By Sara Browning
Nestled in the heart of the Morton
community, Brandon Wood offers the warmth of small town life combined
with all the comforts and benefits necessary to live independently,
keeping residents pleased to call it home.
A safe, comfortable
atmosphere — a convenient location — the services and amenities to
simplify life; seniors find it all right here at Brandon Wood! “At
Brandon Wood, the entire retirement community is home to our residents,”
says Kaye Strauch, Director of Brandon Wood for twenty-seven years. “It
is their home.”
Indeed, at Brandon Wood, residents are free to
live as independently as possible, coming and going as they please,
entertaining, socializing and, most importantly, enjoying the retirement
they have worked hard to achieve. “We offer our residents a unique
blend of affordability, comfort, and peace of mind. At Brandon Wood, our
residents lose their worries over home maintenance and security and can
relax and enjoy life,” Kaye says.
The Luxury of Choice
As residents of Brandon Wood Retirement Community, seniors have the
luxury of making their own decisions, whether choosing how they want to
live, which services they wish to use, or what they have for breakfast.
“Part of living a full and enjoyable life means having the freedom to
choose what you want,” says Kaye. “We don’t place limits on what our
residents can and cannot do. We encourage their freedom and
independence.”
At Brandon Wood, seniors enjoy independent-style
living in the privacy of their own apartment and receive assistance with
day-to-day activities as necessary. The community encompasses 69
maintenance-free apartments from which residents may choose to live in a
studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom home. Apartments feature a
kitchenette, a living room, a bedroom, a private bathroom with safety
features, walk-in closets, and neutral color wall-to-wall carpeting.
Residents may decorate their apartment with their own furniture any way
they choose. “Our residents can choose from the various styles of
apartments and floor plans that best suit their needs,” says Kaye.
While relaxing in their apartment, seniors have access to an
exceptional package of services including weekly housekeeping services,
ground and apartment maintenance (most with individually controlled
central air conditioning and heating), twenty-four hour security,
personal laundry services, podiatry services, pharmacy services, banking
services twice per month, scheduled transportation, and reserved
parking. Home health care is also available on-site, and residents have
access to a wellness clinic on a monthly basis.
Marjorie Porter
has lived at Brandon Wood for three years. “I lived alone for eight
years, and then one day I woke up and decided it was time for a change.
Brandon Wood is the best decision I have ever made! The other residents
are so nice. I still drive my own car and have a close, convenient
parking space. My room is close to the laundry facilities. I definitely
did the right thing at the right time coming here.”
Randy
Burnham loves apartment style living at Brandon Wood and became a
resident in December 2011. “It’s a very clean facility. I like that I no
longer have to go shopping for food, cook, or do the dishes. I also
love the small community of Morton. I drove a truck all my life, and I
didn’t want to be in a city with a lot of traffic. It’s very still and
peaceful here.”
Time to Eat
With
home-cooked options from which to choose, mealtime at Brandon Wood is
enjoyable! Residents receive their choice of three home-cooked meals
daily or any two meals served waitress-style in the beautiful dining
room overlooking the atrium. Residents can customize their own meal plan
and choose whatever foods they wish. Some options include scrambled
eggs with toast, bacon, and sausage; chicken à la king over biscuits
with whipped potatoes and gravy; barbecue beef with a baked potato; and
meatball subs with steak fries.
“On Wednesdays, we have a salad
bar, which is a huge favorite!” says Kaye. “And, of course, there’s
always desert: apple or blueberry pie à la mode, diet butter pecan ice
cream, and diet butterscotch pudding. We have sugar-free options, so
there’s something for everyone at mealtime!”
Dan and Cyrene
Eberle, who have lived at Brandon Wood for four years since moving to
Morton from Peoria, say the food is “delicious.” Dan enjoys fried eggs
for breakfast while Cyrene loves a slice or two of pizza for dinner.
“The food is great! And the people here are so nice and friendly and
help us whenever we want,” says Cyrene. “This is a wonderful place to
live!”
The couple is celebrating their 72nd wedding anniversary
this year. “I don’t know where you’d find a better place to call home,”
says Dan.
All the Comforts of Home
Home
just wouldn’t be home without the special amenities and activities that
make life more enjoyable. At Brandon Wood, residents can enjoy the
company of friends and family in one of two comfortable lounges and
seating areas. Seniors can also spend the afternoon learning new things
in a beautiful library. A gift shop stocked with convenience items
provides everything residents need. In addition, seniors may choose to
pamper themselves in the professional beauty and barbershop. And for
those who love spending time outdoors, fall weather lends itself to
strolls across Brandon Wood’s beautiful courtyard and patio area.
Brandon Wood’s comfortable community also lends itself to a full
schedule of planned activities and provides something for everyone.
Brandon Wood’s full-time activities director organizes a host of social
and recreational events, ensuring residents always have something to do.
Musical entertainment, shopping in town, coffee hours, and popcorn and
movies fill residents’ days with friendship, laughter, and good
old-fashioned fun.
“We have plenty to offer to keep our
residents busy. A number of our residents love to play cards in the game
room with their friends. Some residents like to create their own works
of art in the arts, crafts and games room,” Kaye explains. “Our
residents love to hear band concerts in Morton and Peoria Heights Park.
Some of our employees play softball, so residents attend the games. We
have musical entertainment several times a week — sometimes twice a
day! There’s plenty to do to keep our seniors active.”
Charlie
Scifres, a Brandon Wood resident for over two years who hails from
Indiana, is very active and loves to play golf. At nine-years old,
Charlie would accompany his father to the golf course at daybreak and
watch him play. Aside from golf, Charlie’s church and four children keep
him extremely busy.
“I wanted to stay in Morton, and all my
children are reasonably close. I love living at Brandon Wood. The staff
is top-notch. They’re friendly and helpful and efficient. They’re an
outstanding group of people.”
Carmel McCormick, a Brandon Wood
resident, loves the musical entertainment and exercise classes. “I love
the different activities, especially the ballgames. They keep us busy
here, and being busy keeps us happy!”
A Cut Above the Rest
What makes Brandon Wood different from other retirement communities?
According to Kaye, size is important. “The beauty of Brandon Wood is
that we are a small community. We know everyone here by their first
name.”
Longevity is also a factor as most of the staff at
Brandon Wood have been with the retirement community “since the
beginning,” according to Kaye. “The staff have built up relationships
with our seniors, and they know them very well. Some of our staff can
tell by what a resident orders for lunch if he or she is not feeling
well. The staff is genuinely concerned about the residents’ health and
well-being. Brandon Wood is designed to enhance our commitment to
fostering a healthy, satisfying quality of life that we believe our
residents so richly deserve.”
“If anybody is looking for a place
to stay, this is the place to look into,” says Carmel. “My son showed
me three different retirement communities, but I latched onto this one
immediately because of its great location and its ambiance. I love
everything about Brandon Wood!”
For more information on Brandon Wood Retirement Community, visit www.brandonwoodretirementcommunity.com or call 309-263-7341. Brandon Wood is located at 730 West Jefferson Street, Morton, Illinois 61550.