The Young Gaze
Two cranky posts about ageism - Part I Most of the photographs on Cross Keys Village’s website are shots of actual people who live or work here. However, when I prepare promotional material designed to convey and refine the image of Cross Keys Village in the mind of older adults who are unfamiliar with our community, I occasionally need to rely on stock photography. Of course, my first concern is to select models who look as realistic as possible, and that I don't recall having seen elsewhere. ... Read More
150-Year-Old Resident Organ Preparing for Celebration
Extreme longevity is an object of rejoicing in in a community like ours. We have an apartment dweller nearing 104 and a sprightly 98-year-old TV camera volunteer in Residential Living, not to overlook several centenarians in our Health Care Center. But on September 15, all ears will be directed at our only 150-year-old resident, a priceless organ built by George Jardine & Son in 1869 for the Congregational Church in South Britain, Connecticut. ... Read More
Preparing for the Unexpected
Health care centers are required to have an Emergency Preparedness Plan (approved by the proper authorities), keep the plan updated, and get key team members prepared for the unexpected. Close attention is given to trends in neighboring communities and around the country. For instance, when the days following Hurricane Irma saw fatalities in a facility in Florida, the risk of dangerously high temperatures in nursing homes due to loss of power became a concern to all of us. ... Read More
Options for Many Budgets
When a retirement community like Cross Keys Village embarks on an expansion program, it is necessary to promote the new residences with some advertising. The focus on the new offering takes momentary precedence over the promotion of the community as a whole. This has been the case at Cross Keys Village. Between 2014 and 2018 we promoted our handsome Bridgewater homes, and today we are highlighting our gorgeous new Hearthside expansion. ... Read More
Transcending Loss Through a Knitting Project
A box of almost 100 knitted squares in various colors did not make the move with her… but Donna’s love for knitting made the transition unimpaired. As it happens, the Knitting Group, a dedicated group of Cross Keys volunteers, visits Brookside every week. Their presence helped sustain the beloved hobby at the center of Donna’s new life. “Donna was always so nice to work with when we would visit with knitting crafts,” says villager Ruth Ann Culp, a regular Brookside volunteer and member of the Knitting Group. ... Read More
Planning a Memorable Day
June is Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Awareness Month, and the Alzheimer’s Association encourages its partners to schedule “Longest Day” celebrations on the day of the summer solstice. This year we will be participating in a big way: with a community event scheduled to stretch over an entire day! Our “Day of Light and Love” will be an opportunity for individuals living with the disease and their caregivers to promote awareness and solidarity, share their common experience, and have fun along the way. Being together in the moment, and encouraging positive emotion throughout the day, we are planning a one-of-a kind, stress-free celebration, truly a “Day of Light and Love.” ... Read More
Hooray for Volunteers!
Cross Keys Village - The Brethren Home Community is one of several high-quality retirement communities in our region. You may ask: What makes Cross Keys Village stand out among distinguished peers? The answer might surprise you. While our accommodations, lifestyle and care are superb, the importance of our Volunteer Services places this program in a league of its own. The reason for the integration of volunteers in all aspects of our activities has its roots in the volunteering tradition of the Church of the Brethren. Volunteers have been a vital thread in our fabric since Day-1. ... Read More
A Transaction Like No Other
Buying into a continuing care program is a purchase unlike any other. It is no wonder that the members of our sales team are called Retirement Counselors. Our potential customers – future villagers – come to us with complex feelings and our job is literally to counsel them. The process of closing a chapter of one’s adult life, a chapter titled “Career, Children and Expansion,” in order to start a new chapter titled “Reflection, Appreciation and Actualization” isn’t easy for most people. ... Read More
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