Being a caregiver isn’t just a career; it’s a calling. November is National Family Caregivers Month and a time to honor the contributions of caregivers, the unsung heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic. To recognize their hard work, Waltonwood Cary Parkway, a luxury, family-owned senior living community, is hosting a caregiver appreciation contest from November 1 through November 30. The community wants friends, family, co-workers and beyond to nominate a caregiver who deserves some extra attention. The caregiver can work for any company in the Triangle-area, and the more times they are nominated the better chance they have to win one of the five prizes. Waltonwood Cary Parkway is partnering with local businesses such as Legacy Healthcare Services, Move Elders with Ease, and Homewatch Homecare and more to provide the prizes.

“We want to highlight the local caregivers who have loved and cared for so many individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Martha Bader, marketing manager at Waltonwood Cary Parkway. “It is time to give credit where credit is due. Caregivers are heroes who have gone above and beyond, and we want to give them a chance to shine. Now more than ever, it is imperative for all of us to come together and support each other. Their job is so important in the senior living industry, and we are thankful to see the work they do each day. We are thrilled to be hosting this contest, and we look forward to handing out prizes to caregivers who are making a difference in the lives of others.”

To nominate a hero is simple. You visit Waltonwood Cary Parkway’s website and fill out a Google document. You can submit it online or safely drop it off at the senior living community (located at 750 SE Cary Parkway). A caregiver cannot nominate themselves; they have to be nominated by someone else, and there is no limit on the number of times a person can be nominated. After the contest is over on November 30, associates at Waltonwood Cary Parkway will put all the nomination forms in a bucket and host a live drawing on December 1. Five names will be randomly selected during the drawing, and the winners will be contacted to pick up their prizes.

“This is the time to celebrate the fantastic work caregivers are doing,” said Brian O’Hara, executive director at Waltonwood Cary Parkway. “We really wanted to unify everyone during these challenging times. It does not matter where you work or who you work for, we want to recognize you and the wonderful job you are doing to help others. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month. We are grateful to the local companies who are donating prizes for the heroes. We hope you will nominate your favorite caregiver and give them the attention they deserve.”

To nominate a caregiver, please visit the Waltonwood Cary Parkway website or Facebook page.

Here is something to bring a smile to your face! Graduating seniors across the US are hearing plenty of advice from family, friends and teachers, but what about advice from another type of senior: a senior citizen.

Residents at Waltonwood Cary Parkway, a premier senior living community, understand graduations aren’t happening as they normally would, so they wanted to share some words of encouragement to those who were expected to walk across the stage. The seniors recently took photos detailing where they graduated from, the year they graduated and advice for graduates. From “don’t sweat the small things” to “always be true to yourself” the seniors want graduating seniors (from both college and high school) to know they are being thought of, and at the end of the day everything will be okay.

Waltonwood Cary Parkway (a premier senior living community) is pleased to announce Brian O’Hara as its new executive director. O’Hara brings more than 20 years of senior living experience to his new role. O’Hara started on the non-clinical side of senior living before making a career move to pharmaceuticals. He returned to the industry and worked his way up to area director of operations for a senior living company. Missing the one-on-one relationships with associates and residents, O’Hara decided to return to the community level. As executive director at Waltonwood Cary Parkway, he oversees the daily operations of the community and provides support to each department to ensure the needs of each resident and individual in the community are met.

“I am thrilled to take on this new role as executive director at Waltonwood Cary Parkway. I was attracted to the family-owned company because of its values. After visiting, I knew this was the right fit for me,” said O’Hara. “I have so many moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas with this position, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am blessed to do what I do and honored to be working with Singh. They truly are the pinnacle of the senior living industry. I loved traveling to the different communities, but now as executive director I am building strong relationships with the residents, their families and staff. This is my calling in life. I am here to serve and provide the best experience for seniors and team members.”

O’Hara is a North Carolina native. He grew up in Gaston County and went to school at Barton College in Wilson. His career sent him across the state of North Carolina, but he is excited to call the Triangle area home and serve seniors at Waltonwood Cary Parkway. With a full continuum of care in a luxurious atmosphere, the community offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care apartments to suit individual needs, allowing residents an improved and relaxed quality of life.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Brian to the Waltonwood family,” said Sara Bailey, senior regional director of sales at Singh Senior Living. “We couldn’t ask for a better leader to help us continue to provide outstanding service and an unmatched lifestyle and quality of care to seniors in the area. We appreciate how he makes everyone feel like part of the team. He has a passion for helping seniors and an excellent understanding of Waltonwood and our core values. He will help us redefine senior living thanks to his commitment to providing an environment full of new experiences where residents can truly enjoy life. We look forward to seeing the energy and ideas he brings to the team.”

The start of fall is here and Waltonwood Cary Parkway, a premier senior living community, is making holiday shopping easy while raising money for a good cause at the same time. The Fall Bazaar on Saturday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will have shopping, food and drinks, and fall-related activities. The event is open to the public and will also feature raffles, music, and seasonal treats to get everyone into the holiday spirit. A variety of vendors will be onsite selling jewelry, candles, cosmetics, clothing and much more. Proceeds from the sales will benefit the local chapter of Dementia Alliance. Residents at the senior living community are doing their part to give back. Independent and assisted living residents have sewn hats, scarves, tote bags, placemats, dish cloths, wine bags and other items to sell during the Fall Bazaar.

“This is a meaningful event for us at Waltonwood Cary Parkway,” said Matthew VanAuker, executive director. “This is a great opportunity for residents and the public to come by and shop and enjoy seasonal activities and treats – all while raising money for a fantastic organization. We’ve hosted several events throughout the year and raised thousands of dollars that were donated to local organizations that raise money for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and we wanted to continue that momentum by doing it again. There will be no shortage of vendors with amazing items for sale. The residents have worked hard on their items to sell and we’re excited for the public to come out and enjoy the day.”

Waltonwood Cary Parkway has a memory care neighborhood and understands firsthand the importance of raising money and awareness for the disease. Dementia affects between 17 and 25 million people worldwide, and there are many types of the disease, including Alzheimer’s Disease. Waltonwood Cary Parkway is honored to host the Fall Bazaar to support Dementia Alliance.

“This is such a unique event because you have residents from Waltonwood Cary Parkway who get to sell the items they’ve worked so hard on, as well as other organizations who come in to support the event,” said LaQuita Dunn, assisted living life enrichment manager. “This is a large group of people who are coming together to make a difference and it is inspiring to see. We are looking forward to filling our halls with vendors and seeing smiling people shop and enjoy the fall festivities. We hope the public stops by, purchases items and learns more ways they can support Dementia Alliance.”

Wishing to brighten the day of the thousands of soldiers stationed overseas, residents of Waltonwood Cary Parkway, a premier senior living community, wrote heartfelt letters of gratitude and put together care packages for service men and women. The residents donated items such as sunscreen, deodorant, body wash, toothpaste and Chapstick, as well edible items such as granola bars, dried fruit and nuts because they are lightweight and easy to carry in their pockets. The community worked with NCPacks4Patriots, a nonprofit based in Ayden, North Carolina that provides a link between citizens and military personnel to deliver the packages. 

“We know this activity not only brightened the days of service members overseas, but the veterans who call Waltonwood Cary Parkway home as well,” said Matthew VanAuker, executive director. “The residents were excited to participate, and we know the items in the packages will be helpful and the heartfelt notes will put a smile on their faces. The work that NCPacks4Patriots does is amazing. We were looking for a North Carolina organization to partner with, and I knew we couldn’t go wrong with NCPacks4Patriots. We are proud to support our military and look forward to doing more activities in the future.”

There are a number of veterans living at the community who were excited to participate, including Nadine Whitmore. She became an Army nurse in 1948, then shortly after an Air Force nurse, which is where she got her wings. Whitmore says she joined the military because of her two brothers. One was in the Army and fought at the Battle of the Bulge and the other was in the Navy. Whitmore enjoyed the experience because her job offered a service to the country. Now she hopes that the items the community collected and the letters they’ve written leave an impact on service members overseas.

“It was an honor to collect donations that benefit the men and women who are serving our country,” said Whitmore. “These items are handy necessities that will go a long way for our troops. As a retired military member, I hope the young soldier who receives the letter I write is encouraged by it. Letters are life savers. You can hold onto it and it fills a special place in your heart. When I was in the military I didn’t receive many packages for myself, but when I returned home I did send packages to my husband. I know they left an impact on him. We collected items most of the month, so it was great to put the packages together and see just how much we are able to give back.”