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Blog

Never Too Late

Don and his wife Mary were on a family Zoom call, chatting about holidays plans and recent projects when their granddaughter, who lives in Oregon, proudly showed knitted hats that she had just finished. The sight of the sweet and colorful little hats got Don interested. ... Read More

Sending Supplies Overseas

Two years ago, alarming news about a new virus with a high infection rate grew quickly from a faraway menace to a frightening certainty. Fortunately, Cross Keys Village was ahead of the curve. As part of our comprehensive plan to protect vulnerable residents, the purchasing department had ordered an abundance of medical supplies to prepare for an ongoing pandemic crisis within our walls. ... Read More

The Art of Pysanka Easter Eggs

Edna Stinefelt has lovingly indulged in this medium for more than 20 years and has made over 200 eggs to date. “You put your heart and soul into it,” says Edna. “They become a part of you.” Although she has sold many at folk festivals over the years, her apartment’s multipurpose room is still filled with boxes of Pysanka eggs (but not stored in cartons, as you might expect). Always generous with her art, Edna is planning to display some of her eggs in the Harmony Ridge showcase during the month of April. ... Read More

Surprising Data on Aging Services Perception

Unlike other services such as landscaping or asset management – to pick two at random – the subject of Aging Services often elicits emotional responses on the part of consumers. In my responsibilities at Cross Keys Village, I am reminded of this frequently as I monitor social media for trends in our field. Factual stories about Aging Services on pages as neutral as those of NPR or AARP attract the passionate comments you would expect under more controversial material. ... Read More

There’s Safety in the CKV Air!

As you’re reading this, you have most likely taken a breath or two. Go ahead, take another! Often, we take our precious breath and our fresh air for granted, but Cross Keys Village cares deeply about indoor air quality. In fact, the Mission Point Health Care Center was built with a 100% fresh air system, not recirculated. “We have always had a good system here at Cross Keys Village,” explains Senior Administrator of Facilities Jay Rohrbach. “We consistently move more fresh air into the buildings than what code requires.” Since the 80s, Mission Point has had rooftop units that pull fresh air in and conditions it before it is pushed through the building. Jay shares that we are currently in the process of replacing one unit a year. “With a price tag of $250,000 apiece, it quickly becomes very expensive.” ... Read More

Another Reason to Give Thanks

From classical soloists to ukulele virtuosos, from Celtic harpists to Elvis impersonators, live entertainers have always been an integral part of Community Life on our Health Care neighborhoods. However, since March of 2020, we haven't been permitted to bring live entertainment from "the outside" to our Health Care environment. Fortunately, our residents have been blessed with several team members willing to share their musical gifts on a frequent basis. We recently sat down with three such talents and asked them how they feel about performing for residents as part of their regular duties. ... Read More

Awards Season at Cross Keys Village

While many of us receive our news digitally these days, most older adults – including Cross Keys Village residents – prefer to relax with a hot-off-the-press morning paper while enjoying their morning coffee. Keeping up with local news stories is especially important to those who live and work in our community, since many were born and raised here. ... Read More

More Precious Than Rubies

Churches’ Social Committees know it, our Health Care Community Life team can’t deny it: you can come up with the most inventive, the most unexpected activities to engage a group, and in the Top 3 favorites, there’ll always be… Bingo! Bingo is one of those beloved games that doesn’t lose its attraction when players reach senior status, quite the contrary. As for the ladies on our Woodbury Health Care neighborhood, not only do they get a thrill while playing, but they especially enjoy going through the prize tray and finding jewelry. That’s because one of our Pastoral Care chaplains, Pastor Marjorie Lauver, is the secret goldsmith behind the handmade baubles. ... Read More

Guide to Downsizing

Living in a larger home may have been a dream come true at one point in your life, but it can become a monumental burden for aging adults. Downsizing provides a solution. However, moving into a smaller residence comes with its own set of worries, and paring down a lifetime's worth of belongings often appears overwhelming.  ... Read More

So Close to the Goal

In addition to overseeing day-to-day fundraising, the Brethren Home Foundation engages periodically in capital campaigns designed to help with the funding of ambitious projects. Fifteen years ago or so, we saw such a campaign when Cross Keys Village envisioned the Harvey S. Kline Wellness Center as a key feature of the new Harmony Ridge West apartments. More recently, another campaign brought welcome financial support to the construction and the programming of our revolutionary Brookside memory care residence. ... Read More