Elite Care Blog

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Submitted by Luke Wilkenfeldt, Resident Service Coordinator at Helen's House, Oatfield Estates

When you stroll through the early growing spring garden, remember how many people contribute to it in their own way. Here is a story submitted by Melissa Richmond, our Cultivator of Plants and People.

Just recently I read an article in the AARP Magazine about how research shows berries may protect against mental decline. Well, on a personal level I have known that for a long time. My regular breakfast consists of cereal and blueberries almost every day. 

One of our core values at Elite Care is the notion of Presence Empathy and Technique or P.E.T.  This is a core value because without use of these skills together, we cannot provide the specialized level of care that is truly called for in the moment to meet the resident’s specific needs and to make us Elite Care-providers.

Our culture is a fast moving, multi-tasking culture where it is becoming harder and harder to be truly present.  We find ourselves fighting the urge to talk on our phones while driving, walking into each other while texting in the stores, and even more simply just doing more than one thing at a time constantly.

Whenever I go to Nuremberg  Germany to visit my dad, I always like to make sure we go to visit his sister, who is now living in an Assisted Living Facility. My dad can’t get around that well anymore, and her facility is quite a ways out of town, where it isn’t easy to get to without a car.

My cousin, who is her primary power of attorney, had warned me that she is not doing so well. My dad had called her a couple of times to let her know we were coming to visit her. The Assisted Living Facility where she lives is pretty typical. It is very large, about 4 stories and it is geared toward spry older people. They do have a nursing home attached that one moves into if necessary.