loved one, we leave you to speak and visit with in private.
These calls are super easy to set up, and it's a great way to check in with one another, and connect.
Scheduled Zoom call days and times are Monday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm. If you have any questions about Zoom calls, don't hesitate to call the front desk.
We would like to wish resident, Belia, a very happy 95th birthday! She celebrated her special day with her niece, Zahdie, who came to visit with her in the morning, and then with her daughter, Sandra, and family in the afternoon via Zoom call. She was showered with gifts, a beautiful cake, flowers, and balloons. Belia certainly deserved all that attention, too. She is loved and appreciated by so many in our community. She's known for her warm smile, sweet personality, and always asks how she can help others. Cheers to you, Belia!
There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Residents and associates received their first vaccine dose last week. Everyone attending the clinic felt very grateful, and especially hopeful for 2021! We receive the second dose on February 2nd. Here's to good health for all this year!
One of our dining room servers, Mercedes, has gotten her COVID-19 vaccine. She did it to protect everyone around her!
We would like to thank resident, Dr. Neil, for providing an educational and informative class on COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccines, in general, for our residents and associates. Dr. Neil did an excellent job in presenting the material so that it was easy to understand and was available to answer questions afterward.
Knowledge is power!
Many people have heard of feng shui, but few really understand what it is or means. Guest blogger Kristen Murney explains how feng shui can be useful in small spaces.
BROOKDALE.COM
Practical Feng Shui Pointers | Brookdale Senior Living
