By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
Yesterday was a special day for Nellie Blacksmith. The resident of our Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community in Batavia, Illinois, celebrated her 105th Birthday.
When she was born on August 22, 1907, Teddy Roosevelt was serving as the 26th President of the United States; the first fully automatic washing machine had just been created by a company called Seeburg; and Oklahoma had yet to be admitted as the 46th State into the Union.
Nellie celebrated in the style she likes the best – without much fanfare. Staff and residents sang “Happy Birthday” as her grandson and great granddaughter escorted her to the dining room for lunch. Her chair was decorated with balloons and her table with a vase of roses. She was treated to a plate of shrimp with cocktail sauce – her favorite food – along with asparagus, baked potato, a glass of champagne, and, of course, birthday cake for dessert.
Nellie attributes her longevity to turtle soup. My grandfather would go turtle hunting in the fall at a place in Oswego, says Nellie’s grandson. We also would go there to hunt pheasant and rabbit.
My grandmother prepared food from scratch. She would cook the turtle soup and then freeze it in batches to have throughout the winter.
Nellie also gives credit to the lifestyle she enjoys and the care she receives at Heritage Woods.
Nellie is among the first residents to move into the community, which opened in 2003, says Marcy LoDolce, Administrator.
Once again this year, Nellie kept up her birthday tradition of sending Marcy a “Thank You” note.
The note thanked Marcy for another year.
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Nellie told the staff as they launched balloons into the air yesterday in Nellie’s honor.
All affordable assisted living communities managed by BMA Management, Ltd. are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“BMA Management, Ltd. is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
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