Keep Your Mind Active

Keeping the brain engaged through familiar and enjoyable activities may help maintain thinking skills and provide a sense of purpose.

• Read books, newspapers or magazines.
• Complete puzzles, word searches or simple games.
• Listen to music and sing along to favorite songs.
• Look through family photos and share memories.
• Participate in group activities such as bingo, crafts and other social activities.

Choose activities that are enjoyable and appropriate for your abilities. The goal is participation and connection—not perfection.

Keep Your Body Moving

Physical activity supports overall health and can contribute to brain health and emotional well-being.

• Take walks when possible.
• Participate in chair exercises or other activities appropriate for your abilities.
• Dance or move to music.
• Join an exercise program designed for older adults.

Even small amounts of movement throughout the day can be beneficial.

Eat for Brain Health

Good nutrition and hydration support overall health and help the brain function at its best.

• Eat fruits and vegetables every day.
• Choose whole grains and lean proteins.
• Include healthy fats, such as fish, nuts and olive oil, when possible.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

If you have specific dietary needs or concerns, talk with your healthcare provider or care team.

Get Good Rest

Good sleep is important for brain function, mood and overall well-being.

• Keep a regular bedtime and wake-up routine.
• Create a quiet, comfortable and relaxing sleep environment.
• Talk with your nurse or healthcare provider about ongoing sleep concerns.

Stay Connected

Social interaction helps keep the mind engaged and supports emotional well-being.

• Visit with family and friends.
• Join meals and group activities.
• Share stories, laugh and enjoy conversations with others.

Even a short visit can provide meaningful connection.

Reduce Stress

Finding ways to relax can support emotional well-being and help create a sense of calm.

• Listen to relaxing music.
• Spend time outdoors when possible.
• Practice deep breathing or quiet relaxation.
• Enjoy favorite hobbies and spiritual activities.

Follow Your Care Plan

Following your care plan is an important part of living well with dementia.

• Take medications as prescribed.
• Attend healthcare appointments.
• Tell your nurse or healthcare provider about any new confusion, pain or changes in behavior.

Changes in behavior or mental status can sometimes signal an underlying health concern, so it is important to communicate changes with your care team.

Remember: Meaningful Moments Matter

Living with dementia does not take away the need for love, purpose, connection and meaningful relationships. Every smile, conversation, activity and moment of connection can support emotional well-being and quality of life.

How Families Can Help

Families can support a person living with dementia in simple, meaningful ways:

• Visit often, even if the visit is brief.
• Bring familiar photos or favorite music.
• Share stories and memories.
• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Offer reassurance and a calm presence.
• Encourage participation in activities without creating pressure.
• Celebrate small successes and meaningful moments.

Together, residents, families and caregivers can help keep minds active, hearts happy and everyday moments meaningful.

Find a United Church Homes senior living community near you!

by: Thess Miller– RN Memory Program Coordinator

Stay Connected and Live Life Abundantly

The post Keeping Your Brain Strong: Dementia Care Tips for Brain Health appeared first on United Church Homes.

Dad’s Elders

My parents told stories about their own family elders. Some relationships were wonderful; others were dull or strained in an era when children were expected to be seen and not heard.

Dad remembered Sunday visits with his father’s parents, when he had to keep his Sunday clothes clean and stay on the front porch all afternoon. These were not warm, fuzzy grandparents.

On the other side of his family, the uncle for whom Dad was named offered encouragement and support. His advocacy helped Dad enter college during his senior year of high school, and he remained important in Dad’s journey toward ministry.

Mom’s Grandmothers

My mother spent much time in Warren, Ohio, where her parents grew up and both sets of grandparents lived. Her grandfathers died before my memories took shape, but I remember her grandmothers clearly. When Great-Grandma Lynn learned her first great-grandchild was named Elizabeth, she objected to “Liz” or “Lizzie” as my nickname: their first Model T Ford had been called the Old Tin Lizzie, and she did not want me named after a car. By the time I knew her, she could no longer manage the country house and lived in town with her oldest daughter and her partner.

Great-Grandma Lynn taught me to do puzzles—the big adult ones. At her card table near the front window, I helped find the edge pieces, which, I learned, you should always do first. She taught me that challenges can be faced together and with some strategy. She also showed me that love is sweet: snickerdoodle cookies were always waiting when I visited.

Great-Grandma Summers lived with her daughter, known to Mom and me as Aunt Lois. During yearly two-week visits to our house, she helped spark my desire to play piano. At night, Mom and her grandmother played duets while I fell asleep. I loved hearing them share the piano and laugh their way through the tunes. She liked to be useful and never minded when Mom handed her the mending basket.

She was also fiercely protective of her granddaughter. Once, family friends came for the day—and stayed several. Irritated by the noise and their disregard for Mom’s time and our home, Great-Grandma took the mending basket to the basement and told Mom to get her when they left. Sometimes you need to stand up to bullies and simply name what is happening.

Aunt Lois loved children and became a surrogate grandmother to the neighbors across the street and their two young children. She taught me Scrabble and how to use my tiles for the best score—but never let me win just because I was a kid. She won all the time and may be the source of my reputation for playing games full-out and, as others say, being competitive. More importantly, she showed me that family can extend beyond relatives and make a difference in a neighborhood.

My Grandmothers

My father’s mother, Grandma Long, was a survivor. The youngest of nine children—and one of only three who lived beyond infancy—she was the only daughter, with two brothers more than twelve years older. She nearly died herself; one brother carried her away and prayed that God would save this one. Her father and brothers were ministers, and I believe she would have followed that path had it been open to women in the early 1900s. She wrote letters and poetry, remembered birthdays, sent wishes near and far, tended plants with a green thumb, and served every church community she joined. Faith sustained her through difficult marriages and profound loss. Her Bible, filled with notes in the margins, remains a treasured legacy, and her poem-prayers continue to shape my spiritual practices.

Then there were her cousins Charlotte and Marie, and her sister-in-law Clara—all widowed. Marie and Clara had no children, and Charlotte’s sons lived elsewhere. Every holiday, Dad drove from Brunswick to Parma, Lakewood, and North Royalton to bring them to our home because none had learned to drive. At day’s end, he reversed the route. They interacted little with me or, later, my sisters, but Dad taught us that family supports one another—even when it means driving across the west side of Cuyahoga County on Easter afternoon after leading worship. You share the holiday meal with people you love; you do not leave others out.

I have many memories of Grandma Summers. She was the business manager of Grandpa’s “Shop,” a heat-treating company started by his uncle. She was also the family peacekeeper—important when several generations worked in the family business and then gathered for holidays.

When I was two and then three, I stayed with my grandparents while Mom and Dad attended a two-week conference each summer. I went with Grandma to the office and played with the equipment, joined her errands, and spent time in the children’s room at the bowling alley during her women’s league. At her weekly beauty-shop appointment, I listened to the women talk. We shopped at Higbee’s in downtown Cleveland and ate in its dining room, where I ordered potpie served in a cardboard oven. Apparently, I often came home with new shoes—which I assured Mom I had not requested. Grandma rescued me when I climbed too high in the backyard tree and taught me wildflower names on woodland walks. We were very close. From her, I learned the delicate balance of being a professional woman, mother, daughter, sister, and friend while tending to her own health.

We are family

I knew I was loved and belonged to this extended web of people. Even my parents’ stories about their grandparents helped me understand our family. All of them helped shape who I am today.

Except for Aunt Lois, that generation had died by the time I reached my mid-twenties. The first funeral I remember was Great-Grandma Lynn’s. I was not yet seven, and it took place in a funeral home’s parlor. Sitting with my parents, surrounded by Mom’s extended family, I was startled when her family was listed during the service and included me. I no longer remember whether my sister and I were named or simply listed as great-grandchildren. What I understood was that I belonged to these people, that my relationship mattered to her and the rest of the “clan.” It was a public claim of belonging that deepened the connection I had shared with her.

These generations are foundational to my life today. I now see the importance of becoming a connector between these beautiful, faithful people now gone and those who will follow. This is the circle of life—the power of intergenerational relationships as we journey into the future, sharing love, teaching life lessons, and living what matters most.

The post My Intergenerational Foundations appeared first on United Church Homes.

I’m not the young one anymore. I’m also not exactly an older adult. I’m somewhere in that weird middle where I can remember phones with cords, but I also know what a TikTok is. My son just turned 18, and every now and then someone will say, “You’re not old enough to have a kid that age.”

I’m never quite sure what they mean by that. I was 25 when I had him.

Maybe they’re trying to be nice. Maybe I just look younger than they expected. Either way, it’s a strange thing to hear because, for most of my life, I have actually wanted to be older.

My mom used to call me an “old soul.”

She wasn’t wrong.

I Was Never Very Good at Staying in My Age Group

When I was around 10 years old, I would sit in church with the older adults.

Not my parents. Not my friends. The older adults.

I had my pick of whoever I thought was funny or interesting and apparently I decided those people were my people.

They were old enough to be my parents, grandparents or, in some cases, probably my great-grandparents. I knew they were older than me, but I didn’t think of them as old people. They were my friends.

And I treated them like friends. They treated me like a friend, too.

Looking back, I imagine it was probably pretty funny to them—a 10-year-old kid who had apparently decided she had outgrown the children’s pew.

But those relationships mattered to me. I kept many of them for years. Some of those same people were at my wedding.

I think that’s one of the first places I learned something important about intergenerational relationships: age doesn’t have to determine who you connect with.

We often organize our lives into age groups. Kids hang out with kids. Teenagers hang out with teenagers. Young adults with young adults. Older adults with older adults.

There’s nothing wrong with having peers who are your age. But something is lost when we assume that the only people who can understand us, teach us, laugh with us or contribute something meaningful to our lives are people who were born within a few years of us.

I learned that lesson long before I knew there was a name for it.

My Favorite Reality TV Was My Grandma’s Kitchen

My grandmother was our babysitter until we were old enough to stay home alone.

I loved her house.

I would sit at her kitchen table and watch her make my lunch, do the dishes and put things away. She would talk to me, and I would talk to her.

Usually, there was a glass of milk and some Oreos involved because that was our version of fine dining.

But what I really loved were her stories.

She told me about life. She told me what my aunts were doing. She told me about the crazy things my grandpa was doing that irritated her.

It was basically reality television, the TV was my grandma and her kitchen was the production studio.

I loved every minute of it.

I didn’t realize it then, but those ordinary conversations were giving me something I couldn’t get from people my own age: perspective.

My grandmother had lived through things I had never experienced. She had memories I didn’t have. She had watched people grow up, make mistakes, fall in love, raise families, lose people and start over.

She carried history in her stories. And I was lucky enough to sit at the kitchen table and listen.

Even My Parents’ Friends Became My Friends

When my mom and dad had friends over for cards or whatever adults did for fun, their friends would bring their kids.

All the kids would go downstairs to play.

Except me.

I was upstairs playing cards with the adults.

I talked to them like I was one of them, and my mom thought the whole thing was hilarious.

At the time, I didn’t understand why. Now I do.

I think I simply liked people who had stories. I liked people who had lived enough life to have something to say. And, I appreciated their humor more than whatever the kids downstairs were doing.

I Even Wanted an Older Husband

This tendency followed me into adulthood.

When I started looking for a husband, I wasn’t interested in guys my own age.

I thought they were immature.

They weren’t serious about life. They weren’t serious about their faith. At least, that’s how it seemed to me.

So I found someone older who suited me just right.

I’m not saying I had everything figured out. I absolutely did not. I’m not saying I’ve arrived at some magical destination called Maturity, either.

I’m just saying that, even as a young woman, I seemed to gravitate toward people who had more life experience than I did.

It has always felt natural to me.

Then I Grew Up and Made a Career Out of It

For years, I was actually afraid to tell people my age.

I worried they would think I was too young for my job.

Maybe they wouldn’t take me seriously as a leader. Maybe they would assume I didn’t have enough experience.

I’m not ashamed of getting older. I’m not ashamed of looking older. I’m not ashamed of feeling older.

It’s just life.

And, honestly, aging has always felt a little bit like where I belong.

I realize that’s not everyone’s experience.

Some people spend their entire lives trying to feel younger. Some people dread getting older. Some people feel disconnected from older adults because they don’t know how to relate to them.

I don’t think I’m special because I have always been drawn to older people. If anything, I think I’ve just been unusually fortunate.

Somewhere along the way, I believe the Lord gave me a particular interest in older adults—and I’ve spent nearly my entire career working in senior living.

That has given me the opportunity to build relationships across generations in ways I never could have imagined when I was sitting in the church pew at 10 years old.

What Older Adults Have Taught Me

I’ve learned history from older adults. I’ve learned resilience.

I’ve learned that life rarely goes exactly according to plan.

I’ve learned that people can survive things they were certain would break them.

I’ve learned that families are complicated, marriages take work, grief changes you and sometimes the funniest stories come from the hardest seasons of life.

I’ve learned about careers, parenting, faith, love, disappointment and second chances.

I’ve also learned that wisdom doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes wisdom sounds like a story you’ve heard 14 times.

Sometimes it looks like sitting at a kitchen table with a glass of milk and a package of Oreos.

And sometimes it is simply the perspective that comes from having lived long enough to know that today’s crisis probably isn’t the end of the world.

That’s a pretty valuable perspective when you’re 15. Or 25. Or 43.

The Bible Has Something to Say About This, Too

Scripture doesn’t present wisdom as something we are supposed to keep to ourselves.

Psalm 71:18 says: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation.”

I love that.

Older adults aren’t simply people who have reached the end of their story. They have something to declare to the next generation. And the next generation needs to hear it.

Titus 2 gives us another picture of this kind of relationship, encouraging older men and women to teach and encourage those who are younger.

Generations need one another. Not one generation instead of another. One generation with another.

Intergenerational connections allow wisdom to move forward.

Aging Isn’t About Becoming Less Relevant

I’ve spent most of my life thinking older people were interesting. They weren’t interesting because they were old. They were interesting because they had lived.

And eventually, all of us will become the older generation.

The question isn’t whether we’re going to age. The question is what we will carry with us when we do.

Will we carry stories? Wisdom? Will we have relationships with people who are younger than us?

Will we make room for the next generation to sit at our table?

And will we be willing to sit at theirs?

The post I’ve Always Been An Old Soul appeared first on United Church Homes.

United Church Homes’ NaviGuide Program Earns NCQA

Case Management for Long-Term Services and Supports Accreditation

MARION, Ohio (Sept. 14, 2026) UCH Engage, LLC, a subsidiary of United Church Homes, has earned a two-year National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Case Management Long-Term Services and Supports (CM-LTSS) Accreditation for its NaviGuide program, effective Aug. 18, 2026, through Aug. 18, 2028.

The accreditation recognizes NaviGuide’s commitment to delivering high-quality, person-centered case management services that help older adults remain independent while navigating healthcare, community resources and daily living needs.

NaviGuide is a service coordination program designed to help older adults live independently at home while navigating the complexities of aging, healthcare and daily living. Through subscription-based services and participation in the CMS GUIDE Model (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience), NaviGuide pairs older adults and their families with a dedicated professional coordinator who serves as a trusted advocate, helping manage healthcare needs, coordinate services, provide caregiver support and connect individuals with trusted community resources.

For individuals living with dementia and their caregivers, NaviGuide offers personalized care navigation and coordination, caregiver education and coaching, ongoing monitoring and support, and connections to community-based resources that help older adults remain safely at home while reducing avoidable emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

NCQA Case Management Accreditation evaluates organizations that provide coordinated services and support to individuals with complex health and social needs. The accreditation reflects an organization’s commitment to quality improvement, care coordination, person-centered support and effective management of long-term services and supports.

“NaviGuide was created to bring peace of mind to older adults and their families by helping them navigate the often-complicated systems of healthcare, benefits and community services,” said Ken Young, chief executive officer of United Church Homes.

Through NaviGuide, subscribers receive support from a dedicated coordinator who serves as a personal guide and advocate. Services include:

• Assistance with Medicare and health insurance navigation
• Scheduling and coordinating medical appointments.
• Connecting individuals with vetted providers and community resources.
• Arranging support services such as transportation, meal delivery, grocery shopping and home repairs.
• Identifying financial assistance programs and benefits.
• Access to support via phone, text or email.
• Personalized care navigation and coordination for individuals living with dementia, including coordination of dementia-related healthcare, community services and other individualized supports.
• Caregiver education, coaching and support to help families understand changing needs, plan for the future and confidently care for loved ones at home.

• Ongoing monitoring and regular check-ins to identify evolving needs, connect families with respite and community resources, address barriers to care and help prevent avoidable emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

The accreditation validates NaviGuide’s comprehensive approach to helping older adults age in place while maintaining their health, independence and quality of life. It also recognizes the program’s commitment to supporting family caregivers and individuals living with dementia through coordinated, person-centered services that address both medical and social needs.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our team and the meaningful relationships we build with the older adults and families we serve every day,” said Kim Yoder, director of UCH Engage and NaviGuide.

As the needs of older adults continue to evolve, United Church Homes remains committed to developing innovative solutions that empower individuals to live where they choose, with the support and resources they need to thrive.

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About NaviGuide
NaviGuide is a subscription-based service coordination program from United Church Homes designed to help older adults live independently at home. The program pairs older adults and their families with a dedicated professional coordinator who helps manage healthcare needs, coordinate services and connect individuals with community resources. Services include healthcare navigation, daily living support, benefit discovery, personalized planning and ongoing advocacy. Learn more at www.uchnaviguide.org.

About United Church Homes
For more than a century, United Church Homes has been dedicated to transforming the lives of older adults with quality housing and compassionate care. Now recognized as the 19th largest multisite nonprofit senior living organization in the U.S., according to the 2025 LeadingAge Ziegler 200 ranking, UCH proudly serves nearly 7,000 residents across more than 90 vibrant communities in 15 states and two Native American nations. Driven by a mission to redefine aging, UCH creates a culture of community, wholeness and peace for those it has the honor to serve. United Church Homes continues to lead the way in shaping the future of senior living. For more information, visit www.unitedchurchhomes.org.

About NCQA
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also Recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices. NCQA can also be found at Twitter/X @NCQA and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.

The post United Church Homes’ NaviGuide Program Earns NCQA Case Management for Long-Term Services and Supports Accreditation appeared first on United Church Homes.

But the commitment runs much deeper. Employees also demonstrate their dedication to UCH’s mission through their financial gifts during the annual Employee Giving Campaign that serves as a celebration of staff and their contributions to residents’ abundant lives.

Generosity is rooted in a spirit of kindness that is found among UCH’s 1,400-plus employees who work in its more than 90 communities located in 15 states and two tribal nations.

Gloria Hurwitz, Vice President of Advancement

“What makes our employee campaign different is that there is no pressure to give,” said Vice President of Advancement Gloria Hurwitz. “Employees give because they believe in UCH’s mission – that’s what makes the campaign so special.”

The annual Employee Giving Campaign runs each fall from mid-September to mid-November. The most recent campaign raised nearly $130,000 with 59 percent of employees participating, well above the national average of 39 percent.

“As a result of the government shutdown that occurred last fall and on-going concerns about rising costs, we experienced a dip in the number of employees who contributed to our most recent campaign, Hurwitz said. “But those who were able, gave more.”

Employees may choose to direct their donations toward seven initiatives: My Community Project (support for the community in which the employee works); Wishing Well (“extras” not covered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for affordable housing communities); My Housing Community (improvements in affordable housing); the Center for Abundant Aging (education and initiatives that transform the experience of aging); Life Enrichment Fund (programs that enhance the daily lives, social connections, and well-being of residents); Employee Emergency Fund (immediate, confidential financial assistance for UCH employees facing unexpected personal hardships or disasters); and, Benevolent Care (ensuring residents who outlive their financial resources can continue to live in UCH communities with dignity).

Amy Kotterman, Senior Executive Director of Integrated Operations

Senior Executive Director of Integrated Operations Amy Kotterman, who has served on the steering committee for the central office for more than a decade, said many employees earmark their donations for projects within the communities they serve.

“You can see pride in residents’ faces when community improvements are made because their communities are their homes,” she said. “Community is part of our mission – along with wholeness and peace – so it comes as no surprise that so many UCH employees embrace the opportunity to support residents beyond the work they do.  I see it as an opportunity to pay it forward.”

Carol Gordon describes herself as a “cheerleader” for campaign team captains who lead fund raising efforts in their communities. She loves to see the sense of comradery among employees as they participate in events and activities throughout the two-month campaign.

Carol Gordon and Phil Hartje at Parkvue Employee Giving Event

“Some communities are really creative in the ways they build excitement for the campaign,” Gordon said. “Some have approaches that have become traditions, while others look for new ways to engage with employees each year. Coffee and donuts, appetizers, cookouts and tailgate parties are a part of most communities’ celebrations of employee giving. It’s universally recognized that if you serve good food, people will come!”

Music and raffles are also popular ways to promote the highly visible campaign.

Kylie O’Brien, the NaviGuide Service Coordinator at The Parkvue Community, recognized a need among staff last fall during the government shutdown when grocery prices were on the rise. She was quick in her response, organizing a food drive and setting up a food pantry for employees who needed support.

Kylie O’Brien and the Parkvue Community Food Pantry

Food insecurity is an important issue to O’Brien, who is studying to be a social worker. Her mother works at Parkvue and she’s been a part of the community for many years, as a volunteer and as an employee.

“There’s no shame in needing help,” O’Brien said. “Some of our employees needed assistance but were unable to access local food banks due to their work schedules. We located our pantry in a discrete area near the employee break room with no monitoring. About 150 bags of food were given away.”

“The kick-off events and ongoing campaign activities help connect staff to UCH’s mission and vision,” Kotterman said. “We give because we truly care.”

The post Living The Mission From The Inside Out appeared first on United Church Homes.

A First Call and a Frank Conversation

After graduating seminary, I began the arduous process of finding my first call as pastor.  I finally identified a congregation of serious interest.  Their profile provided a name of a local pastor who was supporting them in their search.  His name was Howard and had served as a senior pastor in this city for over thirty years.  As we got acquainted, Howard shared the opportunities and particular challenges of this congregation.  Lovely people. Interested in mission and youth.  An older group, eager for a new pastor.  Their previous pastor had retired after twenty-seven years of service there.  Howard knew of some personal and congregational issues over that pastor’s long tenure.  He didn’t sugar coat what he knew.

We discussed the challenges of following a long tenured pastor.  There would be high expectations for new ideas.  And probably a low tolerance for change.  Many patterns that had been set would need to be evaluated and possibly improved.  Probably there will be conflicts.  It would be all new to me, of course. I should mention that I was 26 years old.

Finally, after a frank conversation, I asked, “Howard, you know this situation.  Would you recommend that a newly minted pastor take this church as his first call?”  After a few seconds of silence, Howard replied, “No, I wouldn’t.”  I took a breath.  I liked the people I met.  They seemed enthusiastic.  But now it was my turn to reflect. Before I replied, Howard then added, “But if you feel called to this congregation, I will support you every step of the way.”

The Gift of a Mentor

I didn’t know at the time that this simple offer would change my ministry and even my life.  As a highly respected and experienced pastor, Howard became my mentor.  We met regularly to discuss those challenges he outlined and many more.  Indeed, as a young pastor with a lot to learn, the most important lesson was this:  I needed mentoring more than I knew.

Howard had those qualities that a good mentor can offer.  He offered me the benefit of his experiences, his own bumps and bruises navigating parish ministry for over a generation in this town.  Although I had grown up in a similar city, this town was more conservative, traditional, and taciturn.  At times, I needed Howard’s experience to guide me out of inadvertent dips into hot water if not catastrophic missteps.

He also opened his personal life to me.  As a single person, I had few friends in the area.  Working as a pastor left little time to meet people.  I experienced loneliness that compounded the normal stresses of ministry.  Howard introduced me to his family and invited me to many dinners and coffee klatches where I could just be myself, share a glass of wine, and relax.  He invited me to attend the local symphony with him and his wife and introduced me to others in his circle of acquaintances, some closer in age.  I began to feel that loneliness dissipate as I put down new roots.

A Door into Senior Living Leadership

Finally, Howard saw something in me that I didn’t know was there.  He served on the board of our denominational senior living ministry in the area.  While living in our town, I served on a subsidiary board with Howard planning a whole new retirement community nearby.  But one day, the CEO called me to a meeting with Howard.  They had identified me as a possible candidate to take a staff position managing a recently built life care residential building on the main campus about an hour away.

I had been serving my church for over seven years by then.  In the meantime, I had married (another local pastor) and just had a newborn child.  Howard had recommended me for this job.  While not parish ministry directly, this job involved working with a lot of people, leading a staff, and joining an exciting form of ministerial work I had never known about.

I remember telling Howard and the CEO that I had no training, no business classes or other preparation.  The CEO said, “we will teach you the business.  We need your people skills in this setting.  And there will be more opportunities to grow and lead in the future with us.”  In fact, I worked for over 19 years in that organization.  Then I moved on to several other leadership roles in other nonprofits.  The culmination of my career came when I served as president and CEO of United Church Homes from 2011 to 2025.

Throughout it all, I carried the wisdom and confidence gained from my mentor, Howard.  Though I had other mentors over the years, Howard’s love and wisdom sustained my heart.  Later in life, Howard was admitted to the nursing center where I was the administrator responsible for overseeing his care.  Our friendship had lasted over twenty years.  I was with him when he breathed his last, accompanying him on the final leg of his earthly journey.  His wisdom lives on in me.

Wisdom Passed On

Today I serve as a volunteer mentor for a new generation progressing through the middle years of their careers in nonprofit senior living organizations.  I find myself channeling some of the wisdom I learned from Howard long ago—trust your heart, lead with integrity, listen and provide honest feedback, never give up.  With Howard’s tutelage, I have accumulated a lot more wisdom. Mentorship remains one of the quietest and most enduring gifts we offer in ministry, nonprofit leadership, and senior living. In a way, there’s a circle that has become complete, generation to generation.

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Learn more about the impact of cross-generational relationships at this year’s Abundant Aging Symposium: Intergenerational Connections on October 16.

Visit https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/blog/2026-abundant-aging-symposium/ for more information and to register!

The Symposium on Intergenerational Connection will bring together thought leaders, practitioners, advocates, and community members for a day of learning, inspiration, and networking focused on strengthening relationships across generations.

The post Generation to Generation appeared first on United Church Homes.

Laura Farrell Appointed to LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors

COLUMBUS, OH (Aug. 31, 2026) United Church Homes is proud to announce that Laura Farrell, Vice President of Healthcare Operations, has been appointed to the LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors, recognizing her longstanding commitment to excellence in aging services and healthcare leadership.

Laura Farrell

Farrell’s appointment follows her receipt of the 2025 LeadingAge Ohio Visionary Leadership Award of Honor, a prestigious recognition celebrating her dedication, passion, and transformative leadership in serving older adults and advancing quality care across the continuum of aging services.

LeadingAge Ohio is a nonprofit trade association representing more than 400 long-term care, senior housing, hospice, healthcare, and aging services organizations across the state. The association’s mission is to advance solutions for exceptional care and successful living while advocating for policies, innovation, and resources that empower older Ohioans to live fully as they age.

As Vice President of Healthcare Operations at United Church Homes and Administrator at The Trinity Community at Beavercreek, Farrell has established a reputation for fostering excellence in clinical care, empowering team members and championing resident-centered services. Her leadership has played a significant role in enhancing quality outcomes while ensuring compassionate, mission-driven care for residents and their families.

“Laura’s appointment to the LeadingAge Ohio Board is a tremendous honor and a testament to the impact she has made both within our organization and throughout the aging services profession,” said Kenneth Young, President and CEO of United Church Homes. “Her vision, expertise and commitment to older adults make her exceptionally well-suited to help guide the future of aging services in Ohio.”

Farrell will collaborate with fellow leaders from across Ohio to help shape strategic priorities, advocate for aging services providers, and strengthen the quality of care and services available to older adults throughout the state.

“I am honored to serve on the LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors,” said Farrell. “Throughout my career, I have been passionate about ensuring older adults receive exceptional care and support. I look forward to working alongside fellow board members to advance innovative solutions and strengthen the future of aging services.”

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For more than a century, United Church Homes has been dedicated to transforming the lives of older adults with quality housing and compassionate care. Now recognized as the 19th largest multisite nonprofit senior living organization in the U.S., according to the 2025 LeadingAge Ziegler 200 ranking, UCH proudly serves nearly 7,000 residents across more than 90 vibrant communities in 15 states and two Native American nations. Driven by a mission to redefine aging, UCH creates a culture of community, wholeness and peace for those it has the honor to serve. United Church Homes continues to lead the way in shaping the future of senior living. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Parkvue Community Earns Prestigious CMS Five-Star Overall Quality Rating

Only skilled nursing community in Sandusky to achieve the nation’s highest quality designation

SANDUSKY, OH (Aug. 10, 2026) — The Parkvue Community, a United Church Homes senior living community, has earned a 5-Star Overall Quality Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), placing it among the highest-performing skilled nursing providers in Ohio and across the nation.

The distinction is awarded through CMS’ nationally recognized Five-Star Quality Rating System, which evaluates nursing homes based on three key areas: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Facilities receiving an Overall Five-Star rating are considered to provide “much above average” quality of care. Already recognized with a 5-Star Quality Measures rating, The Parkvue Community recently saw its resident survey rating improve to 4 stars, a key factor in achieving the highest possible Overall 5-Star designation from CMS. For families searching for skilled nursing care, the recognition is both meaningful and rare.

Of Ohio’s 911 CMS-rated nursing homes, only 210 currently hold the coveted Overall Five-Star Rating—just 22% of all rated, statewide. Meanwhile, Ohio nursing homes average just 2.9 stars overall. The Parkvue Community is also the only skilled nursing community in Sandusky to earn the highest overall CMS designation, underscoring its leadership in quality care throughout the region.

“This recognition reflects the incredible commitment our team demonstrates every single day,” said Christopher “Jedd” Rawlins, Regional Director of Healthcare Services, The Parkvue Community. “Every employee plays a role in creating an environment where residents receive exceptional clinical care while being treated with dignity, compassion and respect. We are honored to receive this distinction because it represents the trust our residents and their families place in us.”

Located on a scenic 26-acre campus near the Lake Erie shoreline, The Parkvue Community has served older adults in the Sandusky area for generations. Operated by United Church Homes, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior living and health care services, the community offers a full continuum of care designed to meet changing needs throughout retirement.

In addition to its award-winning skilled nursing neighborhood, The Parkvue Community offers:

• Independent Living
• Assisted Living
• Memory Care
• Fast Track Rehabilitation
• Skilled Nursing

Residents also enjoy a vibrant campus featuring restaurant-style dining, walking trails, an indoor aquatic center, fitness center, library, activity and craft spaces, a full calendar of social and wellness programming, and faith-inspired support through an on-site chapel and full-time chaplain.

“The Five-Star Overall Quality Rating reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional care and creating opportunities for older adults to live with purpose, dignity and peace of mind,” said Rawlins. “Families deserve confidence when choosing care for someone they love, and we are proud to be a trusted resource for the Sandusky community.”

The CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System is updated regularly to help individuals and families compare nursing homes nationwide and make informed decisions about care. For a search for providers in your area, visit: www.medicare.gov/care-compare/

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For more than a century, United Church Homes has been dedicated to transforming the lives of older adults with quality housing and compassionate care. Now recognized as the 19th largest multisite nonprofit senior living organization in the U.S., according to the 2025 LeadingAge Ziegler 200 ranking, UCH proudly serves nearly 7,000 residents across more than 90 vibrant communities in 15 states and two Native American nations. Driven by a mission to redefine aging, UCH creates a culture of community, wholeness and peace for those it has the honor to serve. As a founding member of Radiant Alliance, United Church Homes continues to lead the way in shaping the future of senior living. 

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We often assume that being generous only means giving something big: money, time, energy, sacrifice. We donate to our chosen philanthropies, mine being Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Trevor Project. Or we volunteer our time to projects that matter. Generosity can take effort because it often asks us to give part of ourselves, our attention, patience, comfort, resources, or time. But what if generosity could be simple? Abundant living is not only about having more to give; it is about living with a heart willing to share love and kindness in everyday moments. We may not all have tangible/valuable items to offer, but we all have the capacity to be kind.

Generosity Is More Than a Transaction

Generosity is not limited to grand gestures; it can be choosing to notice when a friend isn’t doing well and offering to be there for them. Generosity can be encouragement, enthusiasm, forgiving yourself and others, and having a sense of care with you as you walk about daily life. It can be going over to include the person who seems to be on the sidelines by themselves. Making sure everyone in the group has a chance to be active in a conversation. Or showing patience to an individual who you may not always agree with.

When Generosity Takes Effort

In that way generosity is not always simple; it can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. We may be having a difficult day ourselves and do not always carry the capacity to be enthusiastically kind. We have our own difficulties and situations that others do not know about. Generous living asks us to slow down, be patient, let go of our pride, and choose compassion even when we are tired. The effort doesn’t make our generosity any less true; it can make it more meaningful because it reflects intention.

Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundant Living

When considering to be generous, we often have “scarcity thinking”. This is the fear that our kindness given will be wasted, our time will run out, or the act of giving will not be satisfying and leave us feeling empty. We combat this with the root of Abundant Living: trusting that love grows when it is shared and that kindness creates connection rather than exhaustion. Generosity trains us to notice, and be grateful for, what we do have (compassion, presence, words, and opportunities) and offer it freely.

Why Generosity Enriches the Giver and Receiver

Generosity enriches both the person who receives it and the person who offers it. When we choose to give encouragement, patience, attention, or kindness, we create moments where another person feels seen and valued. That matters. A simple act can interrupt someone’s loneliness, soften a hard day, or remind them that they are not moving through life unnoticed. At the same time, generosity changes something in us. It draws us out of our own worries and helps us live with more gratitude, compassion, and purpose.

Love and kindness also have a ripple effect. When one person chooses to be generous in a small way, that care can move through friendships, families, workplaces, and communities. The receiver may pass that same kindness on to someone else, and the giver often discovers that life feels fuller when it is lived with an open heart. This is one of the beautiful paradoxes of abundance: when we give from the heart, we are not left with less. Instead, we often gain deeper connection, more meaning, and a stronger awareness of the good already around us.

Practical Ways to Practice Everyday Generosity

Give your attention: listen without immediately trying to fix or respond.

Give encouragement: text someone a kind word, write a note, or speak appreciation out loud.

Give patience: choose grace in moments of frustration.

Give presence: show up for someone who needs support.

Give kindness to strangers: smile, hold the door, offer help, or make someone’s day easier.

Give love consistently: look for small daily opportunities to reflect care.

Common Barriers to Generosity

Feeling too busy, tired, or emotionally stretched.

Believing generosity has to be impressive to matter.

Fear that effort will go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Comparison, resentment, or the belief that we do not have enough to offer.

Forgetting that even simple kindness can be a meaningful gift.

Live The Open-Hearted Life

Generosity can be costly, but it can also be beautifully simple. It may ask us to give our time, patience, attention, or comfort, but it can also begin with one kind word, one thoughtful message, one moment of grace, or one choice to include someone who feels unseen. Abundant living is not always about having more than enough in a material sense. It is about believing that love and kindness are worth sharing, even in ordinary moments.

Living open-heartedly means looking for small opportunities to give a meaningful part of ourselves. This week, that might look like listening more closely, encouraging someone who feels discouraged, offering help without being asked, or choosing patience when frustration would be easier. Generosity does not have to be grand to be meaningful. Sometimes the simplest act of love is the very thing that reminds someone else, and reminds us, that there is still goodness to share.

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Within its own context, there is wisdom there. Generosity can loosen our grip on what we have, turn our attention toward another person’s need, and remind us that abundance is meant to be shared.

But there is another side of generosity that receives far less attention.

Sometimes, the more difficult spiritual practice is not giving.

Sometimes, it is learning to receive with grace.

I learned something about that when I was in culinary school.

I was working hard on my education and, let’s be honest, I was a poor college kid working his way toward becoming a big, famous chef. Most Sundays, I would drive more than fifty miles to attend church with a family I had known for years.

I considered their children siblings. I considered Bob and Constance another set of parents. They loved me dearly, and I loved them.

Constance was the queen of the house, the very picture of grace and love. Bob was the pastor of the church. Together, I thought of them as my spiritual parents.

Bob—“the Alabama Slamma”—was a big, burly chiropractor and a charismatic preacher, truly a man whose voice could move mountains. Not only did they love me well, they cared for me when I came to visit. After worship, they would always take me along wherever they went for lunch.

Then came the familiar rhythm of the afternoon: worship, lunch, conversation, laughter, and a few hours of respite in their company before I began the hour-long drive back to college.

One Sunday, just before I got into my car, Bob swiftly handed me a folded $100 bill and said simply:

“For gas.”

I tried several times to give it back.

“No, it’s fine.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“You’ve already done so much.”

Bob laughed his big, burly belly laugh. Then his eyes became serious—loving, but serious.

“I know you need it,” he said. “So just say thank you, and accept it with a smile.”

Then he pulled me into one of his engulfing bear hugs.

I said thank you with a big smile.

And that was that.

That moment has stayed with me because Bob understood something I was still learning: sometimes receiving is an act of trust. Sometimes the most gracious thing we can do is stop resisting love when it is offered.

Many of us are far more comfortable being the helper than being helped. We know how to bring the meal, write the check, offer the ride, watch the children, make the phone call, or show up when someone is struggling. Giving allows us to feel useful, capable, and generous.

Receiving can feel different.

Receiving asks us to admit that we have a need. It may require us to surrender some control, allow another person to see our vulnerability, or accept that we cannot do everything on our own.

Perhaps that is one reason the story of the Good Samaritan continues to challenge us.

We usually tell the story by focusing on the extraordinary generosity of the Samaritan. A man is attacked, robbed, beaten, and left beside the road. Others pass him by, but the Samaritan stops. He tends the man’s wounds, lifts him onto his own animal, carries him to safety, and pays for his care.

The Samaritan becomes the example of what it means to love one’s neighbor.

And rightly so.

But there is another part of the story worth noticing: the wounded man receives the Samaritan’s help.

Jesus does not identify the injured traveler’s ethnicity, though his original hearers may have imagined someone from their own community. What matters is that the person who comes near is a Samaritan—someone whom many in Jesus’ audience had been taught to regard with suspicion, contempt, or hostility.

The wounded man is placed in the care of someone he might never have chosen.

Had they met under ordinary circumstances, social and religious division might have kept them apart. Yet on the roadside, the wounded traveler’s healing depends upon receiving compassion from the very person he may have been conditioned to distrust.

The story asks us not only, “Will you become a neighbor to someone in need?”

It may also ask, “Will you allow an unexpected person to become a neighbor to you?”

Of course, the wounded man may have been too injured to object. The text says he was left half-dead. But that vulnerability makes the story even more powerful. He could not preserve his independence. He could not control who helped him, dictate the terms of his care, or repay the kindness immediately.

He simply had to be carried.

That may be one of the hardest experiences for any of us.

When someone offers to help, our instinct is often to say:

“Oh, I don’t need that.”

“You really don’t have to.”

“Thank you, but no thank you.”

“I can manage.”

Sometimes declining is appropriate. Healthy boundaries matter, and not every offer must be accepted. But sometimes our refusal is not about discernment. It is about discomfort.

We do not want to feel indebted. We do not want to appear incapable. We do not want to inconvenience anyone. We may have spent a lifetime believing that our value lies in what we can accomplish, provide, or carry for others.

Yet when we automatically refuse sincere generosity, we may unintentionally close the door on someone else’s opportunity to love.

Perhaps the Spirit has stirred that person to act. Perhaps they have been given the time, resources, compassion, or ability to meet a need. Perhaps offering help is part of their own growth, healing, or calling.

Receiving graciously does not mean believing that we are entitled to another person’s generosity. It means recognizing a gift for what it is and allowing ourselves to say, sincerely and simply:

“Thank you. I receive this with gratitude.”

What gracious receiving looks like may change throughout our lives.

In one season, it may mean accepting an unexpected financial gift without immediately insisting that it be repaid.

In another, it may mean allowing someone to watch our children simply because they want to give us an evening of rest.

It may mean letting a church, neighborhood, or social community surround us during illness, grief, unemployment, divorce, or another difficult transition.

It may mean accepting the gift of respite, Sabbath, or sabbatical when our bodies and spirits have carried too much for too long.

And as we grow older, it may mean allowing someone to help with a daily task that has become more difficult—even before we are fully ready to admit that it has become difficult.

A ride to an appointment.

Help carrying groceries.

A hand with yardwork.

Someone accompanying us through complicated paperwork.

A meal delivered to the door.

A steady arm offered on uncertain ground.

These moments can challenge our sense of independence. But receiving help does not make us less valuable, less capable, or less fully ourselves.

It makes us human.

Community is not built only when strong people help those in need. True community is built when all of us are free to move between giving and receiving—sometimes offering strength, sometimes admitting need, and always recognizing that no one is meant to travel alone.

A gracious receiver gives something, too.

They give another person the opportunity to serve.

They give trust.

They give honest access to their life.

They give the community permission to become what it claims to be: a place where burdens are shared, gifts are exchanged, and love moves in more than one direction.

Perhaps generosity is not a straight line from the person who has to the person who needs. Perhaps it is a circle in which each of us, over a lifetime, takes our turn giving, receiving, carrying, and being carried.

As we journey through life, new opportunities to receive will continue to find us. The invitation is not to surrender our agency or accept every offer placed before us. It is to remain open—to recognize when grace has arrived through another person and to welcome it without shame.

Maybe being a gracious receiver is not the opposite of generosity.

Maybe it is one of generosity’s most sacred forms.

And perhaps learning to receive with openness, gratitude, and trust is part of what it means to age abundantly.

Questions for Reflection

When has receiving help been more difficult for you than giving it?

What feelings arise when someone offers you care, time, money, or practical assistance?

Have you ever declined a gift because receiving it made you feel vulnerable?

Who has been an unexpected “neighbor” to you?

What might you need to receive graciously in this season of your life?

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