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107-Year-Old Longtime Kirkland Resident Shares Secrets to Longevity
EvergreenHealth Home Health and Hospice patient Lillian Nesheim continues to embrace each new day If you ask Lillian, she attributes her enduring stamina to good genes thanks to her Finnish background, and a positive outlook rooted in kindness, peace of mind and having a sense of humor. “I don’t let things bother me,” Lillian says.
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Lillian Nesheim, EvergreenHealth Hospice Care patient
The year was 1914. Woodrow Wilson was president, the Ford Model T was poised for mass production and the Spanish flu pandemic was just a few years out on the horizon.
And in Sedro Wooley, Washington, Lillian Nesheim was born. Today at 107 years young, Lillian continues to live a full life and her longevity serves as an inspiration to many. “She just has a zest for life,” describes Sue Costello, her daughter-in-law of 57 years.
According to Lillian’s family, despite her super-centenarian status, and a broken hip she suffered at age 103 that has caused her to rely on a wheelchair to get around, her health is remarkable and she looks forward to each new day.
After spending her early years in Skagit Valley and West Seattle, Lillian landed in Kirkland as a newlywed and spent the next several decades raising two sons. Today, she is “Grandma” to four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Ever the independent woman, Lilian’s later years were spent traveling, and she lived on her own until age 100. When she moved to an assisted living community, Lillian shared a deep conversation with a family friend that left her embracing her spirituality in profound and meaningful ways.
“We saw an incredible difference in her after that,” her son Mike Costello describes. “You could just see a peaceful change in her countenance.”
Since then, Lillian has lived comfortably, under EvergreenHealth Home Hospice care—although she does so well at times she doesn’t qualify to be on hospice—at the Crystal Ridge Adult Family Home in Edmonds.
“We all want a legacy of making a difference in people’s lives,” Sue Costello shared. “Lillian has a chance to inspire others with her strength and positivity. She really is wonderful.” A Bucket List Wish Fulfilled
Lillian Nesheim at her 107th birthday party television appearance
When Lillian Nesheim’s birthday was approaching earlier this year, she shared an unexpected wish. She wanted to celebrate her longevity and inspire others through the magic of television.
The request came as a surprise to her family. As a girl, she went out of her way to avoid posing for family photos. So, when she asked to be on local TV as a bucket list birthday wish, those around her were eager to make it happen.
Lillian’s EvergreenHealth care team, along with Crystal Ridge Adult Family Home and Seattle’s KING-TV were eager to make it happen, too. On July 15, 2021, Lillian was featured on KING 5 News with a segment dedicated to her 107th birthday celebration. Her hair was coiffed, nails painted, and she proudly donned a birthday tiara just for the occasion.
To watch the heart-warming segment, visit www.bit.ly/3wheQ9Y.
EvergreenHealth Home Care
As one of the largest providers of hospice and home health in the Northwest, EvergreenHealth Home Care cares for thousands of patients and families across King and Snohomish Counties with compassionate end-of-life care.
In addition to serving patients and families from EvergreenHealth’s freestanding Gene &
IreneWockner Hospice Care Center, home care nurses, social workers and therapists safely care for individuals in home-based settings, as well spanning south Seattle to Everett and beyond.
EvergreenHealth Home Health & Hospice was named Employer of the Year by the Hospice & Palliative Care Nurses Association.
Join our team at evergreenhealth.com/join-home-care.
Cheryl Medawattage, Executive Director, EvergreenHealth Hospice Home Care
EMPLOYER
OF THE Year 2021
Learn more at www.evergreenhealth.com/ health-services/hospice-care.
