Blog

The webinar focused on discrimination against people with disabilities. After an hour and a half of examples, case law, and legal puzzles, it was wonderful to conclude the meeting by praising our staff for how well we’ve done to maintain a non-discriminatory environment. We even invite advocacy groups like Elders in Action to secret shop our community to keep us on our toes!

Often the term independent, when used in the context of independent living, is misconstrued to mean that individuals must be free from disabilities to live here. That is not the case! Independent, is used to show the level of services we provide directly to our residents, and places no limitations on the amount of assistance an individual can bring in through their own resources. Our resident population ranges from individuals who still commute to work every day, to individuals receiving end-of-life and hospice care. The beauty of an independent living environment is that we provide a relatively inexpensive platform which residents can then build upon with optional services and in-home care to suit their specific needs. Our model of independent living is all about connecting people to the resources they need to maintain an otherwise independent lifestyle.

Sadly, we noticed that the main source of this misconception appears to be current and prospective residents. We spent time discussing how we plan to further our education efforts, including a plan to address the resident council. We’re also working on our script for when prospective residents inquire with us, to let them know that using the assistance of a mobility device or an in-home caregiver does not automatically mean that they need assisted living. If there’s one lesson we took away from the webinar today, it is that providing fair housing is something that all of us – staff and residents – must work towards together.

This month we are looking forward to lots of celebrating. A big cause for celebration is the completion of our siding replacement project!  Remodeling is never easy, but having a good general contractor has definitely made things go as smoothly as we could hope. Thanks to all of our Homewoods residents for their patience as we accomplished this big goal. Our beautiful building has been updated and weather-proofed for years to come.

Another cause for celebration is the return of Annie! Annie Gehrke, is returning to Homewoods on the Willamette as our full-time life-enrichment coordinator. She has been terribly missed by those who remember her previous tenure with us. We always listen for passion when hiring, knowing that it is something an employee brings with them that cannot be trained or taught. Annie has passion for her work and for Homewoods. Those who know her are clapping with glee at the news of her return. Those who don’t know her are in for a treat. Please, introduce yourselves and tell her what your passions are. We are in store for a fun and eventful summer and a great year.

Many thanks to Joyce, Robin, and Karen who have kept us rocking and rolling –and organized(!) as we have been without a life enrichment coordinator. Many of the staff have stepped up to cover noticeable and not-so-noticeable activities functions in the absence of a coordinator for weeks, months, and in some cases years. We have a great team.

Finally, we have two big events coming up in June. On June 13^th, we will celebrate Father’s Day Homewoods style with barbecued burgers and hot dogs and music from the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers. We love to celebrate all of the great dads who live here at Homewoods. I hope that you will make reservations to attend if you are able. The other big event is our Annual Patriotic Picnic and Barbecue, to be held on June 27^th. This is our mid-year lalapalooza. We pull out all of the stops for this celebration of our independence as Americans with barbecued ribs and chicken served outdoors by the river. This year James Clem and Ken West will perform American roots music with a variety of stringed instruments. We are in for a treat and we are living well. Let’s celebrate!

I can remember hearing my grandmother say, “everything’s going to pot.” She was complaining about the state of the world which, in the 1970’s in southern California, was a far cry from the orderly, hardworking world that she had grown up in on the east coast. I viewed her observation as something that comes from being old. The world starts looking a little worn and stops making sense. I made a mental note: “Don’t let this happen to you.”

But lately I have been feeling like I know exactly how Grandma felt. Things don’t make sense to me when I look around and when I listen to the news. I sometimes feel a little out of step and less inclined to jump on a bandwagon. I especially felt this way listening to the news and events that led up to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Then I decided to turn my attention to what is working, what is right, what feels like home. I love this quote from the book of Phillipians in the Christian bible: Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is true, whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about these things.” (Phillipians 4:8). I see so many things at Homewoods every day that can be described in this way. For example, this week one of our community members stops by with his little dog in his arms, his face all lit up with smiles, and offers me warm wishes for the day. “I like to keep things positive” he says. I felt encouraged by him. I know of relative strangers, neighbors yes, but not exactly friends, who reach out and offer all kinds of tangible assistance to someone who is out of the building convalescing. They do this without being asked: offers to help with housekeeping, meal prep, grocery shopping, even help with expenses. How wonderful people are.

All of this reminds me of one of my favorite songs from a musician by the name of David Wilcox. I heard him sing it right after the events of September 11, 2001 and took comfort in the hope that he expressed. One line in particular has stayed with me. The song is called “Show the Way.”

“It’s love who makes the mortar, love who stacked these stones, and it’s love who made the stage here, though it looks like we’re alone. In this scene set in shadows, like the night is here to stay. There is evil cast around us but it’s love that wrote the play.”

As we go into this, both the darkest and holiest of seasons, may you all hold fast to that which is truly yours, the love of friends, family, and even strangers. It is love that wrote this play.