Every Little Step…
When Dillon Deimler learned of his mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, doctors weren’t sure what version of the disease Susan Banks had. As a child, Dillon remembers his mother losing her memory while still a young woman. After about 10 years spent living with the disease, Susan passed away in October, 2017. She was only 40 years old. ... Read More
Finding Your Voice at CKV
In practice, Cross Keys workers who are musically inclined enjoy numerous occasions to play their instruments, or to sing. Singing holds a unique place on our campus, even among team members who had never sung a note in public prior to joining us. Community Life extends an open invitation to entertain residents in an informal setting, if only to sing “Happy Birthday” in passing. Our recently renovated Sage Room, for instance, is a peaceful environment where you may encounter a member of our finance team singing while playing his mandolin for individuals in the later stages of dementia. ... Read More
Memory Care Update
2018 was the most productive yet in the four years since Cross Keys Village started a dedicated Memory Care initiative. Director of Memory Support Jennifer Holcomb, who began the effort as a team of one, is now overseeing a comprehensive set of internal and external programs that have turned Cross Keys Village into a center of excellence for all aspects of Memory Care, caregiver resources, and education. ... Read More
Teen’s Passion Awakens Precious Memories
A passion for Memory Care isn’t common among teenagers, but then Sam Jarvis isn’t a common teen either. Sam is only 16, but he is a familiar face at Cross Keys Village, having volunteered in Health Care for several years and joined the Community Life team part-time more recently. We also know him for his unique annual fundraising effort. ... Read More
Let’s Talk Turkey
The upcoming holiday season is an ideal occasion to check on your older parents’ situation, especially if you don’t see them too often during the rest of the year. Every week over the phone Mom and Dad assure you that all is well, but seeing them face-to-face for the first time since July 4 can be a reality check. Therefore, we have put together a list of 8 potential concerns for you to address whenever the “right time” presents itself during a family gathering. Be sure to keep such concerns as a small side dish, so that worries don’t turn into the unwelcome flavor of the season. ... Read More
Dementia Friendly America
On September 21, 2018 Cross Keys Village invited local business owners and other leaders to a breakfast during which we made public an initiative that had been months in the making. Dementia Friendly America is a nationwide movement that began in 2015 with the goal of making local communities more aware and better prepared to care for neighbors who live with dementia. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Director of Memory Support, Jennifer Holcomb, Cross Keys Village is now heading the local chapter of DFA, covering five neighboring communities. ... Read More
Family Tradition Brings Back Memories
One concern of adult children, when a parent needs to move into a health care center, is the worry that Mom or Dad will not be able to enjoy the pastimes that they once did at home. Fortunately, with the help and the imagination of our Community Life team, families can rest assured that activities are planned every day which are sure to bring back positive memories. ... Read More
CKV Wins Great Place to Work Certification
In today’s competitive labor market, employers need to be creative in the ways they recruit and retain strong talent. Companies are complex work environments with distinctive – and widely discussed – workplace cultures. Increasingly, job candidates limit their choice of an employer to organizations that match their individual values, and employment becomes a personal relationship more than a business transaction. ... Read More
The Paid-in-Full Illusion
“My house is paid off. Why on earth would I want to join a program with a monthly service fee attached?” This is a fairly common question in our office, and one that took me a while to answer properly. With time comes practice and nowadays, after assisting hundreds of families with their senior living decision, I know how to help visitors put their house into perspective. ... Read More
We’ve Started a Little Spreadsheet…
We regularly sit down in our sales office with individuals who get right to the point: “We are visiting many communities, and we’ve started a spreadsheet to compare them objectively.” Honestly, we love this approach… even if it is all wrong in the end. ... Read More