Renaissance Lifestyle WINTER 2024
Employee of The Year: Richard Landin
Congrats to our 2023 Employee of the Year: Richard Landin. He is an excellent caregiver and employee who goes above and beyond for residents and staff. Richard became a caregiver to provide companionship and comfort to seniors. He enjoys working with his co-workers and appreciates the teamwork between them. It profoundly touched Richard that residents treated him like he was one of their family members. “Richard is always reliable and does everything with a smile,” said Janae Orona, Executive Director. “You can tell he truly cares about what he does.” Richard felt honored and appreciated that we chose him as 2023 Employee of the Year. “I will continue to provide great service to my residents and skills to my teammates,” Richard Landin said. “I really like working for the company.” Richard plans to continue growing in his position and hone his skills for further advancement within the company. Congrats on winning Employee of the Year, Richard! We appreciate your hard work and all that you do for our residents.
Executive Director’s Corner
Dear Residents, Family, and Friends: It’s a new year and my first Executive Director’s Corner! Thank you to everyone for making me feel welcome! I’ve enjoyed getting to know each of you, and I look forward to growing closer to each of you this year. We’ve got a lot of fun things planned for the coming year, and I cannot wait to share them all with you. We also welcomed a lot of new faces to the community. Welcome to our new servers, Dayana B. and Sophia M. We would also like to welcome our new caregivers, Sashay A., Star C., Olivia G., Giovanna G., Lorna R., Anthony S., Devora T., and Qidan Y. Lastly, we would like to welcome our new Med Tech, Kelly L. I’d also like to congratulate our 2023 Employee of the Year, Richard Landin! He does excellent work and deserves this recognition. Be sure to congratulate him, too! Once again, thank you for the warm welcome and please let me know if there is anything you need! See you around the community! Janae Orona, Executive Director
Resident Spotlight: Margaret B. Margaret B. was born in Long Beach, California in 1935. She is proud of making it to 88 and is heading toward 100. When she was young, her parents divorced, so she did not know too much about her biological father. Young Margaret on a pony. She and her younger brother, James, were close growing up and played outside with other children. Margaret remembers her mother, Bonnie, as a hard-working waitress. Bonnie later married Bob, who became Margaret and James’ stepfather. He had a great relationship with them and even gave Margaret away at her wedding. She loved him to pieces. Growing up, Margaret babysat, but when she turned 16, she started her first job at Buffum’s department store. She quickly became proficient in selling sterling silver flatware in the silverware department. Margaret worked throughout college. She attended Long Beach City College and Long Beach State College, where she received her teaching credential. In addition to her teaching credential, she also met her future husband, Bruce. Bruce was a returned veteran of the United States Army, and Margaret recalls him as tall, dark, and doggone handsome. The two dated for three weeks before discussing the possibility of marriage. However, because it had been such a short dating time, Margaret feared informing her mother of their marriage intentions. It was not until five months later that they shared the news with her mother. When it came to marrying Bruce, Margaret says you just know. The two were married for 54 years; she says it was a wonderful and marvelous marriage. Margaret
says they never argued the entire time they were married. They may have had a few long silences, but neither wanted to hurt the other one’s feelings. Both Margaret and Bruce became teachers. She taught primary grades, mostly 2nd grade, children with learning problems, emotional problems, and autism. Bruce taught high school English, U.S. History, Government, and, most importantly, Sex Education. Margaret shares that it was called human development, so the parent-teacher administration would not be hurt regarding this sensitive topic. Upon becoming a mother, her love for teaching grew. Her oldest son, Scott, had difficulty learning math and some reading in school. To help him overcome this, she became a Miller-Unruh Reading Specialist, allowing her to teach students remedial reading and math. Bruce Margaret & Bruce’s Wedding. and Margaret had four children: Scott, Robert, John, and their only daughter, Julia. She loved being a mother and enjoyed the fun of it. Since she was a teacher, she brought home a lot of learning games, which they played together. There was a lot of laughter in their home. During the summers, they traveled and camped all over California, Oregon, and Washington. When she and Bruce retired, they also traveled extensively between those states and the rest of the United States. Scott also joined the Army and was stationed in Germany. They took the entire family to visit him for a few weeks and had the opportunity to travel all over southern Germany together. She found a lot of excellent places to see, and they marveled over it. She planned their excursions through reading books,
which was an extension of the teacher in her. When Margaret’s son, Scott, was 26 years old, he was killed in an automobile accident, driving as a passenger in a car while serving in Margaret and several members of her family. the Army in Germany. Margaret, to this day, does not know what caused the accident, and his passing was a sad time in her life. Her son, Robert, is a carpenter and house builder, John is a high school math teacher, and her daughter teaches middle school cheerleading. Julia also spent five years as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Rams. She’s also immensely proud of her four grandchildren, all college graduates. Margaret also has one great-granddaughter. She likes seeing the process of life circling and seeing them do everyday things. Margaret is also there to tell her kids not to worry about them and encourage them that things will turn out okay if they are worried. When Margaret was in her 40s, she developed breast cancer and had to undergo a mastectomy. But today, she can say she is a breast cancer survivor of 45 years. After the passing of her son, Scott, which was one of the hardest parts of her life, she knew that if she was able to get through this, she could overcome the hardship of cancer. For several years afterward, she volunteered with the American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery Program, where she visited other women who just had mastectomies and was able to encourage them. Margaret recently learned that after her parents divorced, her father remarried, and she has a halfbrother named John, who lives in Richmond,
Virginia. She has become acquainted with him and his wife over the last few years. Margaret enjoys reading mysteries and thrillers in her spare time, and her favorite author is Patricia Cornwall. She always has a book in her walker. Most recently, she has been enjoying The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Margaret also likes to sew and has made all of the decorations in her room, not to mention her daughter Julia’s wedding dress, which took 250+ hours to complete. She also enjoys quilting, cross-stitching, and embroidery. All of which are practices she learned from her mother. Margaret is a devout Christian and a long-term member of Woodland Presbyterian Church. She served as a deaconess and even sang in the church choir. Her parents were not religious. Her stepfather was an atheist, and her husband was also not particularly religious either, so she went to church regularly on her own. She now enjoys going to Sunridge Community Church with her daughter on Sundays. Margaret is also a liberal democrat and has been accused of being a bleeding-heart liberal. She is also an avid genealogist. Margaret has researched most of Bruce’s and her relatives. She enjoyed discovering an ancestor, Richard Warren, who came to America on the Mayflower. Margaret also enjoyed visiting many famous libraries to do her research. After 54 years of marriage, Margaret’s husband, Bruce, passed away in 2010, and she’s been a widow ever since. There is nobody she would replace him with, and she remembers him as loving and warm. He was nice to everyone and could fix anything. Over the last year and a half, Margaret has lived at Renaissance Village Murrieta and enjoys it very much. She thinks she’s found an excellent place to be, and as she’s shooting for 100, she imagines she will still live here when that time comes.
GREAT DAYS AWAIT AT R
Catherine and Karyl at the 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Jan & Marsha with their fall floral arrangements.
Rosemary and Rae making fall floral arrangements.
Pat & Sonia decorating their gingerbread houses.
One of our favorite photos! Look at all that joy on Helen’s face.
Dr. Brazer and Harold at the Christmas Dinner.
RENAISSANCE VILLAGE!
Vista Murrieta’s ROTC came to visit on Veteran’s Day.
Evelyn witching everyone a magical day at our Monster Mash.
Congrats to Rae our first place Door Decorating Winner!
We honored, saluted, and showed recognition to all of the veterans that choose to call Renaissance Village Murrieta home on Veteran’s Day.
Margaret enjoying her Christmas Dinner.
Anne decorating a gingerbread house.
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
October
Salima Y, Caregiver
November
Maricela G., Caregiver
December
Martha, Housekeeper
Salima went to school in Kenya, and Marisela G. became a caregiver because Martha worked at Palma Casino as a when she came to the United States, she cared for her mother, who had housekeeper and has worked here for two she got her A-B Commercial License. Alzheimer’s for ten years. She enjoys years. She loves being herself among coShe drove a bus and worked as a taking care of residents and showing them workers and learning from the residents. security guard but loves working with love and respect. Marisela has five adult Martha and her husband, Heriberto, Renaissance Villages. Salima treats and children: Cynthia, Arturo, Nathaly, Alex, celebrate 35 years of marriage and have cares about residents like her family. She and Ismael. She also enjoys taking care three children: Jessica, Heriberto Jr., and celebrates12 years of marriage and has of her dogs and visiting various places. Jonathan. She also enjoys gardening. four children: Zenabu, Husna, Amia, and Marisela enjoys working at Renaissance Martha believes it is a privilege for residents Amari. Salima enjoys sleeping, watching Villages and that the managers are to live here and that their families can trust TV, spending time with her kids, and committed to good development and the we care for their loved ones. She is proud to caring for her house when not working. well-being of employees. be part of the Renaissance Villages Family.
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Older Adults May Be Neglecting Oral Health Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for older adults. Oral health directly affects quality of life and the ability to eat and enjoy food. Regular dental care can help prevent tooth decay, tooth loss, and periodontal disease, as well as identify oral cancer in its early stages. When people retire, they often lose their dental insurance benefits. Regular Medicare does not cover dental care, so patients must pay out of pocket unless they purchase dental insurance or have a Medicare Advantage Plan that covers dental. Many seniors simply cannot afford the cost. Other seniors may have limited mobility and a lack of transportation to appointments. Those with failing memories may forget about making an appointment until they experience a dental problem. Some people just have general anxiety when it comes to visiting the dentist. Guidelines for good oral health are the same for seniors as other age groups: Brush twice a day, use a fluoride toothpaste, floss daily or use a special dental pick to clean between the teeth, and have a dental checkup twice a year. The following are some of the problems that can result from neglected oral health: Tooth Decay: Cavities are caused by bacteria in the mouth converting sugary foods and carbohydrates into acid and plaque, which dissolves tooth enamel. Dry mouth is a contributing factor for tooth decay. Unfortunately, dry mouth is a side effect of many medications commonly taken by seniors. Periodontal Disease: Periodontal disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in the elderly. When gum disease is not treated, the gums
start to pull away from the teeth and form deep pockets that allow food particles and plaque to collect. Receding gums may bleed easily. Periodontal disease also causes bad breath. Advanced gum disease can destroy bone. Links to Other Health Conditions: Infections in the mouth have been linked to other health problems including lung infections, such as pneumonia, and heart disease. Good oral health can reduce the risk of developing other health conditions. Family members have the opportunity to play an important role in ensuring their older loved ones get the dental care they need. Some seniors may need a reminder about scheduling an appointment, or it may be helpful for someone to book an appointment for them. Others may need transportation to the appointment or someone to accompany them to their visit. Renaissance Villages can alleviate transportation worries for residents and their families. We offer transportation to and from medical and dental appointments so that our residents never have to miss their scheduled procedures.
It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day!
OUR TEAM Senior Executive Director Brian Taube briantaube@rvseniorliving.com Senior Living and Memory Care
24271 Jackson Ave. Murrieta, CA 92562
Executive Director Janae Orona ed@rvseniorliving.com Business Office Manager Viviana Correa vcorrea@rvseniorliving.com
Tel: (951) 319-8243 Fax: (951) 319-8246 www.RenaissanceVillages.com License# 331800083
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Wellness Director Genesis Roman wellness@rvseniorliving.com Wellness Director Kiara Estrella wd@rvseniorliving.com Community Relations Director Maria Garcia mgarcia@rvseniorliving.com Life Enrichment Director Desiree Parker activities@rvseniorliving.com Director of Dining Services Taylor Harris dining@rvseniorliving.com Maintenance Director Juan Vergara maintenance@rvseniorliving.com