News Archives - Page 8 of 10 - Jackson Creek Senior Living

Since Jackson Creek Senior Living implemented telehealth methods nine weeks ago, resident medical appointments have seamlessly continued throughout the COVID-19 shutdown, even without doctors present.

At Jackson Creek, telehealth — which means employing remote telecommunications technologies, like video conferencing, to support long-distance clinical health care or administration — has allowed the community’s three rounding medical providers to conduct most of their appointments with residents remotely, via FaceTime.

“It’s been a really good experience, and it’s great we are still maintaining the same amount of service and attention for their patients,” said Jackson Creek Wellness Director Corina Walker. “I feel like it’s a necessity. We need physical rounding in our building still, so it’s been a blessing.”

During a telehealth appointment, a staff member from the nursing or activities department will visit the resident’s apartment and contact their doctor via FaceTime, either on an iPad, a computer or an iPhone (one doctor prefers WhatsApp). The staff member will perform any physical checks on the patient the doctor requests, like testing whether a resident’s skin feels warm, or checking for swollen glands. But just like in-person medical appointments at Jackson Creek, the doctor is the one who controls the conversation, Corina said.

“At this point we haven’t really seen a lot of downfalls of telehealth,” Corina said. Our staff are hands on, walking the iPhone or iPad to their apartment and staying there for the length of the appointment. This system has also enabled a little bit more social interaction with the residents, so the time that is involved is actually a good way for us to spend our time.”

And with the help of the nurses sitting in, a telehealth appointment easily replicates the care a resident would receive during an in-person doctor visit. If a resident has a visible medical issue, the staff member lets the doctors see the screen so they can view the area up close and personal. Then, if necessary, the doctor decides whether it’s appropriate for the resident to be transported to another facility for further care, like the hospital or urgent care.

Now that nationwide social distancing restrictions have begun to ease, two of the community’s three rounding medical providers have elected to continue using telehealth, while the one rounding physician who is coming into the building wears a mask and is subject to temperature screenings.

Robbie Larson, whose mother is a resident at Jackson Creek, said her mother’s four telehealth appointments have operated so similarly to the traditional, in-person doctor’s appointments she has had here, she has not even remarked on the difference.

“I haven’t had any complaints from my mother about it,” he said. “I’ve talked to her doctor afterward and he’s been able to see any of her body parts he needs to ask questions about. He and my mother seem to have communicated really well with it. Having telehealth has been great because the residents can’t see the doctor right now, so it’s worked out well. We’re really pleased.”

At Jackson Creek Senior Living, residents receive high-quality medical care from our stable of dedicated, highly trained rounding providers. Want to learn more about telehealth, medical monitoring and wellness services at Jackson Creek? Contact us at 719-259-1331 or schedule your tour.

Depression is common amongst people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, especially during the early and middle stages of the disease. Since May is Mental Health Month, as deemed by the National Institute of Mental Health, it seems apt to take another look at the connection between mental health and memory loss.

If your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s, the associated memory loss and cognitive difficulties can make it difficult for them to articulate their feelings or moods, which then makes it even harder for their caretakers and families to identify symptoms of depression, if they exist.

Identifying depression in someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia can also be difficult because some of the same symptoms can result from both. Examples of symptoms common to both conditions include apathy, loss of interest in activities and hobbies, social withdrawal, isolation, trouble concentrating and impaired thinking.

Caretakers should note that individuals who have suffered from depression in their lives are at greater risk for developing dementia. In fact, depression at a younger age is a significant risk factor for dementia, according to a 2010 study published in the medical journal Neurology. This connection is possibly due to inflammation that occurs in the brain when a person is depressed. Certain proteins found in the brain also increase with depression, another factor that may increase the risk of dementia going forward.

Depression in dementia or Alzheimer’s doesn’t always resemble depression in people without these conditions. It may be less severe or long lasting, and symptoms may come and go; the person may also be less likely to talk about or attempt suicide. In addition, the cognitive impairment experienced by people with dementia or Alzheimer’s often makes it difficult for them to articulate feelings of sadness, hopelessness, guilt and other feelings associated with depression.

The National Institute of Mental Health’s guidelines for diagnosing depression in people with dementia or Alzheimer’s are somewhat different from the DSM-V’s diagnostic criteria for major depression. For someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s, a diagnosis of depression is more likely to recognize irritability and social isolation as symptoms of depression, while being less dependent on explicit verbalization of depressive feelings.

When depression is left untreated in people with dementia, symptoms of confusion and forgetfulness can become worse, which can further damage their quality of life. When caring for adults with these types of cognitive issues, caregivers should be on the lookout for actions that communicate depression, such as negative comments and expressions of sadness, or displays of apathy toward activities they used to enjoy.

Some tips for caregivers looking after someone who is suffering from both memory loss and mood issues include helping them to step up their exercise routine, encouraging socialization, starting a meditation/quiet time routine and engaging them in conversation and activity.

If you suspect your loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia also suffers from depression, your first step is to discuss the issue with your loved one and with their primary doctor. If necessary, take your loved one to see a doctor or geriatric psychiatrist for treatment, which may include a prescription for antidepressants and/or talk therapy.

Jackson Creek Senior Living offers all-inclusive memory support apartments that feature access to meals, medication management, community amenities and services and customized care plans, determined for each resident prior to move-in. Call us at 719-259-1331 if you need help determining the best memory support option for your loved one.

The practice of gardening, or cultivating the land to grow crops, has been proven to offer a range of psychological, physical and cognitive benefits, which is especially good news for seniors.

Older adults who take up the healthy hobby of gardening are giving themselves the opportunity to stay young, feel young and think young well into old age. And the good news is, it doesn’t take much for them to get started: just a small dirt area and a few packets of seeds.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of perks for seniors who try their hand at gardening.

It offers major cognitive benefits

Seniors who try gardening tend to realize significant benefits to their cognitive skills as they age. A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia that followed people in their 60s and 70s for up to 16 years found that gardeners had a 36% lower risk of developing dementia than non-gardeners, even when the analysis took other health factors into account.

Tending a garden also provides a rich sensory experience that keeps your senses sharp. In fact, memory support communities sometimes have “wander gardens” where residents can wander without getting lost, and the sights, smells and sounds of the garden help increase residents’ relaxation and enhance their sensory systems.

It keeps you physically healthy

By increasing your amount of exercise and keeping your body active, gardening can help reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease and control high blood pressure. It’s also an activity that burns a lot of calories — up to 300 per hour — and helps you save them when you eat the nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables you grow. According to the American Journal of Public Health, men and women who garden are less likely to be overweight or obese than those who don’t.

Gardening helps decrease the effects of osteoporosis via repetitive movements that strengthen joints and bones. In addition, engaging in regular physical activity outdoors while exposed to the sunlight prompts your body to manufacture Vitamin D, which helps improve your immune system.

It bolsters your psychological wellness

Tending a garden can also be a great source of stress relief, in part because it is a meditative activity that helps you enter a higher state of consciousness and clear your mind. In fact, Dutch researchers found that a half-hour of gardening helped subjects combat stress better than another popular leisure activity: reading.

Gardening also benefits your mental health because it provides a free source of anger management, so that you can take out your frustration on the dirt, not on others. Another benefit of gardening is that it bestows a sense of purpose and responsibility and teaches you new skills that foster a sense of confidence, can help seniors decrease depression and anxiety.

The Jackson Creek Senior Living campus features raised garden beds that residents can tend, along with gazebos, walking paths and an outdoor dining area. To learn more about gardening and other fun (and healthy) activities at Jackson Creek, contact us at (719) 259-1331.

Written by Benn Farrell for The Tribune of Monument

In a time of stay-at-home orders, senior living communities in Monument, like many around the country, have been forced to create ways to keep their residents “social” while keeping safe social distance to protect them from COVID-19.

For Jackson Creek Senior Living and Bethesda Gardens Monument Assisted Living & Memory Support, creative ways of entertaining and keeping residents connected have constantly evolved over the last few weeks and continue to stretch their respective staff’s imaginations.

Activities Director Melinda Sukle at Jackson Creek Senior Living, 16601 Jackson Creek Parkway, said between the three levels of care the community offers — independent, assisted and memory support — most of the residents are precognitive of the outbreak situation. The majority of the center’s memory support residents need reminding of the social distancing, and the staff adheres to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control in regards to assisted living communities.

“We are not a medical facility,” Sukle said. “We provide more of a home environment, but the [memory support] residents see the staff wearing masks. They aren’t seeing the people they used to be seeing every day. They aren’t dining together anymore. But our staff has been amazing and are an extended family for the residents.”

Jackson Creek Senior Living began its preventative quarantine on March 17, prior to many assisted living facilities, per the CDC recommendations. Sukle said from the first day, the transition has been a work of creative consorting. “From Day 1, my staff and I put our brains together to decide if we implement [quarantine], what are we going to do?”

One of the ideas Sukle and her staff generated was to begin circulating dining carts carrying a variety of donated, sterilized items like magazines, craft kits, devotional items, trivia games and crossword puzzles, among others, which are taken to residents door-to-door. Residents have also been provided with a full array of art supplies, Sukle said, which came from the center’s volunteer staff collecting items from outside.

Staff at Jackson Creek Senior Living loaded up a beverage cart with non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks available to residents in a way of “bringing the party to the people,” since after-hours gatherings are not an option presently, Sukle said.

Ice cream socials are also a custom at these facilities. At Bethesda Gardens, 55 Beacon Lite Road, staff has set up an ice cream cart that delivers door-to-door, decorated with balloons and ribbons, that plays “ice cream truck music,” said Kris Gillen, Bethesda’s vice president of sales and marketing. Residents are able to open their doors and partake while remaining in their own safe environments.

“It is a challenge to try and keep them as socially active as possible,” Gillen said. “One of the reasons people choose a senior living facility, as well as for the hands-on clinical skills available, is for the socializing aspect. We are trying the best we can to think of things to keep them engaged and not so isolated during these times.”

Jackson Creek Senior Living also started what Sukle describes as “ice cream social distancing activity.” Although residents are encouraged to stay within their respective apartments, they are allowed to walk through the facility to retrieve their mail and other needed items before returning to their dwellings. Sukle said making sure residents get individual physical activity has been important to the staff, as well as their attempts to maintain personal connections for them.

Gillen said at Bethesda Gardens, the largest amount of positive feedback they’ve received regarding their quarantine activities programs has been regarding scheduled Facetime or Skype meetings for residents with family members. Bethesda dedicated staff to facilitate the virtual family visits so residents can stay in touch with loved ones on the outside.

In addition, the company has a feature on its app where residents can record video snippets with guided questions to answer and stories to tell, which are then shared where family and friends can watch them. Gillen said those programs have been the most popular for residents and their families.

“It’s hard on them and hard to take the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to away from them,” Gillen said. “They still worry about their families and their grandchildren who may not be as well protected as they are. They are understanding, but it has taken a toll on them.”

Jackson Creek Senior Living has also implemented a FaceTime and Skype program for residents to remain connected, depending on what families have available, Sukle said. The facility has a collection of iPhones that are routinely sanitized and can be used by residents. Some families have even asked to have a Skype camera installed in their loved one’s apartment for more regular contact.

As the programs and activities at these communities continue to evolve over the coming weeks, both assisted living facilities have received volunteer support from the communities of the Tri-Lakes region. There is always a need for help keeping residents entertained, even from outside quarantine.

Sukle said she has noticed the residents highly enjoy current editions of magazines without a lot of advertising, like National Geographic, Smithsonian and classic car magazines. “Those are the magazines which really seem to speak to this older generation,” she said.

In addition, Sukle said a donation of a daily subscription to The Gazette would be highly useful.

Gillen said at Bethesda, children from the surrounding areas have been creating notes and cards for residents, which are dropped off at the front door and are later dispensed after assuring no threat of contamination. Some have even been taped up on the outside of residents’ windows.

“Those notes for the residents have been very encouraging,” Gillen said. “The folks of Monument have been great.”

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Since older adults are at a higher risk of COVID-19 complications than the general population, the U.S. federal government has recommended that nursing homes and assisted living communities restrict visitations until further notice, in order to minimize health risks.

But for seniors in our communities, the isolation that accompanies self-quarantine can come with a cost: loneliness, anxiety and depression, each of which are proven risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s, dementia and other serious health problems. While communities like Jackson Creek are equipped to continue to engage and care for their residents during social distancing, maintaining a connection with their family is important.

While face-to-face contact may not be possible right now, there are ways for families, friends and spouses to stay engaged with these seniors while responsibly practicing social distancing.

One of the most obvious ways to bridge the communication gap is to make sure to call, email and text your loved one more often, whether you discuss the weather, current events or what you had for breakfast. This verbal and written connection with you is invaluable, but obviously, it takes effort.

When it comes to frequent communication with your loved one, be creative. For example, eat a meal together or watch a TV show over the phone. And if community staff can help your loved one get set up with their mobile device, tablet or laptop, you might even be able to add a visual element to your call using video communications tools like Skype, FaceTime or Zoom. The managers at Jackson Creek are happy to help with FaceTime calls!

Another way senior living community staff can help families maintain connections with their loved ones is by filling in the social gaps. Families may be able to work with staff to set up a favorite movie, game or activity for their loved one, if the request is within reason.

It’s also a good idea to send care packages so your loved one knows they’re in your thoughts. Items might include books and magazines, snacks, bath and body products, movies, stuffed animals, a handwritten note or even a digital picture frame. And some brands, such as the Nixlay Seed Wi-Fi digital picture frame instantly connect to Google Photos, Dropbox, Facebook and Instagram so you can send your loved one current photos in real time.

Senior-friendly devices like the GrandPad Senior Tablet can also help isolated seniors maintain social connections. GrandPads run a customized version of Android software designed specifically for older users and features larger icons and text for those with vision issues, as well as more intuitive pathways for clicking through to your destination. It provides many special interest apps too for weather, games and photo sharing.

At Jackson Creek, we’re working to maintain our residents’ quality of life while practicing social distancing and following health and safety protocols. To learn more about life at Jackson Creek, schedule your virtual tour online or call us at 719-725-6060.

While it may be an uncomfortable topic or you think there’s no hurry, it’s beneficial for seniors and their families to start exploring the variety of options in senior living before it may become a need, such as in a moment of crisis, injury or illness.

And as difficult as it may feel, planning or at least exploring senior housing with seniors while they are healthy and independent can help make the process less stressful if a move does become necessary to help ensure someone’s quality of life in later years.

Here are some of the biggest reasons to examine options with your loved one now:

It can be dangerous to live alone

As seniors’ bodies age, they will experience an increased risk of accidents from even the most mundane household tasks, from doing yardwork, to sweeping the floor, to folding the laundry. As immune systems weaken, less hygienic conditions become even more dangerous, and walking down a slippery driveway to retrieve the mail can lead to a fall that limits their mobility. But by understanding your loved one’s senior living preferences and concerns now, you can be more confident they’ll stay safe in the years to come.

Living in a community makes it easier to stay social

Senior living communities make it easier for seniors to socialize in groups, engage with others, express themselves and discover new interests. Feeling isolated has a negative impact on seniors’ physical and emotional health, and research shows that loneliness and depression can even shorten one’s lifespan. Ensuring proximity to social events, activities, classes and friends can help your loved one ward off the isolation particularly common after late-in-life events like retirement or the loss of a spouse.

A hurried decision can lead to financial mistakes

It’s important for seniors to reserve enough time to choose the right senior living community for them, considering their finances, available housing types and possible locations. With many kinds of senior housing serving many different needs — including independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing facilities — it’s a good idea to start researching now. Looking at the big picture early on will give you and your loved one some idea of what is affordable down the road, without running into financial trouble.

It can be difficult to sell your home

Any last-ditch decision about senior living can be a potential drain on you and your loved one’s time, resources and finances. While downsizing in real estate is typically good for the pocketbook, it’s still important for your loved one to sell in a market that will maximize their original investment. Seniors who try to navigate the process themselves may also fall for an unscrupulous or predatory broker.

Choosing the right senior housing option can be a hard decision. Choosing Jackson Creek is easy. Learn more about our exceptional lifestyle during a complimentary private tour. Schedule your visit online or call us today at 719-725-6060.

The Jackson Creek Senior Living community is designed and staffed to support all facets of health and happiness for our residents and their loved ones. Our independent living, assisted living and memory support apartments offer opportunities to build friendships and explore new hobbies, with the peace of mind that our 24/7 staff is available to provide additional support if it’s ever needed.

Jackson Creek Senior Living residents Edmund (Ed) and Patricia Krekorian will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in June. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the couple, who have lived at Jackson Creek since November 2018, told us about their long, happy life together:

Ed and Patricia’s marriage represents the union of a southern girl and a northern boy. Patricia, from Atlanta, and Ed, from Boston, met in 1950 through Patricia’s brother, who like Ed, was a second lieutenant stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas.

“Second lieutenants back then didn’t get much pay. I was broke toward the end of every month and had to sponge meals off married friends,” said Ed. “So, I went over to Patricia’s brother’s and his wife’s house one evening to have dinner and there she was. For me, it was love at first sight.”

Patricia, who had been visiting on break from graduate school, said, “Ed’s kind nature and gentleness were what I first noticed about him.” Patricia was 20 at the time, Ed was 23. Ed added, “in addition to a great figure, she had a certain calmness and dignity which she maintained throughout our marriage.”

“The three weeks Patricia was at Fort Bliss we spent together what time I could get off,” Ed said. Three months later, Ed took leave to visit Patricia and meet her parents in Georgia. During that visit Ed proposed and Patricia accepted. Months later, the couple ﬂew to Boston to visit Ed’s parents. On June 30, 1950, the couple were married. The Korean War had just begun. A few weeks after the wedding, Ed, a former World War II Marine, was on his way to Korea, where he commanded a platoon of automatic weapons in the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.

Ed said he really admired Patricia for her independence while he was gone. She got a job teaching art in an Atlanta High School, lived off her salary and banked Ed’s army pay. Returning from Korea after nine months, Ed soon began medical school. By this time, the couple had a two-year-old son. Patricia got a job at the medical school in the microbiology department as a lab technician. When Ed graduated, Patricia was chief technician in the department.

Eventually, Ed was assigned to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC as the director of the head and neck surgery department. Patricia became “Mother Superior” for the wives of the 16 residents Ed was training. She also taught painting classes for officers’ wives and arranged flowers on Sundays at the Walter Reed chapel. By this time, their family had increased to three boys and one girl.

In 1970, after three weeks of parachute training, Ed went to Vietnam to serve as division surgeon and then commander of a 400-bed evacuation hospital. Returning home, Ed retired from the army in Denver, joined the faculty of the medical school as professor and was appointed Director of Head and Neck Surgery at Denver General hospital. Patricia stayed active as an artist, and had paintings in galleries in Aurora, Greeley, Denver, Fort Collins, Estes Park and Santa Fe. She was elected president of the Colorado Artists Guild for two successive years.

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day 2020, Patricia offered some advice to couples looking to make their relationship last: “Be considerate. Respect each other. Just love and respect, kindness and thoughtfulness. All of that.”

For his part, Ed said their life together has been exciting, rewarding and wonderful, but there’s no real secret to a long and happy marriage. “We just enjoy being together,” said Ed. “She’s been a wonderful mother. And she has a good sense of humor. She laughs at my jokes.”

“He’s a good, good person. He’s just good,” added Patricia. “Some people are just so wrapped up in themselves they forget to be kind.”

Now that they are residents at Jackson Creek Senior Living, Ed and Patricia keep their love alive by doing things together.

“I’m writing my fourth book, which is about two-thirds done now. And Patricia reads a lot of it. She paints a lot, too,” said Ed, pointing to a picture on the wall. “She painted those two eagles yelling at each other.”

Our lifestyle at Jackson Creek Senior Living is centered on fostering wellness from every angle: Social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical. We offer different classes, programs and activities to help our residents feel healthy and fulfilled. Plus, our person-centered approach to wellness is designed to support each individual on their aging journey with ample opportunities to stay active and engaged.

As part of our wellness-focused lifestyle, we partner with other resources in our community that also serve adults ages 62 and older—this allows us to provide truly comprehensive care and support for everyone who calls Jackson Creek home. Bridges Community Home Health is one of our close partners, offering a range of health services that let our residents more successfully age in place.

Our community was designed with dedicated rehabilitation and physical therapy spaces, making it an ideal place to host home health providers who can help residents build strength and heal as quickly and steadily as possible. Bridges offers all residents a complimentary health screening when they first move in to identify individual needs and develop personalized care plans that help all members of our community age well.

“A lot of what we do once we identify a person’s needs is provide education to help them stay active and well,” Regional Director of Bridges Home Health Clinical Business Development Lane Pont said. “We look out for residents who have had frequent falls or may be used to living in a smaller space because living here they may experience a change in their level of activity, so endurance may be an issue. We also look at ways to build endurance and strength through fallprevention and therapy techniques.”

In addition to initial assessments, Bridges staff hold educational seminars about a variety of senior health topics and evidence-based senior fitness classes. They also work with top specialists along the Front Range to help residents connect with any additional care they may need.

“We help people with cognitive- issues like Parkinson’s, dementia and Alzheimer’s; we have specialists that can provide support,” Pont explained. “We also have social workers who can help find additional resources or coordinate non-medical services. For residents with hard to manage long-term diagnoses, we can have a care partner come and support them.”

For residents who need support but don’t qualify for home health services, Bridges offers outpatient services to help them stay on track with their treatment or recovery plans.

“It is a very nice way to help transition people through the continuum, so they can stay happy, healthy and independent. With that continuity of care, Jackson Creek really helps residents age in place,” Pont added.

Wellness is a top priority at Jackson Creek—our entire community is designed and staffed to support all facets of health and happiness for our residents and their loved ones. Our staff uses individualized programs that focus on wellness, not illness. Our independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments offer opportunities to build friendships and explore new hobbies, with the peace of mind that our 24/7 staff is available to provide additional support if it’s ever needed. Learn more about our exceptional lifestyle during a complimentary private tour! Schedule your visit online or call us at 719-259-1331.

Winter is in full effect and for older adults, temperature changes can be serious. With cold weather sweeping the country, more people are finding themselves braving sub-zero temps for even the most mundane everyday activities – and putting themselves at risk. Here are some tips to staying safe this winter.

Take your vitamins and make healthy food choices

Colder weather tends to make us want to stay in and eat comfort food. It’s easy to put off simple errands, like running to the pharmacy or refreshing our refrigerators with greens and other vegetables. It’s important to plan, so you have what you need, even on the days you don’t want to leave the house.

Try to keep medicine cabinets stocked up with any necessary medications and vitamins, especially when winter storms are on the horizon, so you always have what you need to keep up your routine. Some pharmacies will deliver; reach out to your local pharmacy to see if that is an option for you.

Healthy food choices will also contribute to your overall well-being as they provide you the vitamins and nutrients you need. Balance your comfort food cravings by altering recipes to include more vegetables such as Beef Bourguignon with Brussels sprouts or Chicken Cacciatore loaded with vegetables. With shorter, colder days, many people are subject to Vitamin D deficiencies in the winter months, a major contributor to seasonal depression. Consider adding supplements to your routine or eating foods which are high in Vitamin D such as fatty fish, cheese, eggs and milk.

Take additional precautions outside

Always check the weather before heading out and consider temperature fluctuations throughout the day. For Colorado residents, it’s especially important to consider different conditions between regions –a day trip could mean heading from a mild day in Tri-lakes to a snow day in Denver metro. Dress in plenty of loose layers (pockets of air between layers help keep you warm!) and wear waterproof gear like snow boots and a winter coat to stay dry.

“Walk like a penguin” to avoid falling on icy walkways. Penguins have a funny waddle, but they are pros at walking on ice – their trick is to shift their weight onto the front half of their body. When people walk, we split our center of gravity mid-stride, often leading to some unstable slips. If you find yourself on faced with crossing a particularly slick walkway, focus your center of gravity on your front leg, and spread feet slightly to fortify your new center of gravity. Keep your hands out of your pockets (wear gloves!) so you can brace yourself in case of a fall and always make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.

Remember, staying social doesn’t have to be “weather permitting”

Why let a cold day keep you cooped up? Invite your friends, neighbors and family to keep you company if you’re planning on staying in! Winter weather is a great reason to come together for board games, puzzles or just friendly chatter. On these recent chilly days, our residents at Jackson Creek Senior Living enjoy coming together and staying warm around the fireplace in our main building. We like to think of our hearth as more than a place to warm up – it’s the perfect place to meet new friends and enjoy great conversation. We hope to see you there!

Join us by the fireplace

Col. Earl Depner has no secret to living a long life, but he continues to do it after 102 years.

Depner, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was honored Nov. 12 at Jackson Creek Senior Living in Monument with a celebration in honor of his 102nd birthday. Depner, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, was feted on his birthday, the day after Veterans Day.

Although Depner was aware of the upcoming celebration at the facility, he said he was surprised by the turnout of fellow residents, staff and friends.

Read the full article online.