David often says the great loves of his life are plants and Jesus. When David moved to Bickford we were updating our landscaping and we thought it would be great to have his input and help since he used to be a landscaper for The University of Colorado. David now proudly calls himself the head landscaper here as he helps maintain our courtyard. We even have weekly meetings to discuss his ideas for upcoming planting. He says he is lucky to have the opportunity to help but, truly we are the lucky ones. Our courtyard has never looked so good!

Resident Donna is a proud Ames resident and an even prouder Iowa State University graduate. Before our scheduled Branch trip to tour the ISU Alumni Center, we told our tour guide that Donna was a 1957 ISU graduate. When we walked in to the Alumni Center, yearbooks from the time that Donna attended were out and open to her pictures. Donna immediately recognized her college friends and shared her memories with the whole group.

Bob has a passion and talent for handy work. So when we got our new raised garden bed, Steve knew Bob was the guy to help him put it together. While putting it together, Bob mentioned his love for painting so Steve asked him if he’d like to help him stain both garden beds to match. Bob was thrilled to have a project to fill his afternoon and Steve was glad to have such a helpful partner.

Food can spark memories that the mind has forgotten. Bernice’s son shared that when she lived at home, at night she would make scrambled eggs, toast with jelly and a glass of orange juice. This became her comfort meal. On the nights that BFM, Darla sees that Bernice is in need of some extra comfort she prepares Bernice’s favorite comfort meal but tops it off with a sweet dessert! Darla said this not only comforts her but fills her with memories that are sparked by this meal. Bernice returns the favor by giving Darla a kiss on the cheek.

Teddy, a Shih Tzu mix dog and his owner, Bob moved to Bickford 7 years ago. BFMs and other residents love to take Teddy on walks, give him baths, and even haircuts. It’s safe to say that Teddy has us all wrapped around his little paw so it was devastating to the whole Branch when we learned that Teddy was diagnosed with cancer. Since Teddy is just as much a part of the Bickford family as the rest of us, our RN Coordinator, Heidi called hospice and asked if they would like to collaborate on a special day for Bob, Teddy and their other best friend, resident Bert. We hosted a Best Buddies Day for them with T-Bone steaks, twice baked potatoes, salad, and rolls. The special guest, Teddy was served fillet mignon and received a basket of toys and treats for always being such a good boy. The three of them were grateful for the special time they were given together.

Addie recently shared with us of some fun fishing memories from her past and how much she enjoyed those times over the years. Our BFM, Max just happens to be an avid fisherman so when Max found out we were doing a lunch outing at a local park, he jumped at the opportunity to set up a fishing trip with Addie and her friend, Patti. Luckily, they caught more than just a memory. Addie was smiling from ear to ear. I’m not sure who was happier, Addie and Patti or Max. One thing we know for certain is that they all added this experience to their fishing stories!

When Arthur moved to Bickford, he came from another community that he was unhappy at due to a lack of socialization and purpose. We had an interview scheduled for a new caregiver and Art expressed a lot of interest in the potential caregiver prior to the interview. We asked if he would like to help us interview the caregiver so that he could have a say in who was caring for him and all of his new friends. Art enjoyed asking her questions about her history and what made her want to become a caregiver. Then he proudly showed her his new home after the interview was complete. Art happily gave us the go ahead to move forward with this candidate.

Wally and Steve, our Maintenance Coordinator started growing giant sunflower seeds in our sun room and then planted them in our courtyard. Every fall they harvest the seeds and dry them out to plant again in our sun room every spring. All of our residents love to partake in this process every year. It gives Wally such joy to see the giant sunflowers grow tall in our courtyard. This year’s harvest was extra special because Wally was able to send some of the seeds to his sister in Florida with Steve’s help.