Love was in the air at all of our Anthem Memory Care communities this month, with lots of activities and celebrations bringing many moments of joy to residents, families and staff members. From community service projects to Valentine’s Day luncheons, February was a month of connection and engagement.
Residents enjoyed sharing memories of their own love stories from years past with each other and staff, who enjoyed the many stories about how they met their spouses and their earlier lives together.
Here are just a few of the special events and activities that filled our days … and our hearts this February:
After 45 years of marriage, Bruce and Kay Williams renewed their vows in a beautiful ceremony at Clear Creek Memory Care in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
In recognition of World Cancer Day, February 4th, residents and team members of Emerald Place Memory Care in Glenview, Illinois made “hope packages” for individuals receiving care at Gilda’s Club Chicago, an outreach organization designed to offer comfort and encouragement to those undergoing chemotherapy.
Willow Springs Memory Care residents took advantage of a warmer February day in Redding, California to visit their local park and feed the birds, a favorite activity which always brings smiles.
Savoy Place Memory Care residents made pet blankets, which they hand delivered to The Scratching Post, a cat café and adoption center in Champaign, Illinois. Of course they hung around a bit to visit with their feline friends.
And here’s another vow renewal, this one taking place at Liberty Place Memory Care in West Chester, Ohio as five special couples celebrated fifty to seventy year anniversaries! A truly beautiful and memorable event.
Of course there were the Valentine’s luncheons, including this one at Vineyard Place Memory Care in Murrieta, California, bringing residents, families, and staff together to share the love along with stories of Valentine’s Days passed.
To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week, residents of Emerald Place Memory Care in Glenview, Illinois headed to their local Target store armed with "kindness bags" full of sweet treats to hand out to shoppers passing by.
Grace Point Place Memory Care residents and staff “let the good times roll” in Oak Lawn, Illinois during a festive Mardi Gras celebration.
What special moments have you enjoyed this month?
If you are a family caregiver of a loved one with dementia, next time you visit ask them to share some of the memories that still make them smile. What were their favorite fun activities back in the day? Who were their friends and how did they meet them? And, finally, how did they meet that special person in their lives? What special moments do they recall?
While engaging with your loved one in this way, you may learn something you never knew before, a small detail, or all about a person in their lives. Consider gathering photos and other mementos together to create a memory box or capture their recollections in an audio or video recording. Preserving these moments are special and remind us that our lives are enriched by our elders and by the special, loving moments we share with them.
(Our header image shows residents and middle schoolers from Our Lady of Perpetual Help who came together at Emerald Place Memory Care in Glenview, Illinois to enjoy a Valentine-themed “Senior Prom”. Needless to say, it was a huge hit!)