Featured Articles
The Light Shines Through
by Jeff Thaxton
Liv Fun: Vol 7 – Issue 3
At Leisure Care, our employees have a very special role in the lives of our residents. Not only do we serve the seniors in our care, we aim to make each day in our communities just a little better than the last. This kind of quiet commitment to our LC family fosters relationships where we can truly get to know our residents on a personal level. We love sharing stories like this one that highlight the wonderful people in our LC family, both our staff and our residents.
“Have a good day Ted,” I sometimes say to Ted Siekerman, a quiet, cheerful resident at Fairwinds – Spokane in Washington State after our morning exercise classes.
“They’re all good days,” is his typical response.
I had the pleasure of meeting Ted in August 2015 when he first moved to Fairwinds – Spokane. He seems to carry his positive outlook with him wherever he goes. Perhaps part of the reason is how grateful he is for life. On November 6, 1950, while United States Marine Corporal Ted Siekerman was serving our country during the Korean War, he passed out after sustaining mortar shrapnel throughout his body. He woke up once on a Jeep ambulance and then a second time in a Korean hospital. The doctor attending to him said that he would never use his left arm again and would not work another day in his life. Imagine receiving this devastating news at 20 years old!
Instead of giving up, he refused to accept the doctor’s prognosis. Grabbing a small rubber ball he started squeezing it repeatedly to rebuild his arm strength. Through this, and range-of-motion exercises, he regained full use of his arm without anyone’s assistance. He remains grateful to the Marines, whom he served with for just over four years.
Liv Fun
by Leisure Care
Autumn 2018
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Our Hearts
by Tammy Kennon
We’ve entered a new frontier — we are the first generation to have a life expectancy of 65–79+ years. Technological and medical advances are largely responsible for this “Third Age,” and fortunately scientists have come along with us, continually finding actionable ways to extend our good health — and our good humor — in these newfound decades.
Heart-Shaped Map
by Pam Mandel
We joke that we met on a reality TV show, but the truth is just as unlikely. He showed up at sunset at Ayers Rock, and I recognized him right away as the person who’d come for my heart. Neither of us is from Australia, but there we were in the golden hour light at that place and time, open to whatever was going to happen.
The Light Shines Through
by Jeff ThaxtonI had the pleasure of meeting Ted Siekerman in August 2015 when he first moved to Fairwinds – Spokane. He seems to carry his positive outlook with him wherever he goes. Perhaps part of the reason is how grateful he is for life. While serving our country during the Korean War, he passed out after sustaining mortar shrapnel throughout his body.