The first Concert on Caraway was a success! Flash In A Pan brought blue grass music, and vendors set up a farmers market. Two more concerts are left in this free summer series.

Far more than simple memory loss, dementia is brain change. The brains of those with dementia shrink and eventually look more like a toddler’s. The wiring no longer works the way it used to.

To Fresh Wind Worship coordinator Terri Packard, the showy birds are nearly as common as the cows on her farmstead outside Cedar Falls. She grew up seeing peacocks on what was her grandparent’s dairy farm and about 15 of the birds came with the estate when she bought it.

The V. Carole Martin Dementia Training and Education Fund created by Larry Martin and his children helps employees stay up-to-date on the latest dementia research and best caregiving techniques, so other families in their situation can benefit.

Well-known advocates for people facing brain change led a conference Tuesday and Wednesday hosted by Western Home Communities in an effort to expand dementia education across the Cedar Valley.

One of the earliest customer loyalty programs is one of many unexpected things learned by UNI students in a Devised Theatre course as they met with Windhaven and Thalman Square residents. Students gained knowledge from the trivial to the sublime during the gatherings.

A new resident enhancement platform called LifeLoop arrived at Thalman Square just a couple of months ago and is already proving popular.

One day of training with Teepa Snow helps you understand what’s happening to the brain and learn practical tips you can put to use immediately. She engages audiences with humor and interaction throughout the day.

The international intern program at Western Home Communities looks a little different this year. Instead of many interns traveling here at once, two interns are currently gaining experience in hospitality. 

Western Home Foundation announced the recipients of the 2024 Child Care Scholarships, totaling $14,400, awarded to seven employees of Western Home Communities. These scholarships aim to recognize their dedication and service while supporting their families.

Western Home Communities has nominated Greg Hankins for the Lifetime Achievement Mayor’s Volunteer Award. Congrats, Greg!

It’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month, the perfect time to spread the word that three therapists at Western Home Communities have specialized training. They help people living with Parkinson’s disease to maintain and improve movement, increase confidence, and stay safer with better strength and balance.

Hovey Brom is giving back to Western Home Communities. “It just seemed logical,” he says, humbly. “I just felt it would be good to express my thanks for all the things I’ve done with them.”

Villa resident Gary Brown always wanted to build model trains, but the time wasn't right until early 2019. That's when he dove into the world of N scale, which is about 1/4th the size of the more familiar O scale (think Lionel trains). The smaller size affords a lot of details - and Gary built so much into his "train city" that the bed in his and Donna's spare bedroom had to go! Take a look.

Big Bob, as he was aptly named by Western Home Communities’ Learn & Earn team, is a bariatric manikin provided by the foundation.

Nine years elapsed from The Evangelical Association’s first discussions for establishing an old people’s home to actual groundbreaking for the Western Old People’s Home in Cedar Falls on August 21, 1911.

Learning about your family history can be fascinating, but leaving a record for future generations helps them understand their roots and document their ancestry.

In January, ten Western Home employees started their journeys toward becoming licensed practical

nurses (LPNs).

Some of you might have received a DNA test kit for Christmas. It’s been popular to find these under the tree in recent years.

As we age, our bodies can react more intensely to stress, and chronic stress can damage our health. It’s important to be informed and know how to manage stress from illness, loss, financial concerns, social isolation, caregiving situations, and a myriad of other things.