“This just seems right,” Betty Keely remembers the feeling that overcame both her and her life partner, Loretta Bergen, when touring St. John’s Meadows. Both of their minds were set at ease after a personal hardship brought them to Rochester. The untimely death of Betty’s brother, Chris brought the couple to Rochester so that they…

Transitioning to independent living looks different for everyone and the wish list of amenities vary by individual. For Marilyn Colby staying active in the community was at the top of the list; and when she saw the trails outside St. John’s Meadows, she was sold! Throughout her life Marilyn has pursued a rich and engaged…

Positivity and the ability to inspire others do not often come out of personal tragedy. Yet, Milagros (Millie) Maldonado-Diaz is living proof that one can overcome many hardships and still have an optimistic outlook. Millie is originally from Puerto Rico and is an unfortunate victim of hurricane Maria that hit the island hard in 2017.…

Choosing a nursing home can be an emotional and difficult decision. For Sarah Monthany the choice was made simple by touring and her observing an exhilarating St. John’s activity, “Now We Drum.” “Throughout the chords of my life I have always heard different genres of music that played upon the strings of my heart, mind,…

When Bill Sheridan needed to transition from his apartment at St. John’s Meadows to long-term care, there was one requirement he and his family insisted his new home was able to accommodate. “He needed to bring his art work with him,” his daughter Beth explains. “That was an absolute for him.” Bill’s love of art…

Music has always been an important part of Rev. Denise Smith’s life. She grew up singing in church choirs, college chorales, and small Rhythm & Blues bands. She has written songs for the better part of four decades.  As an ordained minister, she even visits sick members of her congregation in their homes and in…

For many people, change is hard. Five years ago, Larry and Harriet Weiss made the life-changing decision to move to Rochester to be closer to family. With Larry’s health failing, their daughter Ilene urged them to consider moving. The Weiss’s made multiple trips back and forth from Yonkers to Rochester to look for a place…

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people,” –Irish poet William Butler Yeats Rick Muir did not become a music teacher—at least in a traditional sense—until later in life. Yet, once a year he found himself breaking out his favorite instrument to establish common ground with his students.  “I taught…

There are many different paths that can lead to becoming a volunteer. The road to Jim Goldammer’s volunteer journey began over a decade ago when his father—Jim Sr.—moved to St. John’s Meadows in 2007. Around that time, Jim Sr. had begun sharing details of his experiences in the Pacific during World War II with his son.…

“I like having my hands dirty,” says Carol Laniak, a resident at St. John’s Green House Homes in Penfield. “I would rather get the cows in at night than bake,” Carol jokes as she describes life growing up on a farm. She recalls plowing and bailing hay with her father while her sister handled the…