OHCA Spring/Summer 2019

www.ohca.com SPRING/SUMMER 2019 The Oregon Caregiver 7 Jennings McCall Administrator Crystale Harding said that besides care, activities are the most important part of an assisted living community. “It’s so easy in this population to see people become isolated because they’ve seen a lot of things. Their friends and family have passed away sometimes and it can be very lonely if they don’t find a new social connection within these walls,” she said. “Moving from your own home is difficult because you’re giving up a lot.” One resident moved into Jennings McCall after living in a home on an acreage where she used to let her dog run wild. Harding said, “Moving into a facility where you have a one-bedroom apartment and a little patio and having to put a dog on a leash has been a huge change for her.” Due to these changes and challenges, the resident was quite reclusive until the community’s activities director, Rebekah Cormier, got the resident active in the wellness program by putting her in charge of activities. “It’s been a huge transition for her, to be an assisted living resident. With her being able to help Rebekah, it made her feel like she was more of an employee than a resident. That has definitely made her come out of her shell. Now she’s helping put out f lyers, she helps with the calendar, and she leads the welcome and ambassador committees, and that’s made a huge difference in her whole personality and wellbeing,” Harding said. Jennings McCall offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, and some progressive care and needs to balance the activities for each commu- nity. “We try to have a lot of large activities so everyone can be together for the bigger events. If we have any music or big events like our senior FEATURE CONTINUES » “It’s so easy in this population to see people become isolated because they’ve seen a lot of things. Their friends and family have passed away sometimes and it can be very lonely if they don’t find a new social connection within these walls.” – Crystale Harding, Jennings McCall prom and holiday events, we try to get everyone together. But we do have individualized activities for each area,” Harding said. Marilyn I. Winterbourne lives in the assisted living campus at the Jennings McCall retirement community. “It was a decision I made with my family, because I’m 93 and very well, I travel by myself and do all those things; but at my age, who knows,” she said. “Instead of getting into the independent living community and then having to move, I decided that it would be best if I moved right into the assisted living part,” she said. Residents at Jennings McCall dance at the community’s senior prom.