Insights

“YOU Make a Difference” is this year’s theme for National Nurses Month. At Brio Living Services, we are grateful for the incredible difference and fundamental impact our nurses make through their dedication and caring service to older adults.

Becoming a pastor hadn’t been Elisabeth Seymour’s plan but, when this teacher felt the calling, she says with a laugh, “I made a deal with God: ‘If you’ll provide me with the time and resources, then I’ll do it.’”

April is National Volunteer Month, and this week is National Volunteer Week! Each Tuesday this month we have highlighted on social media a volunteer who is making a difference at Brio Living Services. Today we are pleased to feature Mary Robertson, Volunteer Coordinator at Chelsea Retirement Community (CRC), and to thank all our Brio Living Services volunteers!

If you are a pet owner, you can undoubtedly relate to the joyful moments of arriving home to a furry friend greeting you excitedly. You can always count on a pet to cheer you up, lend a listening ear, and give you unconditional love.

As we age, we may tend to not put as much focus on our social life. This is a mistake that can negatively impact your or a loved one’s well-being. Studies have shown that older adults who maintain an active social life show improved mental and physical health.

March is National Nutrition Month! This year’s campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is labeled “Fuel for the Future,” emphasizing the importance of sustainable eating habits to nourish ourselves during every phase of life. Healthy food choices and lifestyles are especially important as we age. 

Betty Pope and her children began coming to Chelsea Retirement Community (CRC) in the 1950s to visit her grandmother, Julia Laseter, who lived at CRC. Later, Betty’s parents, Howard and Bessie Lausen, moved to CRC. Betty was the third generation to call CRC home when she moved in 2007. Betty passed away this week, just one day shy of her 100th birthday. Yet the legacy of her strength, will, and heart live on.

At Brio Living Services, we are proud to uphold our mission, vision, and guiding beliefs, all of which are based on our founding principles and faith-based heritage. These values are reflected in our status as a not-for-profit organization.

Every year on the third Friday of February, we celebrate National Caregivers Day, when we honor the caregivers in our lives, both paid and unpaid, for the compassionate support they provide to those who need extra care.

Since 2015, Lora Underwood has been offering health and wellness classes and activities for the residents living at The Thome Rivertown Neighborhood Affordable Assisted Living in Detroit. Lora offers classes two days a week for one hour each, including chair aerobics, strength building exercises, stretching, and flexibility.

“In general, I try to encourage as much movement as possible so older adults can stay active and mobile,” says Lora. “They get really excited when we play music from their era. Activities with music, such as line dancing, help motivate movement.”

Upon retiring from the Michigan Court of Appeals after 36 years of services as a judicial assistant, Lora followed her passion for health and fitness by becoming a master trainer and program coordinator for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan.

Chronic diseases such as arthritis and kidney disease can make movement more difficult, Lora says, but “if they keep moving, it helps. I understand the extra effort it takes to come to exercise, for example, residents who are on dialysis. I encourage them to work at their own pace and do what they can do. I say, ‘Challenge yourself and you’ll be surprised at what you can do.’ Your body will thank you.”

Says Lora, “I enjoy my job, and I enjoy older adults. I love seeing the joy on their faces when we interact. It feels good to be part of their health and well-being. You have to have a heart for older adults; they can tell when you care. I’m their cheerleader.”

To support Health and Wellness through the UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation’s Life Enrichment initiative, contact the UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation at 734.433.1000 ext. 7397 (east) or 616.577.2297 (west). Or click here to make a secure online gift.

Researching retirement communities can be daunting, and you may realize there is much more to it than you thought. Between price structures, locations, and levels of living, it can feel like a whole new language to learn! At Brio Living Services, our Sales Advisors are here to help!

“Find your passion, your interest, and let that be your cause.”

Debbie Steggles, Brio Living Services’ Senior Executive Director of Affordable Housing, follows these words in her career and in her giving to the UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation.