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Happy to have Mom living at Terrace Heights
Vicki Emery has been a Mauston resident for 65 years. She and her husband, Alvin (Pete) Emery raised six girls and operated a business in downtown Mauston. In 1962 they built their retirement home in rural Lemonweir Township. Pete passed away in 1971, but Vicki continued to live in their home until she injured her ankle in May of 2009. Her Physician, Timothy Bjelland, urged her to consider alternate living arrangements as she would no longer be able to stay alone and care for herself properly. With the help of her daughters, Vicki looked at several types of living arrangements, including small in-town apartments and assisted living facilities. None seemed to fit her needs. Sharon commented, “Mom is still very active, and going from a four-bedroom home to a one-room living space was not what she wanted. When we suggested visiting Terrace Heights, a tour with Shari Hanson was arranged.” “The more I found out about Terrace Heights, the more appealing it was to me,” Vicki said. “When I saw the facility and met the staff, the less resistant I was to moving. I agreed to give it a try, and now that I am here, I wish I would have done it sooner!” Initially the transition was not easy for Vicki. Sharon explained, “Mom agreed to move to Terrace Heights because she was unable to stay home alone when she injured her ankle. At first mom thought she would only stay until her cast came off. Her ankle did not heal as quickly as we thought it would, and the cast stayed on for an additional four weeks. That was the time mom needed to become more comfortable with the other tenants and the facility. Those four extra weeks were truly a blessing in disguise, as she met more people and came to really enjoy living at Terrace Heights.” Mary and Sharon are more at ease now that their mother lives at Terrace Heights. “Now we don’t worry about mom as much as we did when she lived alone. In the winter months we had to worry about her possibly falling while going out to the mailbox, and getting her driveway plowed so she was accessible if there was an emergency. In the summer there were acres of lawn to be mowed. All of these hassles we don’t have to worry about any longer. Now she can watch out the window while the maintenance staff takes care of these things for her. Plus, we don’t have to worry about her falling or injuring herself trying to clean that big house. Once a week, housekeepers come in upon request, and for a small hourly fee, clean the apartment. If mom needs her oven cleaned, all she needs to do is ask them and it gets done.” According to her daughters, Vicki’s overall health is seeing some positive improvement since she moved to Terrace Heights. “She is happy, more outgoing, and making new friends. She isn’t lonely anymore,” said Mary. “If someone doesn’t see mom for a while, they go and look for her and make sure she is fine. That is something she didn’t have living alone out in the country. Now when she doesn’t answer her phone, we don’t worry as much. We know she is having fun with her friends. She is finally living her life to the fullest and enjoying it.” Vicki says, “It took some getting used to, but now I wouldn’t consider living anywhere else. I have so many friends here. All the tenants help each other, and the staff is great too.” She continued, “For someone who never played BINGO before, I wouldn’t miss it now for anything. I also go to exercise classes twice a week, enjoy the live entertainment, the resident council meetings, and the birthday parties. Plus, Cliff takes us on bus trips - helping us get on and off the bus. I really like it here, it just took me a while to get used to it.” There are so many things that give her children comfort in knowing that Vicki is living at Terrace Heights. Sharon explained, “It puts us at ease knowing she can still have the privacy of her own home. All mom has to do is close the door. If she wants to socialize or seek companionship, all mom has to do is open the door, and what she needs is just a few steps away.” Sharon went on to say, “Mom still has her independence, but she also has security. The security system at the front door is great, and we are reassured in knowing that unauthorized persons cannot just walk into the building. Family and friends can visit at any time.” Vicki’s family also likes the emergency line that is installed in every apartment, directly linked to Mile Bluff Medical Center, as well as the optional meal plan that is available. Sharon stated, “If there is something on the menu mom likes, she can sign up and go to the dining room to eat with her friends. If she doesn’t care for what is on the menu, she can cook in her own apartment.” Photo Caption: Terrace Heights tenant Vicki Emery (front right) is pictured with her daughters. The entire family is pleased that their mom is living at the retirement apartments. These are just some of the perks that Terrace Heights Retirement Community offers to individuals who are in a situation similar to Vicki’s. With all the amenities Terrace Heights has to offer, it is a great place to live during the retirement years. Services available at Terrace Heights • Maintenance-free living • Optional exercise classes • Ability to have meals prepared • Emergency assistance line to Mile Bluff Medical Center • Optional transportation • Socialization with friends • Fun entertainment events • Optional housekeeping services • Secure facility 24/7 • Aviary in community lounge • Optional private garage • So much more! Sharon and Mary offer these words of advice to anyone considering Terrace Heights for their parents, “You should go for a visit and see for yourself what a wonderful facility this is. It’s warm, economical, beautiful and friendly; we can’t say enough about it. Now that mom’s settled in, we all really wish she would have made this move sooner. Terrace Heights is her home now, and mom is very content there...and to think, she wouldn’t have moved at all if it weren’t for that cast on her foot.” If you would like to take a tour of Terrace Heights, please contact Shari Hanson at 608-847-2377. One- bedroom apartments are now available. |
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Mile Bluff Medical Center/ 1050 Division St./ Mauston, WI 53948 / 608 847 6161 Mile Bluff Medical Center, 1050 Division Street, Mauston, WI 53948 608 847 6161 or Toll free in WI at 800 252 4377 © 2008 Mile Bluff Medical Center |
Do you think that needing
your ankle in a cast could ever be seen as a blessing? That’s how Sharon
Halverson and Mary Weidling would describe what happened to their mother, Vicki
Emery.