There are moments in life that quietly change your perspective. For me, one of those moments came as I sat beside Lois, Scott’s mom, during the final days of her life.  For years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside families as they make one of the hardest decisions they’ll ever face. I’ve answered questions, given tours, celebrated milestones, and reassured daughters and sons who were carrying more responsibility than they ever imagined. Even after all those years, nothing prepared me for experiencing that same journey through the eyes of my own family.

Lois was one of the people who believed in our dream long before The Geneva Suites became what it is today. She cheered us on through the challenges, celebrated the victories, and trusted us enough to allow us the incredible privilege of caring for her during the last chapter of her life.  That experience gave me something I didn’t expect. It allowed me to see our team the way families see them.

Families often ask what they should look for when choosing an assisted living community. They naturally ask about staffing, nursing support, meals, activities, and safety. Those questions matter because they help determine whether a community can meet someone’s physical needs.  The question I wish more families would ask is this: Will the people caring for my loved one truly know them?  That was the gift our family experienced.

Our care partners didn’t have to stop and wonder how Lois liked her hair. They already knew. They noticed when she needed another blanket before she had to ask. They understood her routines, her preferences, and the little things that brought her comfort. As her ability to communicate faded, those relationships became even more important because our team could recognize what she needed without relying on words alone.

Watching those moments unfold reminded me that the difference between providing care and caring for someone is rarely found in a checklist. The tasks themselves aren’t what families remember. They remember the gentleness in someone’s voice and the patience shown during difficult moments. They remember seeing their loved one treated with respect, even when they were no longer able to respond. Dignity isn’t reserved for life’s biggest moments. It’s protected in dozens of small decisions that happen throughout every day.

As someone who has spent years talking about person-centered care, I found myself experiencing it in an entirely new way. I wasn’t evaluating policies or observing processes. I was simply a daughter who wanted the woman she loved to feel safe, comfortable, and known.  Our team gave our family that gift.  They reminded me that extraordinary caregiving isn’t about doing extraordinary things. It’s about doing ordinary things with extraordinary compassion.

Leaving the room after saying goodbye to Lois, I found myself carrying two emotions that seemed impossible to hold at the same time. There was grief because someone we loved was gone. There was gratitude because we knew she had been surrounded by people who loved and respected her until the very end.  Those feelings can exist together.

If your family is beginning the search for care, ask the important questions about services and clinical support. Those conversations matter. Spend just as much time paying attention to how the team interacts with the people who already live there. Watch whether they know residents by name. Notice whether they stop to listen instead of rushing to the next task. Ask how they learn each person’s story. Clinical excellence is essential. Relationships are what make a place feel like home.

Lois left a legacy that reaches far beyond our family. She believed in what we were building long before anyone else could see it. Every time a resident is treated with gentleness, every time a family feels heard, and every time a caregiver chooses compassion over convenience, I see a little piece of that legacy continuing. For that, I will always be thankful.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I have found myself thinking a lot about how often mental health concerns in older adults are missed, minimized, or misunderstood.

Families will notice changes in a loved one and assume it is simply part of aging. Someone becomes more withdrawn. They stop participating in conversations. Their sleep changes. Anxiety increases. They lose interest in activities they once loved. Sometimes there is more irritability. More fear. More confusion. What many people do not realize is that mental health concerns in older adults often look very different than they do in younger populations.

According to the CDC, approximately 20% of adults age 55 and older experience some type of mental health concern. Depression and anxiety are among the most common. The challenge is that these symptoms are often masked by medical conditions, grief, cognitive decline, medication changes, or social isolation.

I think about one resident we cared for who initially came across as angry nearly all the time. Family members described him as difficult. Staff in previous settings had struggled to connect with him. Underneath all of it was fear, loss, and loneliness. His wife had passed away. His health was changing quickly. He no longer felt in control of his own life.

What changed things for him was not one dramatic intervention. It was consistency. Familiar caregivers. Purposeful routines. Conversation at the kitchen table. Staff learning what mattered to him before his health declined. Slowly, the walls started to come down. The agitation lessened. The humor underneath started showing up again.  That experience stayed with me because it reminded me how easy it is to judge behaviors without understanding the human being underneath them.

I also remember a daughter sitting across from me in tears after moving her mother into care. She told me she felt guilty because her mom seemed more anxious and emotional than she had ever been before. Her mother had spent decades taking care of everyone else. Suddenly she needed help herself, and emotionally she was struggling with that loss of independence far more than the family realized.  This is the part of aging that people do not talk about enough.

There is grief in aging sometimes. Grief over changing abilities. Grief over lost spouses and friends. Grief over driving less, doing less, remembering less. Even positive transitions can feel emotionally overwhelming when someone feels like pieces of their identity are slipping away.

Mental health support in senior care cannot only mean medication management. Older adults still need purpose. They need social connection. They need dignity. They need environments that feel calm and relational instead of rushed and task-driven.

That is one of the reasons we care so deeply about creating real homes at The Geneva Suites. The emotional environment matters just as much as the physical one. When someone feels known, safe, included, and connected, it changes things.

Families searching for assisted living or memory care often focus first on physical needs, which makes sense. Is Mom safe? Can Dad transfer safely? Are medications managed properly? Those questions matter tremendously. At the same time, families should also ask how a community supports emotional well-being and mental health.

• Do residents have meaningful relationships with staff?
• Is there laughter in the home?
• Are residents engaged in purposeful activities?
• Do caregivers know the resident’s story?
• Does the environment feel calm and personal?

Those things are not extras. They are part of good care.

Mental health matters at every age. Older adults deserve to feel seen, valued, and emotionally supported just as much as anyone else.

When families begin searching for the best assisted living for Parkinson’s in Minnesota, they are usually overwhelmed long before they ever schedule a tour. Many are trying to manage medications, falls, appointments, sleepless nights, and the growing realization that the support their loved one needs is becoming more than one person can safely provide at home.

What makes Parkinson’s especially difficult is that the needs are constantly changing. Someone may do fairly well for months and then suddenly begin struggling with freezing, swallowing, hallucinations, transfers, or increased falls. Families often tell us they feel like they are always trying to catch up.

That is why asking the right questions early matters so much.

One of the most important questions families should ask any assisted living community is how medications are managed, especially timing-sensitive Parkinson’s medications. For many residents living with Parkinson’s disease, medication timing is not flexible. Being even thirty minutes late can dramatically affect movement, speech, anxiety levels, stiffness, and overall safety.

I remember one family who came to us after their father had been living in a larger setting. They loved many things about the community, but medication timing had become a constant struggle. His medications were being passed within a broad medication window because staff were responsible for so many residents at once. By the time he moved into one of our homes, the family was exhausted and frightened by how quickly his mobility had declined.

Within weeks of having more consistent support and medications given on time, they noticed a difference. He was more engaged. He was steadier during transfers. Conversations became easier again. His daughter told me something I have never forgotten. She said, “I feel like I got pieces of my dad back.”

That is the part many people do not realize. Good Parkinson’s care is often found in the details.

Families should also ask how often caregivers are available throughout the day and overnight. Parkinson’s symptoms do not follow a convenient schedule. Assistance may be needed quickly for toileting, transfers, repositioning, or mobility support. Delayed response times can increase both fall risk and anxiety.

Another family once shared with me that their biggest fear was not actually the diagnosis itself. It was the fear of another move later. They had already moved their mother twice as her care needs increased. They were emotionally drained and wanted a place that could continue supporting her as the disease progressed.

That is one of the reasons we intentionally designed The Geneva Suites differently. Our smaller home model allows us to support residents with higher care needs in a more personal environment. We are able to truly know our residents, notice subtle changes sooner, and build meaningful relationships with families along the way.

When touring assisted living communities for Parkinson’s care, here are a few important questions families should ask:

1. How quickly can staff respond when assistance is needed?
2. What experience does the team have with Parkinson’s symptoms such as freezing, falls, swallowing concerns, cognitive changes, and medication timing?
3. How many residents does each caregiver support at one time?
4. Can the community support increasing care needs over time?
5. Does the environment feel calm, personal, and easy to navigate?

Most importantly, families should trust what they feel when they walk through the door. Does it feel rushed or relational? Clinical or comforting? Does it feel like your loved one will truly be known there?

The right care environment does not just support the resident. It helps the entire family breathe again.

When families reach out to us, it is usually not a light or casual moment. Something has shifted. A fall, a hospital stay, or simply the realization that things are getting harder to manage at home. Most people are trying to hold a lot at once. They are worried, they are exhausted, and they are doing their best to make the right decision for someone they love.

That first conversation carries more weight than people expect. It is not really about information yet. It is about how the interaction feels. Families are often not ready for a list of services or a quick explanation of availability. What they need first is someone who will slow the moment down, ask a few thoughtful questions, and take the time to understand what is actually going on.

Over the years, I have seen how much that initial interaction shapes everything that follows. The tone matters. The presence matters. The ability to listen without rushing matters. When a family feels heard, something shifts. They begin to settle. They are more open, more honest, and more able to think clearly about what the next step should be. When that does not happen, the conversation can feel overwhelming and transactional, and it is much harder to build trust from there.

This is why we are so intentional about who steps into that role.

Jennifer recently joined our team, and she is often the first person families will connect with when they call. As we were growing, I kept coming back to the same question. Who do I trust to meet a family well in that first moment? Not just to gather information or move things along, but to truly sit with what they are experiencing and help bring some clarity to it.

Jennifer has a natural way of doing that. She listens without rushing to respond. She asks insightful questions. She pays attention to what is being said and what is not. There is a steadiness to how she shows up, and that makes a difference for people who are trying to make a hard decision.

At The Geneva Suites, we do not see that first call as a transaction. It is the beginning of a relationship. It is a chance to help someone feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more confident about what comes next. Families may not recall every detail, but they will remember how they felt during the conversation. In many ways, that is what stays with them the longest.

Before Joe came to us, his world had gotten smaller.

Not all at once. Slowly. In ways that are easy to explain, but much harder to watch.

His Parkinson’s had progressed, and the focus had shifted almost entirely to safety. He was trying to get up on his own and could not always wait for help. That created real concern around falls, so the response made sense. His medications were increased to help manage the impulsivity, but what that created was a different kind of loss.

Joe was sleeping through most of his day. He was not engaging the way he used to. The parts of him his family knew and loved were harder to see. His daughter was doing everything she could to keep him safe, and at the same time, she was watching him slowly disappear.

He had been in a more traditional assisted living setting. The care was not the issue. The people cared. But the environment was built to manage many residents at once, which meant there was less flexibility and less ability to respond in the moment. So the solution became medication. Not because anyone wanted that outcome, but because there were not many other options in that setting.

When Joe moved into one of our residential homes here in the Twin Cities, we were able to take a different approach. We added a bed alarm and a chair alarm so staff could respond right away when he needed support. It was a simple change, but it created space for everything else.

Because we could get to him quickly, we no longer had to rely on higher levels of medication to manage his movements. As his medications were adjusted, we started to see changes. He was more awake. More stable when he stood. More present in his day.

His communication improved. His anxiety decreased. There was consistency around him, and it mattered, but the biggest change was not clinical. It was relational.  His daughter was no longer visiting someone who was asleep. She was spending time with her dad. He was able to engage with his grandson, respond, and be part of those moments again.

That is what the right setting can do. Not just fewer falls or better medication management, but the return of connection. The return of presence. The return of the person you love.

If you are navigating Parkinson’s with someone you care about and something feels off, even if you cannot quite name it yet, you are not alone. We would be honored to talk through your situation and help you think through what the right setting might look like.

Sometimes the change is not about more care. It is about the right environment.

Warmly yours,
Marlena

There’s a moment in senior care that most people don’t talk about.  It’s the moment you realize a resident needs more than your setting can consistently provide.  You’ve tried to make it work. Your team has stepped up. Everyone is doing their best.  And still, something feels off.

If you’ve been in senior care for any length of time, you’ve faced this moment.  There’s a resident you care about. Your team cares about them too. You’ve done everything you can to make it work.  And still, something feels off.

It might look like increasing care needs. More hands-on support. Behaviors that are harder to redirect. A condition that is progressing faster than expected.  But what you really notice is the ripple effect.  Your team is working harder but starting to feel stretched. Small things are getting missed. Other residents are not getting the same level of attention they were before. The energy in the building shifts.

And the resident at the center of it all is not as comfortable, settled, or supported as they could be.  This is the moment no one talks about enough.  Because it feels like a failure.  It feels like giving up.  But it’s not.

You Are Not the Problem

The truth is, every community is designed to have a niche, an ideal resident type that allows.  And when a resident’s needs move beyond what that environment was built to support, even the best team will feel the strain.

This is where burnout begins.

Not because your people do not care, but because they care so much that they keep stretching themselves to try to meet needs that require a different level of support.  Over time, that pressure shows up in ways you never intended. Staff fatigue. Lower satisfaction. Corners that get cut simply because there are not enough hours in the day.  You can feel it before you can always name it.

With the number of seniors continuing to grow, these moments are not going away. They are becoming more frequent.  Which means we have to get better at recognizing them and responding in a way that protects both the resident and the team.

A Different Kind of Support

This is where having the right partners matters.  At The Geneva Suites, we were built for residents whose needs have outgrown a traditional assisted living environment.  Our homes are intentionally small, with six residents in each. That allows us to provide a level of attention and consistency that is hard to achieve at scale.

During the day, our care partner to resident ratio is 1 to 3. Overnight, we have awake staff on site, with additional support available. Our nurses carry small caseloads, so they can truly know each resident and respond quickly as needs change.  Because of this, we are often the right next step for residents with more complex needs.

Residents who require two person assists or Hoyer lifts. Residents living with Parkinson’s, MSA, or other progressive conditions. Residents whose behaviors require a more individualized and consistent approach.  These residents are often not the right fit for a larger community anymore.  But they also do not need a nursing home.  They need a setting designed around them.

You Are the Hero in This Decision

Making a change for a resident is not easy.  It requires courage to say, this is no longer the best setting for them.  It requires leadership to prioritize what is right over what is comfortable.  And it requires care to make that transition in a way that honors the relationship you have built.

When you make that call, you are not giving up on a resident.  You are advocating for them.  You are protecting your team.  You are preserving the experience for every other resident in your community.  That is what good care looks like.

Let’s Work Together to Get This Right

At The Geneva Suites, we see ourselves as a resource and a partner.  If you have a resident whose needs are becoming difficult to manage, we are here to talk it through with you. If it makes sense, we can step in and provide a setting that better supports that level of care.  And just as importantly, when we meet families who are not the right fit for us, we want to send them your way.

There is a growing need in our community. More seniors. More complexity. More families are trying to find the right place.  None of us can do it all, but together, we can make sure people land where they are truly meant to be.  If there is someone on your mind right now, call 612-208-8888, or email Sales.Marketing@TheGenevaSuites.com.

Let’s work together to make sure they are in the right place, with the right care, at the right time.

“For me?” she asked.

Not long ago, one of our residents received a handwritten letter. It was mixed in with the usual stack of mail. Statements. Advertisements. Things that needed attention.

This one was different.

Her name was written carefully across the front. When I handed it to her, she looked surprised. “For me?” she asked.

She opened it slowly. Read every word out loud. Then she folded it back up and pressed it to her chest.

“I haven’t gotten a real letter in years,” she said quietly.

That moment stayed with me.

On February 26, we recognize National Letter to an Elder Day. The idea is simple. Write a letter to a senior. Remind them they are seen. Remind them they still matter.

In a world where most of what shows up in the mailbox is a bill or something trying to sell us something, a handwritten letter feels almost sacred.

A few days ago, I read a news story that stopped me. Clarence “Bud” Lane passed away at 100 years old. I never had the privilege of meeting him, but I was struck by what his life represented. A remarkable veteran. A survivor of Pearl Harbor. A man who carried a century of lived experience. And now the world has one less living connection to that history.

When someone like Bud passes, it’s more than a headline.

We lose stories that can no longer be told firsthand.

We lose the perspective that shaped generations.

I’m constantly reminded how quickly history slips away if we don’t slow down long enough to listen.

Here at The Geneva Suites homes, I sit across the table from men and women who also carry decades of history. Some served. Some raised families through economic uncertainty. Some built businesses. Some quietly held their households together through wars, loss, and change. Sometimes I ask a simple question. What was it like? And then I listen.

Our seniors are walking history books, but they are also neighbors. Grandparents. Veterans. Teachers. Friends. In small, home-like assisted living settings such as The Geneva Suites, we see every day how meaningful engagement improves quality of life. Not big events. Not elaborate programming. Just connection.

Many older adults in assisted living, even in caring environments, receive very little personal mail. A letter addressed specifically to them can shift the tone of an entire day. It gives them something to hold. Something to reread. Something to tuck into a drawer and pull back out when the afternoon feels long.

A letter says you are not forgotten. It says your life still matters.

That is powerful in any season, but especially now, as we steadily lose members of the Greatest Generation across Minnesota and beyond.

If you have ever thought about writing to a senior but did not know where to begin, I understand. We are not used to writing letters anymore. It can feel awkward at first.

That is why I created a simple Letter Writing Guide to help. It walks you through how to start, what to share, and how to ask questions that invite meaningful stories in return.

If this idea resonates with you, I’d be happy to share the simple guide I created.

And if you would like to be matched with one of the seniors at our The Geneva Suites homes in the Twin Cities, I would be honored to help make that happen. Whether you are an individual, a classroom, a church group, or a local business team, we can connect you with someone who would truly treasure hearing from you.

Connection does not have to be complicated.

Sometimes it begins with a piece of paper.

A few thoughtful sentences.

A stamp.

Sometimes it begins with Dear Friend.

And sometimes, it begins with someone deciding that our seniors are still worth writing to.

#LettersToAnElderDay

Enhancing Lives Through C.A.R.E.S.

At The Geneva Suites™, we believe that a beautiful home and thoughtful programs are important—but it’s our people who truly bring our mission to life. Every warm smile, every gentle touch, every moment of connection between a resident and a care partner is where Enhancing Lives happens. That’s why we’re deeply committed to hiring and keeping the very best people—those who live out our C.A.R.E.S. values every single day.

C.A.R.E.S. in Action

Our C.A.R.E.S. values—Can-Do Attitude, Accountability, Respectful Collaboration, Education, and Safety—aren’t just words on the wall. They are the heartbeat of The Geneva Suites, guiding how we treat residents, families, and each other.

• Can-Do Attitude means showing up ready to find solutions, even on the hardest days.

• Accountability means keeping promises and doing what’s right, even when no one is watching.

• Respectful Collaboration means valuing every voice—whether it’s a resident sharing their story, a family member expressing a concern, or a teammate offering an idea.

• Education means we never stop learning, growing, and improving the care we provide.

• Safety means protecting the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of those in our care.

When we hire the right people—those who naturally embody these values—something magical happens: residents feel at home, families trust us, and our team thrives.

More Than a Job—A Calling

Working at The Geneva Suites is not just about “filling shifts.” Our care partners are the heartbeat of each home, and their work changes lives. For many of our residents, their care partner is the person they see most in a day—the one who notices the small changes, celebrates the small victories, and offers reassurance during the hard moments.

This is why we take hiring so seriously. We look for people who see caring for seniors as more than a job—it’s a calling. We want team members who will sit down and listen to a resident’s favorite story (even if they’ve heard it a dozen times), who will take the extra few minutes to make sure a favorite sweater is found, and who will adjust a routine to honor a resident’s dignity and independence.

Building Trust Through People

Families trust us with the care of the people they love most. That trust is built (or broken) in everyday interactions—how we greet someone when they walk in the door, how quickly we respond to a need, how we handle challenges. When we hire the best, that trust grows stronger because families see our people delivering not just care, but connection, compassion, and consistency.

It’s also why we invest in retention as much as recruitment. Hiring the right person is the first step, but keeping them—supporting them, recognizing them, and helping them grow—ensures our residents enjoy familiar, reliable care from people they know and trust.

A Ripple Effect of Good Care

When the right people are in the right roles, everyone benefits. Residents feel valued and safe. Families feel peace of mind. Our team feels supported and empowered. And the community sees The Geneva Suites as a place where seniors can truly thrive.

That’s why we’ll never compromise on our hiring standards. Every new team member is not just an “employee”—they are a guardian of our mission, a living example of our C.A.R.E.S. values, and a vital part of creating a home where life is celebrated.

Our Promise to You

To our families, referral partners, and future team members: we promise to continue hiring the best people—not just for their skills, but for their hearts. Because when we have the right people in the right place, we don’t just provide care… we enhance lives.

At The Geneva Suites™, we often say, “Care doesn’t start at the front door—it starts with education.” One of the most important things we can do as senior care providers is engage with our communities before a crisis hits. Families need to know their options, feel empowered in their choices, and understand that they’re not alone. That’s where community outreach comes in.

The Boomer Wave Is Here

We’ve heard about it for years—and now, it’s happening. The baby boomer generation is aging rapidly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2030, all baby boomers will be age 65 or older. That means 1 in every 5 Americans will be of retirement age.

By 2034, adults over 65 will outnumber children under 18 for the first time in U.S. history. That’s a seismic demographic shift—and one that will dramatically impact healthcare, housing, and caregiving systems.

Most Families Aren’t Prepared

Even with this trend on the horizon, most families don’t plan ahead for care needs. A study by the National Alliance for Caregiving found that nearly 1 in 4 caregivers said they had no warning before stepping into their role. The result? Stress, rushed decisions, and missed opportunities to find the right fit for their loved ones.

We believe families deserve more than that.

Outreach Opens the Door

Community outreach—whether through presentations, support groups, local events, or simply being available to answer questions—creates space for meaningful conversations. These touchpoints allow families to:

• Learn the difference between independent living, assisted living, and residential care homes
• Explore financial options and what to expect from long-term care costs
• Discover local resources, including veteran services and dementia support
• Ask personal questions without pressure

When we show up in the community—not just when people are in crisis, but beforehand—we empower them with knowledge and peace of mind.

Why It Matters to Us

At The Geneva Suites™, we know the decision to move into care is deeply emotional. It’s not just about health—it’s about home. We don’t just provide care; we build relationships rooted in compassion, education, and trust. That’s why we speak at churches, network with local professionals, and host events like From Home to Care and Planning for Care Before the Crisis.

Because if we can help one family feel more prepared, more confident, and more supported—that’s a win.

What You Can Do

• If you’re a family member: Start asking questions now. Even if your loved one is doing well, it never hurts to explore options and understand what’s available.
• If you’re a professional: Let’s partner! We’re always open to doing lunch-and-learns, presentations, or simply being a resource for your team or clients.
• If you’re part of a community group: Invite us in. We’re happy to tailor talks for church groups, clubs, or civic organizations.

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The silver wave is here—but we don’t have to face it unprepared. Community outreach creates connection, clarity, and care. And at The Geneva Suites™, that’s what we’re all about.

Want us to speak at your next event or answer questions for your group? Reach out—we’d love to connect.