Birches' senior bloggers start assisted living advice column
Seniors have a lot of questions about assisted living. What's the food like? Do you have to play bingo every day? How do you know when it's time to make the move?
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills has recruited two residents, Bob Kleinfelder and Charlotte Lillquist, to write a monthly blog series answering these questions.
The questions will primarily come from seniors at nearby senior centers who are curious about assisted living. Kleinfelder and Lillquist will each write one blog post per month answering a question from a local senior or other community members with questions about assisted living.
"Being at The Birches, I think I have accumulated some knowledge and insight into senior living. I hope I can relay to people what it's like to live in a community like this," said resident blogger Bob Kleinfelder.
Kleinfelder is the former editor of the Lions Club's LION Magazine, and has contributed blog posts to The Birches' blog for the past year.
Lillquist worked as a teacher and in various administrative roles for the United Church of Christ. She also completed some graduate coursework in counseling, because she likes helping people.
"I was planning to be a counselor. I didn't make it all the way. But I've always been a person who likes to listen to people and offer advice," said Lillquist.
Lillquist and Kleinfelder both believe their personal experience will help them provide useful advice to others navigating the path to assisted living, which is exactly why The Birches recruited them for the job.
"We know that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered before someone knows whether assisted living is the right option for them," said Birches' Executive Director Jackie Sander. "And we thought, who better to answer the questions than the seniors who actually live there?"
If you or a senior you know would like to submit a question about assisted living to Bob or Charlotte, email it to mbeatty@birches.net or mail it to Attn: Bloggers at Birches, 215 55th St., Clarendon Hills, IL 60514. To follow The Birches' blog and read Bob and Charlotte's blog posts as they're published visit blog.birches.net.
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, Ill. offers professional services to support the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual growth of the older adults who make it their home. The Birches offers purposeful programming and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call (630) 789-1135 or visit birches.net.