holidays

Mom and Dad haven’t been the same for some time. As their kids grew older and moved hours away, and they sold their family business, many of the joys of conversation and socialization were lost. They now watch hours upon hours of television—Mom occasionally works on some of her favorite pastimes, like crafting and sewing. …

“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, Cause no matter how far away you roam, If you want to be happy in a million ways, For the holidays you can’t beat home sweet home!”* Most of us would agree with this sentiment so warmly expressed by Pennsylvania native son and crooner Perry Como. …

“Susan, is that you? Oh Susan, it’s so lovely to see you. It’s been years and years!” a mother calls out to her son. He visited her memory care facility just yesterday, to prepare her to see the grandkids and spend time with her one-on-one. Still, she conjures up images of her best friend from …

Long after children have grown, mothers continue to have a strong influence on their children’s lives. Adult children, particularly daughters, often reach out to Mom, by phone or with a visit, when they need a sympathetic ear or the voice of experience. Research has shown that when daughters are facing challenging situations, they generally have …

An Irish saying proclaims, “There are only two kinds of people in the world, the Irish and those who wish they were.” That statement of pride contains more than a grain of truth, at least on March 17, when the Irish and non-Irish alike celebrate with the wearing of green, festive gatherings and maybe a …

In the middle of winter, it’s nice to warm our hearts with a day that celebrates love and friendship. Though we tend to think of Valentine’s Day as one of romance, it began as a day to honor saints. The romantic association came later, and while it remains the holiday’s focus, we now recognize love …

As we anticipate a new year, some of us consider meaningful ways to improve our lives—physically, mentally, spiritually or socially. But the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions predates modern times. Babylonians, Romans and Medieval knights began each year by making sacred promises to adhere to expected standards of behavior. Today we make resolutions to …

Whether we’re normally a pollyanna or a scrooge, and regardless of our age, the holidays really can bring out the child in all of us. Beginning around Thanksgiving, we see it in the cheerful faces of our residents, even those who are experiencing challenges in daily living. Everyone’s in the holiday spirit at Country Meadows …

Thanksgiving is Americans’ second-favorite holiday, following Christmas, according to a national Harris Poll of a cross section of adults in 2015. Travel statistics back that up, with Thanksgiving also coming in as the second most popular holiday for both air and land travel. The industry trade group Airlines for America predicts that a record 28.5 …