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We are pleased to welcome Bonnie Sommer, who joined the Castle Senior Living Family as a resident of Victorian Castle.

Bonnie says she’s “an open book” and can carry on a conversation with just about anyone. Here’s what we learned about her during a recent visit.

 

There were several big “firsts” for Bonnie Sommer in 2020. She turned 80-years-old in May and arrived at Victorian Castle around Christmas.

“It was such a fast move from where I was to here,” Bonnie recalls. “I was not happy at my other place, and my family and I were concerned that my former senior living community would close without warning. I was living day to day wondering if I’d have to move.

“My youngest son, Bob, did some research and found Victorian Castle. This place is wonderful. The people here are so friendly and helpful. My son wanted me to be close to him and it worked out. You turn a corner from his house and you’re here.”

Bonnie, who was born in Chicago and the oldest of three siblings, grew up in the Milwaukee area. She recalls her early life as an adventure with her father serving in the U.S. Army.

“In my time, mothers didn’t work. But, when my dad was away from home in the military, my mother took a job at a laundromat and raised us kids.

“We all had to look out for each other. You just have to keep working at it, even when things get hard.”

Bonnie attended Bay View High School, where she met Bill Sommer, who became her high school sweetheart. They later married and had three children, Bill, Sandy and Bob.

“Bill was in the U.S. Coast Guard and I was going to nursing school, but I was told that I had too much compassion to be a nurse so I had to find something else to do. I was disappointed at first, but we settled here. Bill was in the Coast Guard part-time and worked as a laborer at different factories. I worked at a drug store part-time and at various jobs in food service. I always enjoyed cooking.”

When we asked Bonnie what she loves most about Victorian Castle, she said, “The people. One of the residents here is a good friend. We hit it off so well that we watch football games together. I never watched football with my late husband, but my friend and I have the same kind of interests. If I had trouble with my TV, he would come and fix it for me.”

Bonnie appreciates the staff who stop by to talk with her. The people here take care of residents in good times and bad, she says, and you won’t go through any challenges alone.

“If I had a chance to move, I wouldn’t. I’m a queen and living in my castle now.”

We shifted and forged ahead through an unusual year, accelerating our focus on the health and safety of residents and employees. Our team and the entire Castle Senior Living community accomplishes incredible things when we work together. Castle Senior Living Vice-President and Owner Kris Kiefer says we’re on the path to achieve even more in 2021.

What are you most proud of at Castle Senior Living as we leave 2020 behind?
I am so impressed with our team. We brought on some dynamic people like Diana Howell, Mitch Reuter, Samantha Brenner-Carr, Meghan Sullivan and others to support our team strengthen our fight against COVID-19. 2020 was a definitely a year for us to excel in leadership, and I saw firsthand how we focused and stayed together. There was a tremendous communication exchange between our COVID-19 committee, the state and local health departments, the residents and families, and I credit the direction of our team for that.

We have been a strong leader in the fight against COVID-19 and implementing preventative measures. We created additional positions to help support the care staff and allow for uninterrupted time off, if needed. New protocols were implemented for cleaning, visiting, dining, and activities that help maintain resident satisfaction while improving health safeguards.

There are no restrictions on admissions at Castle Senior Living. New people are moving in and it’s been a smooth and successful transition integrating them into our communities.

How have the past nine months led you as an owner of Castle Senior Living to adjust the focus of your business looking ahead to 2021 and beyond?
The time helped us discover what really matters. To us, it’s treating others like family and providing exceptional care. We realize that a lot can change in a year, and recognized that it is important to slow down and show those around you that you love and care about them.

Could you share some of your goals for Castle Senior Living in 2021?
There are several exciting activities. We are creating a Medicare-Certified Hospice service at our company. This will enhance the quality of care for residents nearing end-of-life. We hope to be certified by the end of this year. Additionally, we recently completed our ‘Smile to Remember’ Memory Care program, which will be implemented in the coming months. And we are pursuing expansion opportunities in the Milwaukee area to provide better living environments for seniors.

Tell us a bit more about “A Smile to Remember.” What will this program mean for families and residents in need of additional support?
When we first shared our goals of the program, we received nothing but positive feedback from our residents’ families. They understood that it was Castle Senior Living’s priority to focus on dementia care. Our program really puts things in perspective and outlines how to improve care for residents with dementia. We integrated this into our orientation and training throughout 2020 to make sure everything was laid out in detail because we want to be the experts in the field. This is not just a one-time thing, but part of ongoing training that we can follow. Our priority is to make sure residents have the best experience and best outcomes from what we put together.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the industry in 2021?
I believe it involves overcoming the fear factor of COVID-19. It’s our job to continuously reassure people that we abide by safety measures to protect against all viruses and bacteria. Community living for older Americans is a tremendous benefit – from the social aspect, quality of dining and health oversight.

Visitation is an issue that’s hurting the industry right now with restrictions on who can see our residents. When those constraints are lifted, it will definitely help to welcome back visitors on a regular basis.

It’s that time of year for resolutions. Is there a personal goal that you want to achieve in 2021?
For me, it’s all about staying healthy, improving my personal health and fitness, and spending time with my wife and four children.

I hope to play piano more for our residents, something that I haven’t been able to do since last March. I want to get back into the communities and take some personal song requests. That would be terrific.