The Fieldstone Feed

When we have a friend who really cares about us, it changes everything. We can share our troubles and not shoulder our burdens alone. We feel we matter when someone knows our family members’ names or pays attention to our likes and dislikes. When someone invites us to know them and wants to spend time together, when they show us how much they enjoy our company—we don’t just feel included…we feel we belong. Belonging is a deep need we all have. It’s an essential element for well-being that lets us know we are safe and will be cared for by our circle.

A wise person once said that “happy” goes up and down and “joy” is a steady, smooth line. 

At Fieldstone Communities, we look for every opportunity to make life even better. The foods we create are a key part of reimagining senior living. Delicious, fresh, gourmet meals bring moments of joy, comfort, and satisfaction to each day.

Do you remember the feeling you had as a child, getting lost in play—hours going by until suddenly dusk was falling? Maybe you rode bikes or built elaborate make-believe worlds. Maybe you collected rocks or climbed trees. When children play, they make sense of the world in creative, experimental ways. Science now shows playing is a catalyst for learning, helping to organize concepts, develop motor skills, and test ideas. As we grow older, school life tends to take primary focus, and we tend to think of “play” as something people “grow out of.” Rather than considering play a basic mode of being human, we think it’s merely the antics of youth.

If you have questions about whether your loved one is ready for memory care, it can be challenging to track symptoms while being sensitive to the relationship. The person suffering from changes in behavior may be feeling a loss of control. Meanwhile, the spouse, partner, adult child, or loved one observing these troubling behaviors often feels a heightened sense of concern and an increasing desire to protect and secure a safe living situation for their loved one.

When do we experience joy? Love? Connection? You may be scanning your memories trying to recall your best moments, but we’ll tell you the shortest answer: in the present moment. We can only live life right now. So, the joys and possibilities of life can only be experienced in the here and now. At Fieldstone Communities, our mission statement is Together we create joyful and vibrant communities. In every community, from independent and assisted living to specialized memory care, we are actively seeking ways to foster connection and enjoyment. When can our residents and staff experience joy and vibrance together? Yes, the present moment—that is where joyful and vibrant living really takes place!

In this second installment of our 5-part series viewing life during COVID-19 through the eyes of people it affects in senior living, we turn to the perspective of one of our beloved caregivers, Mary Ahlberg.  Mary is the kind of person that when you meet her, you know she is special. As a former Montessori teacher for children 9 months to 4 years of age, she has the keen ability to intuitively hone in on people’s needs. This particular skillset has served her very well as a caregiver focused on life enrichment at our Issaquah Memory Care community. With a zeal for trying new things, Mary engages dynamically and openly with everyone she meets. 

At Fieldstone, we believe that to care for residents well, it is important to be willing to see life from their perspective. In the first of a regular series, we begin with looking at life in one of our communities during COVID-19 from A Resident’s Perspective.

Many of us who celebrate Mother’s Day are wondering how this year’s holiday will unfold. Foregoing the usual family get-togethers or outings can leave us feeling at a loss of what to do. Here are some simple, classic ideas with a social distance twist: