Westminster Senior Living Community

A Wonderful Active Lifestyle

Perhaps one of our visitors said it best when, upon completing a tour of our 107-year-old mansion, she remarked: “This is the warmest place I’ve ever been. It reminds me of a lovely B&B I stayed in years ago.” Emeritus at Westminster truly is unique, with its huge wrap-around porch, grand staircase, lovely parlor, tea room and hearth room – a private dining room where residents can share celebrations with their loved ones. But what makes our senior living community especially wonderful is our staff, some of whom have worked here for more than a decade. Like the residents, the staff considers Emeritus at Westminster to be their home – and our residents, their family. They know some of the residents as well as their own parents; not surprising, since many residents have lived here since we opened. Part of this longevity comes from our ability to provide almost every level of care a resident may need. Whether a resident has Parkinson’s disease or late-stage Alzheimer’s, they can remain here in the comfort of home, with services brought in as necessary. Of course, we never take over a task for a resident if it’s something they can do on their own. Our goal is always to help residents remain as independent as possible, helping them preserve their dignity and self worth.

So what’s a typical day like at our senior living community? No one day is ever the same, yet every day is busy, with a full calendar of many different activities residents can choose from depending upon their interests. Genesis Healthcare, the company that provides physical, occupational and speech therapy, runs our exercise program. Each morning, residents might do chair aerobics, work with bands to build arm strength or participate in a gentle yoga class. Tea and current events follows, with a resident often reading the newspaper aloud for those of our residents who are vision impaired. At 10 a.m., many residents attend our crafts class and make items to sell at our annual holiday bazaar. We have some very talented quilters among us! After lunch, our book club meets, while other residents might enjoy Bingo or other game – we even have a Skipbo Club! In the late afternoon, many residents gather together for coffee and conversation. On Tuesday, our Men’s Poker group goes out for lunch at a local pub. Every Wednesday afternoon, we bring in an outside entertainer; one week it might be an Elvis impersonator, another week, a group of musicians. Friday evenings are our wine and cheese nights, and occasionally we have themed events, such as a recent dinner theater production performed by an outside group called Women of the Bible. Our Garden Club grows all kinds of herbs used in our kitchen, as well as a variety of vegetables during warm summer months. At least twice a week, the Westminster Mall Walkers head out to the Townmall of Westminster for an hour of exercise. And should a resident wish to become more adept at using the computer, one of our wonderful caregivers gives individual computer lessons.

Partnering with the Local Neighborhood Community

The Red Hat Society is very active at our community, with members of the society running our meetings. This exceptionally dedicated ladies group participates in a wide range of volunteer activities, from writing letters to veterans in the local hospital to collecting food and clothes for needy families. In addition, many of our residents regularly join in ongoing events held at the Carroll County Senior Center, including crafts, billiards, cooking classes and educational programs. Some of the seniors also visit our community for special occasions, such as to attend our holiday bazaar.

We work closely with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and provide a monthly family support group, which is open to the public. We also participate in the association’s annual Memory Walk to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. In addition, we partner with Copper Ridge, which specializes in outpatient and residential dementia care, and are fortunate to be able to rely on their staff to help provide ongoing training for our caregivers.

Fine Dining

Home cooking is always on the menu at Emeritus at Westminster! Our chef prepares every meal from scratch, always offering a main entrée and alternative. We tend to serve local favorites, such as fried chicken and crab cakes. When residents want something lighter, we have an “always available” menu that includes grilled cheese, homemade chicken noodle soup, chef salad, turkey club and hot dogs, to name just a few options. And occasionally we offer “residents’ choice” when residents can order up just about anything! Dessert is a specialty here; peanut butter pie, strawberry shortcake and homemade fudge are just a few of our residents’ favorite. Should a resident have special dietary needs, we can accommodate just about any requirement, from carbohydrate- controlled diets for residents with diabetes, to low-salt diets to mechanical soft and pureed diets for people who have swallowing issues typically due to stroke. Snacks are also offered in the parlor all day, including fresh fruit, cheese and crackers, home-baked cookies and muffins.