"Celebrating Life" mural honors aging in Des Moines community

Wesley Homes is proud to have played a part in the “Celebrating Life in Des Moines” mural across from the Wesley campus in Des Moines.  The 12×37 foot mural graces the wall of the QFC complex along SW 219^th street between Marine View Drive and 7^th Ave. S. 

“Wesley Homes has been a sponsor of the annual Bayside Champaign Brunch since day one,” said Sue Padden, Senior Service Manager for the City of Des Moines.  The brunch is the fund raiser for the Des Moines Legacy Foundation that raises money for many senior programs and in this case the mural honoring aging. 

“It took us three years to find a wall,” said Des Moines resident Nancy Stephan who took on the responsibility for finding a wall for the mural and getting the project started in her position with the Des Moines Arts Commission.

Just like a practiced docent, Stephan brought the mural to life through her stories about the people and scenes depicting the rich culture of Des Moines. 

Nancy Stephan shown next to her fiddle-playing image on mural

Stephan is, herself, pictured in the mural.  She’s the one playing the violin. “And the guy on the banjo is the famous American folksinger, Pete Seger,” said Stephan.

The artist, Chandelle Anderson, chose music as the central theme because in addition to being relevant to the local summer concert series it honors the history of the Draper Orphanage and traveling band that was located at the Des Moines beach park in the early 1900s. 

“You may have heard about ‘Daddy Draper’ and the orphanage,” said Stephan, “Some of the descendants of the Draper family are still around. That was the inspiration for Anderson to pick music as reflecting one aspect of Des Moines that is really kind of unique.” 

According to Stephan, the Des Moines Historical Society put together a great little book that has quite a bit about the Draper Family Orphanage. 

Reading and beach activities were also chosen for their relevance to the region and their universal nature.   Jeanie Serrill is depicted on the mural sitting on a bench reading a book,” pointed out Stephan, “Serrill is on the Des Moines Arts Commission and an active volunteer in the community for many, many years.” 

Says Anderson:  “My intention was to capture the vitality of the elderly in the community, through a variety of roles – as education, role models, caretakers and artists.  And to incorporate their wisdom and life experience with children’s curiosity.”

In preparation for the subject matter Stephan took Anderson around to meet people like Carmen Scott on the Des Moines City Council “and a great historian on Des Moines,” said Stephan.  

“We talked to Anderson about the diversity of the people who live in Des Moines so we asked her to please include that as well,” she said, “The mural is not historic – this is a current day look at the Des Moines community.” 

–ilene little for Wesley Homes

Sunday, September 26, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Wesley Homes Des Moines 

Sunday, October 3, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn

You may win a trip for two to Victoria B.C. aboard the Victoria Clipper (a $400 value) or a catered dinner for up to 10 people at one of the Wesley Homes’ campuses prepared by Wesley Homes Executive Chefs.  

Our Autumn Harvest Open House features a farm stand with samples of fresh fruits and vegetables, local cheeses, and bakery items; a tasting of fall dishes prepared by Wesley Homes’ executive chefs; and presentations on safe and healthy edible gardening by a Garden Hotline Educator from Seattle Tilth.

Plus, a host of helpful resources will be available to talk with you. Learn about downsizing, move coordination and Easy Transitions from Benevia; selling your home through SASH, adult day care  from Elder & Adult Day Services, Wesley Homes Home Health care, and Wesley Homes Foundation.

Open House at Wesley Homes offers a great annual opportunity to tour our campuses and see a variety of resident homes, some with views of Puget Sound or Mt. Rainier. Residents will be waiting to greet you and answer questions about living at a Wesley Homes community.  Everyone will go home with a free miniature pumpkin. And those who visit Wesley Homes Health Center will enjoy an old fashioned ice cream cone.

Join us in Des Moines on Sunday. September 26th, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Exit off I-5 at Kent/Des Moines Rd heading west. Turn right on Kent/Des Moines Rd. Turn right again on International Blvd./Hwy 99 for about 1 mile. Turn left on S. 216th Street (Safeway is on the corner). Follow S. 216th to the bottom of the hill. Enter a Wesley Homes parking lot on either side of the street. Call 206-824-5000 for more information.

Join us at Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn on Sunday, October 3rd, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Exit Auburn Way North off Highway 18. Turn right on 8th Street NE and cross the Green River. Turn right on 105th place and wind up the hill. Wesley Homes Lea Hill is at the top of the hill on your right. Additional parking and shuttle service  is available at the south parking lot of Green River Community College just one mile further east on 320th. Call 253-876-6000 for more information.

Established in 1944, Wesley Homes is a not-for-profit organization that offers a comprehensive network of housing and services including residential homes and apartments, adult day care, assisted living, home health care, restorative therapies, and skilled nursing care.  Wesley Homes Community Health Services is a separate Home Health Care agency serving clients throughout the Puget Sound region.

Lois Frank shown with her daughter Lois and son Joe

Lois Frank’s mother, who shared the same name as the daughter, passed away on April 27, 2010.  The elder Frank was a resident of the Wesley Homes Health Center since September of 2005. 

When she first moved into Wesley Homes Lois Frank was in her early 80’s.  She was suffering from mild dementia at the time.  Her daughter described the challenges her mom had adjusting to the move and how her mom’s attitude changed to become positive, and why. 

“She had been in the hospital as a result of a series of falls and the hospital personnel told us Mom needed 24 hour care,” explained Frank. 

“She could talk at that time, but she couldn’t dress or toilet herself.  She couldn’t walk,” said Frank, “After a while she was totally dependent on the Wesley Homes staff which was scary to see.  It was almost like watching the reverse of a baby growing in skills.  It was like my mother lost those skills in reverse.” 

“When we were looking for a place to care for Mom, we wanted to make sure she was safe and would be well taken care of.  Her care and the safety and cleanliness of the facility were our highest priorities,” said Frank. 

“We looked at other places and could not leave her with any of those.  We didn’t feel they were safe.  Some of those places should not be allowed to stay open by the State. It was just heartbreaking,” Frank said, “So when we found that Wesley Homes had an opening we were thrilled.”

The family members were all involved in the process of selecting the best place for the elder Frank. “My brother liked the place, and we even brought Mom’s brother to see it,” said Frank. “Uncle’s opinion was really important.” 

“Mom was not part of the decision making process because of the dementia.  She knew she couldn’t live at home anymore but she was a difficult resident at first because she had never lived alone.  She’d lived with her mother until she married my Dad.  It was very hard for all of us.” 

“Once we moved Mom into Wesley Homes Health Center we could sleep at night because we knew she was being taken care of,” said Frank.

“Mom thought she could do a lot more than she was able to do,” said Frank. “She thought she could walk, and we’d say ‘okay, Mom let’s go for a walk’ and she couldn’t do it.” 

The Period of Adjustment

“There was a period of adjustment.  It took months and considerable cajoling on the part of the family and staff.  We wanted Mom to really take advantage of all of the activities and at first she resisted,” admitted Frank.

“The staff paid a lot of attention to her, like they do everybody else,” said Frank, “the Chaplain was one of the first to get her involved in an activity.” 

“I’d say the first sign of mom adjusting was when she would roll her wheelchair to the doorway of her room,” reflected Frank, “and watch the people go by.  That’s how she started interacting with people.  She was very smart to do that.” 

“Also, because we were there often, my brother Joe and I, and Mom’s younger brother and his wife, Mom began to take notice that we were having fun with the staff and trusted them.  When she saw that, she started to lose some of her hesitation.”  

“We felt comfortable interacting with the staff,” said Frank, “We taught them about Mom: no she doesn’t do this; no she won’t like that; try using humor with her, and so forth.” 

“For example, Mom didn’t want to take her medicine when she first got there,” explained Frank, “and then she only wanted to take it from family or from specific staff.  She had her favorites, you see.  So we communicated that to the staff and they accommodated her.”   

Wesley Homes Staff – A Second Family

“The best way I can explain it is that we felt we had another family at Wesley Homes,” said Frank, “Some of the aides were like other daughters and sons to our mother.  We encouraged them to call her ‘Mama’ or ‘Grandma’ because it made her feel comfortable.  She could associate those terms of endearment with being loved.” 

According to Frank, that “family” extended to the maintenance people, people in the laundry, people in the kitchen, at the reception desk, in housekeeping, restorative care and in activities and the extraordinary people who took care of her every day.  

The financial personnel at the Health Center were invaluable in dealing with Medicare and Medicaid paperwork and procedures. Frank had heard about the nightmare friends experienced going through the process for their parents. With the help of the Wesley staff in that office, it was not difficult.

“Everyone knew my mother and they made a point of getting their work done but when they walked by they’d give her a ‘high five’ and say ‘Mama, how are you doing, how are you feeling’, and she’d smile and point her finger at them or say something in return,” said Frank. 

“Even when Mom started to lose the ability to form recognizable words she still had inflections that went along with her sentences and you could tell if she was happy or sad.  The Wesley Homes staff just surrounded her with love and they surrounded us with love, and there was nothing superficial about it,” said Frank.

“The pastor; my mother would light up when she saw him,” exclaimed Frank, “He was such a tease and he understood her humor and she just enjoyed him to no end.”  That was Chaplin Michael Byrd. 

“Part of our grieving now is that we don’t see the staff every day,” admits Frank.  “They became problem solvers with us, they became comforters of us, they would ask us how we were doing.”

“And towards the end there was a week where some family member was staying all night with Mom.  We were so grateful for the staff,” said Frank, “They took such good care of us.  They understood what we were going through better than we did.  They’ve seen it before and they know how and when to help.” 

They are Angels

“We found that the absolute best at taking care of my mother were the aides and nurses who saw her every day,” said Frank, I wish we could give special recognition to those folks.   They are angels, absolute angels.  They were the ones who would clue in the head nurses and specialized care staff about Mom’s needs.” 

“The importance of the aides is tremendous,” emphasized Frank.  “They are extremely hard-working people.  They enjoy the diverse personalities of the residents and are so patient.

A lot of mom’s aides were originally from countries outside of America, many from Africa.  And I think as part of their culture they respect elders.  Mom responded to that and loved them for it.

By the nature of their work, they have to handle very private and possibly embarrassing needs of residents and Mom was attended to in a manner that kept her dignity intact.

Click Here – to read a letter from the family of Lois Frank to Wesley Homes upon the death of their mother.  

–ilene little for Wesley Homes

Marcella and Herman Wright enjoy the patio of their new home surrounded by family members left to right: ): Katie Meredith, Ryan Meredith, Elaine Meredith, Ellen Joslin, Morgan Joslin and Megan Joslin

The day I arrived to follow up on how Herman and Marcella Wright were doing in their new brownstone apartment at Wesley Homes Retirement Community, I met six of their family members who have been very involved in helping the Wrights get resettled. 

The Wrights moved into Wesley Homes Lea Hill on July 16^th.   This is the 2nd part of a two part “before” and “after” the move series. 

The first interview “Moving Day into the Wesley Homes Lea Hill Brownstone Apartments” covers their thoughts on selling their home during a recession, why they made the move now, and the move-out experience.

Today there wasn’t an unpacked box in sight and everything appears to be in place and arranged comfortably. 

The conversation this morning revolved around the family “taking Grandma shopping” and the discoveries made about the lay of the land. 

“This is like a ‘fun park’ is how one daughter described the grounds.  “We like the theater,” said a granddaughter.  “The pool is awesome, “shouted out another.   “I want to be old”, said Ryan, age 11, joining in to express his enthusiasm for his grandparents’ new home.

 “I told the kids it’s going to be fun; It’s going to be like a little community,” said one of the adult children, “And now Ryan wants to stay overnight.”  “That’s because he likes the ‘tree house’ bedroom,” said Marcella, pointing to the sun room.

The place really is lovely; two bedrooms, big closets, and the kitchen and living room look out over an expanse of manicured lawn.  “And we don’t have to mow it,” exclaimed Marcella. 

I was impressed that the Wrights and their family members, even the grandchildren, were aware they were celebrating a rite of passage in the lives of the Wrights.

 “Well, the thing is children learn first-hand when they participate,” said Herman, referring to events that mark milestones in the lives of family members. 

 “It’s different than being told and then them trying to absorb it”, he explained, “When you’re involved it will stick with you for life.” 

And so the Wrights are continuing to influence future generations by exposing the children to the art of making deliberate choices that affect quality of life and shape family memories.

– ilene little for Wesley Homes

Move Day - Herman and Marcella Wright watch their belongings loaded into moving van supervised by SASH client service managers

Herman and Marcella Wright, a couple of young and spritely seniors were all packed up and ready to move Friday July 16th to their new apartment at Wesley Homes Lea Hill. 

The Wrights have some interesting stories to tell about living through three different economic turndowns; they moved several times as a result of their careers as Boeing employees.     

The process of selling homes, even during a recession, is not new to them.  They’ve weathered the storms and the challenges of multiple relocations philosophically – and it’s made them very adaptable.   You get the feeling they have “broad shoulders”. 

So when they got a call from Wesley Homes that the floor plan they wanted was available, they accepted the opportunity and made the move within 60 days. 

“We had anticipated making this move a couple of years down the road,”  said Marcella, “ but we’ve both said we’re glad we made the move now. “

Geri Montoya, Wesley Homes Community Relations Director,  provided them with the resources that helped them through the process.  “She gave us the options and we contacted the company SASH and made the arrangements”, said Herman. 

SASH is a company that prides itself in accommodating seniors.   When SASH buys your home they provide three distinct unique advantages: 

1. They buy the house as is, so you don’t have to worry about repairs, and your life is not disrupted with buyers coming and going.
2. They let people pick their own closing date.  At no time are you between places to live, and
3. They handle the move out and the move in from A-Z – so you do not have to coordinate different moving-related services.  It’s all done with one company; all the packing and unpacking and all the moving and furniture arranging, including mapping out the furniture placement in advance. 

Both Pete Gallagher and Anne Tripp, SASH Client Service Managers, were on hand to supervise the SASH moving personnel and assure that the transition was an easy one for the Wrights.

In this case the Wright’s were all packed up and ready for us; everything was categorized and labeled,” said Gallagher, “By 5pm tonight they’ll be in their new home at the brownstone apartments  at Wesley Hills, Lea Hill”

“It’s the best job of packing and organizing that I’ve ever seen anyone do,” said Tripp.  

The Wrights have four adult children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  As they stood in their garage amongst the packed boxes, they reflected on leaving their home of nine years.  “Our great grandchildren are going to miss climbing the trees,” said Marcella, “they’re kind of sad to see us move out of this house.  We’ve lived in this house for nine years but before that we lived 40 years in the same neighborhood in a big house up the street”.  So this is like the family homestead. 

“But there’s such a wonderful space at Lea Hill that the grandkids will probably like that too,” said Marcella.  “The swimming pool – they’re all excited about that,” said Herman. 

In the Wright’s case, both Herman and Marcella have a lot to offer as new neighbors, and a lot of wisdom they can impart to the younger generation on how to survive economic downtimes.  They’ve been there and done that.  “About every 10 years,” reflected Marcella, “Young people wouldn’t believe us. “

I look forward to posting more information about the Wrights – so stay tuned for a “after the move” follow up.

–ilene little for Wesley Homes

Campus Administrator, Scott Hulet, proudly displays Results of The Arbor's compliance survey

On June 2^nd Wesley Homes Arbor “passed with flying colors” the annual licensing and compliance survey conducted by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). 

The unannounced survey is conducted yearly and for the third year in a row The Arbor received the highest results – that of zero deficiencies in the resident environment and services provided by Wesley Homes Lea Hill and their talented staff. 

The Survey

“It’s the job of the DSHS nurse surveyors to find and note anything that’s not going well,” said Doris Crowe, LPN, The Arbor Nurse Manager, “They do a full environmental survey, dig deeply into the medical records, and select a sample of residents to talk to as well as talk to the residents’ family members to determine the standard of care residents are receiving.” 

The DSHS survey team was on campus for a full day, and during their “exit interview” they complimented Crowe and Campus Administrator, Scott Hulet on the standard of care they witnessed. 

“They gave us high compliments,” said Hulet, The survey team told us ‘When we say thank you for your service to the community, you exemplify what that means’.”  Such a sterling record is a matter of personal pride for both Crowe and Hulet. 

“Our team works to sustain that level of care every day,” said Campus Administrator, Scott Hulet, “it’s not like you can just cram for a test to pass and then put it out of your mind.” 

 “What DHSH likes to see is that the same nurse manager is there, the same activity director, etc., year after year,” said Crowe.   Familiarity is important to residents living with dementia, and the State surveyors recognize the negative impact of staff turnover on a stable environment. 

The Arbor has the same management staff they started with in 2007. “In a demanding industry that often sees a lot of turn-over in staff, that is quite an accomplishment,” said Crowe.      

 “Better Homes and Gardens” type Memory Care

The Arbor reflects in elegance the quality of an Arbor resident’s lifestyle.  Every activity room, the courtyard, the dining room and the strategically placed common sitting areas within spacious passage ways are appointed with items reminiscent of a private home. 

Next to a comfortable chair, you’ll find a basket of brightly colored yarn.  You might find stuffed animals in a comfortable family room setting.   Pull open a drawer in any cabinet and you’ll find familiar and decorative items, like collections of bead work and on the walls displays of hats and pictures that one would find in a home entry way. 

Individual resident apartments are roomy and the floor plans have the ambience of a typical home setting.  For example every apartment has a full kitchen.  The breaker switch to certain appliances is turned off and on to provide a safe environment.  “If a resident’s visiting family wants to bake cookies or prepare a meal, we turn the breaker on” said Hulet, “that way we can accommodate private family visits. 

Couples Habitats

The Arbor has both studio and one-bedroom apartments to accommodate residents.  “We currently have 18 residents living here, and two are couples,” said Hulet.  This allows for support of the person needing assisted living while allowing their spouse to continue living with their life partner. 

Accommodating Families

It is not unheard of for a family member to spend a night in the apartment of a resident.  And according to Hulet, Wesley Homes Lea Hill keeps two guest rooms in the main lodge available to rent to family members who might be traveling from a distance to visit a resident.

Individualized Care – The Arbor’s unique model of care

The Arbor model of memory care is called “universal care workers”.  “We do the serving of meals, wash all the dishes, and do all the housework as well as the patient care,” said Crowe.  According to Hulet, having staff care for a resident as if they were family allows the staff to get to know the residents really well.   

“We have very special residents, “said Crowe, “they really do get into your heart.”   

“There’s no distraction of unfamiliar people coming and going,” said Crowe, “that allows for a calm and peaceful continuity of care.  Our residents are here to live, not to get well” so we enter into their world, not the other way around.”

Arbor residents choose when they want to eat and what they want to eat.  According to Crowe, residents come to breakfast when they want.  “There’s no set time they need to get up,” said Crowe, they create their own schedule and we accommodate them.”   

It’s not a “cookie-cutter” plan,” said Crowe, “We have a process of quarterly assessments and annual meetings with families to tailor individual plans of care.

“Now the fun begins,” said Kevin Anderson, President/CEO for Wesley Homes. “We have a lot of work to do with our architect, development agent and the city of Puyallup to make sure the numbers make sense. We expect to begin preliminary marketing within the next six months.”

Puyallup will be Wesley Home’s third campus offering retirement housing and care for older adults. “We strive to serve retirees from moderate income professions such as school teachers, clergy, small businesspeople and firefighters/police officers,” said Anderson. “To make housing affordable, we count on private donations and  business partners that share our vision.”

To receive information about the new Wesley Homes in Puyallup, please contact Christine Tremain at ctremain@wesleyhomes.org or 206-870-1104.

When she interviewed for the position she was truly amazed by the residents and the vibrant community.  “When you walk through Wesley Homes and see them filming, or participating in social activities – and even the resident council – they’re alive and full of energy and that’s what I was looking for,” she said.

“I was also looking for an administration that would empower me to do my job, and I really felt that immediately from Mark Gustafson,” said Meinecke.  Gustafson is Campus Administrator for Wesley Homes Des Moines.

Listen to: Live interview with Lisa Meinecke

What’s different about her new position with Wesley Homes

“Before, I worked in the health center setting where you work with people who are in skilled needs care,” said Meinecke, “Here it’s very different because I’m working with people who are more highly functioning.  It’s very uplifting to be with people who are what I call “deliberating aging”.

What I mean by “deliberate aging” is that people are making deliberate choices about staying active,” she said, “For example they’re very involved socially.  They’re very involved with their physical fitness.  They’re very health conscious and concerned about their diet.  They are saying, ‘I’m going to age well’”.

The Resident Council Interview

What really sold her on Wesley Homes was the interview with the residents.  “One of the ladies said to me ‘Lisa, we want you to partner with us.  We don’t want you to create things for us or make things for us.  We want you to work side-by-side with us.’  And what they really wanted was someone who could link them to resources,” said Meinecke.

“If one of them is struggling, personally, they want to be able to come to me for resources so that I can connect them to a support group or to a physician or expert who can help them,” she explained.  She also assists several support groups; like Parkinson’s or low vision groups.

According to Meinecke, if a resident has a problem they are struggling with, she is the “Go-To-Person”.  “And that’s really what a social worker does,” she said, “They do counseling, and they link people to resources.”

“I have my tool belt I can pull out and say ‘have you considered this’, or ‘let me go research that and find that out for you’.  It’s been very fulfilling for me to be able to go home at night and say I made a difference,” said Meinecke.

Leaving a Legacy

“I guess I’m huge on leaving a legacy behind,” she said, “And I’ve learned so much from the seniors I’ve interviewed about how important it is to do something that is meaningful.  And so I really feel blessed to be able to do this and I go home at night happy.”

“I’ve probably done a hundred social histories with seniors who have reached the end of their lives and are looking back at what they have accomplished and what meaning their life has had.  They might not know that they are imparting words of wisdom, but they are – they are sages,” says Meinecke.

My role as Transitional Counselor

“When people are changing often there will be a need to move to the next level of care,” said Meinecke, “I help assist moving from residential living to assisted as well as moving from the assisted to the health care setting.”

“Just recently I had an opportunity to be involved with a gentleman here who was beginning to have some cognitive loss”, said Meinecke, “His time clock was a little off and he was not quite keeping track of things.”

“This gentleman is quite aware that he’s changing,” she said, “He doesn’t want to distress the community or his family so he is actively taking a role in the transition.   He and his brother approached me and said, ‘we think it’s time to make a move’.”

“This was my first opportunity to help someone move on this campus and it was delightful”, said Meinecke.  “At the contract signing we were laughing and planning different apartment arrangements.  So it was a very positive and uplifting experience.  They both said ‘we’re really glad that you walked us through this.  This has really been a positive experience for us’.”

“It doesn’t always happen that way,” admits Meinecke, “A person might be thinking they don’t want to make a move because it means they’re getting older.  The message you’re getting when you’re moving is that you’re getting older and that things are changing.  My job is to help them so that it’s not a scary move.

Lisa Meinecke was introduced to Wesley residents at several town meetings will be interviewed on Channel 28.

–ilene little for Wesley Homes

Standing: Andy Herron, Bob Witman, Bill Humphries, Mal Bailey, Bill Nelson, Gordie Hefford, Ed Miller, Harry Keiffer. Kneeling: Will Gerring, Doc Huff, Dr. Ralph Reed, Ken Hoben

Wesley Homes veterans were honored on June 3, 2010 at the Second Annual GRCC Veteran Coin Ceremony at Green River College. 

The ceremony was presided over by Deb Casey for Veterans Council Recognition and included presentations by faculty members and veterans Carsh Wilturner, Marianne Jacobs, and honored speaker and veteran Pete Lewis, Mayor of Auburn.

Each resident was presented with a “challenge coin” in the tradition of the highly coveted military coins worn by military personnel to signify pride, honor, achievement, unity and espirt de corps. 

Dr. Ralph Reed holds the "Challenge Coin"

The tradition of the challenge coin began in World War I, when a downed U.S. Army Air Service pilot escaping capture by the enemy used the coin bearing his squadron’s insignia to identify himself as an American when crossing back over into US occupied territory.

 “It was a very nice program,” said resident Ken Hoben, “I thought it was very impressive, very complementary, and very generous.  The coordinating council did a great job and the speakers had some interesting stories.  I had no idea they were going to do anything like that.” 

Eye Witnesses to History

Several Wesley Homes residents served on the front lines and witnessed history in the making. 

“I was there on the second day that Americans went into Hiroshima, about a month after the bomb was dropped,” said Dr. Ralph Reed who served on a 214 ft. armed fleet tug boat, “After we went in, the Army declared it off limits.  I’m writing a book and the pictures I took that day will be in there.”

Dr. Reed also witnessed the famous flag raising on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima.  “Our tug took a landing craft up to the beach where we stayed with it until the next high tide,” he said, “from there I saw that flag go up.” 

Bill Nelson served as a torpedoman in the Navy.  Four weeks after the war ended he was reassigned to shore patrol on Okinawa.  There he saw the after effects of the battle site where so many Japanese either committed suicide by jumping off the cliff or died in the trenches.   

Cyril VanSelus, served with the 99^th infantry division in WWII, in a battalion aid station on the front lines picking up the sick and the wounded and getting them to the rear for medical equipment. VanSelus wrote his memoirs of the Normandy Invasion for family and friends.

“The invasion was in June in July and I got there in October and was there in the front lines for the rest of war,” said VanSelus.

Doc Huff served as a third-class quartermaster (QM3c) in the Navy Reserve.  “After they dropped the bomb and the war ended we went into Japan as part of the occupation.  Our ship went over to Shanghai China to pick up Japanese prisoners and bring them back to Japan to be repatriated.  Then we took the Chinese nationalist troops back to Manchuria,” said Huff, “we did two trips like that.   

Serving Stateside

Ed Miller was a pilot and flying instructor in the regular Air Force.  “I was drafted when I was 19, and for five years I was an instructor at a training command in the middle of Arkansas.  I trained the twin-engine advanced courses for pilots – teaching them how to fly at nights and in formation.” 

At least three of the Wesley Homes residents who served their country proudly were not present for the photograph.  They are Ed Pawlowski, Edward Miller and Cyril VanSelus.

–ilene little for Wesley Homes

Chef Neff teaches how to pick a tomato for taste, not looks.

Make changes in your diet to bolster your health.  You’ll feel better, have more energy and be able to maintain your active lifestyle.  That was the advice of Chef Cary Neff, as he entertained a full auditorium of Wesley Homes residents and guests invited to “Flavors 450”, a live cooking and tasting event May 27, in Des Moines, WA. 

You can re-train yourself – how to look for food, how to shop, how to store, and how to cook healthier, OR . . . you can go ahead and make the move to Wesley Homes, Des Moines Campus and be well ahead of the game. 

A healthy diet and how Wesley Homes is making that lifestyle change easy was the focus of the Flavors 450 event.  The term stands for Bursts of Flavor and only 450 calories per meal.  The food cooked and served was a sneak preview of recipes to appear on their dinner menus – created in conjunction with Morrison Management Services and Neff’s revolutionary cookbook, Conscious Cuisine. 

We’re not talking low-calorie, low-fat equals no flavor type of “change”.  We’re talking flavor bursts that you’ve probably been missing for years; especially if you remember a time where you grew healthy, flavorful food in your own garden.” 

Don’t you miss a tomato that tastes like a tomato – but that you can only get when it’s home grown or bought fresh from a local farm? 

Eating fresh, and learning how to plan a meal first around the vegetables in season and adding the protein as a compliment, was emphasized by Neff. 

Back to The Old Way

Neff teaches to select vegetables that are in season, like you did before canned vegetables and “better living through chemistry” confused “shelf life” with “fresh”.

A Second Chance for Peas

Neff also demonstrated simple ways to prepare fresh vegetables, like peas; the same dishes he prepared as a chef for Miravel Life in Balance Spa and Resort in Tucson.  Creamy English Pea Arborio Rice Risotto finished with Prosciutto and Parmesan Cheese, was one of several dishes he prepared for the event.

“I always hated peas when I was kid,” said Neff, “The reason I couldn’t stand peas and considered them “yucky” was because my Mom overcooked them.  As a chef I took to eating vegetables raw and experimented with cooking methods from different cultures.  That’s what allowed me to give peas a second chance.” 

Price vs. Quality

According to Neff, “the ingredients in the meals you shop for should not be bought directly on cost, but on quality.” 

For example the Arborio Rice he used in one recipe today costs more than Uncle Ben’s white rice, “but it also has more flavor,” said Neff, “And Prosciutto ham costs more, but because it has more flavor you can use less.” 

“That can of parmesan cheese that’s been in your refrigerator for months?  You’re going to have to use a lot more of that to get any flavor than if you use a freshly grated cheese,” said Neff, and if you consider that cheese has calories, less is better.

The Audience Response

Neff took questions from the audience, after which residents helped themselves to an elaborate array of food and drink samples which they enjoyed at their covered round tables adorned with fresh herbs. 

The cooking presentation was complemented by side table displays of fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which were the same ingredients used in the recipes and offered to the audience to experiment with at home. 

“What I found by watching my own mother in a retirement community is that seniors look forward to their meals,” said Neff, and the positive responses he was getting from talking to individual residents after the event seemed to validate that observation. 

Many residents commented on the flavorful Copper River salmon and vegetable skewers they sampled.  “They delivered what was promised,” said one resident.

“I wondered what do we need a cooking demonstration for,” said Evelyn Young, a long-time resident of Wesley Terrace. “But it was so much fun and I’m excited to see the changes that are coming to our dining program.”

It’s so much easier to make a change to healthy eating when it’s fun and organized for you. 

Such a holistic look at food source and preparation is not what one expects in continuing care facilities, but it is at Wesley Homes.  They have made a commitment not only to incorporate the Flavors 450 concepts of using fresh in-season ingredients, but also to provide entertaining and fun events, like the one today, to engage residents in developing healthy eating habits.

–ilene ltitle for Wesley Homes