Insights

Virginia Lewis’ heart is in caring for others, which she has done at UMRC for the last 39 years. “Virginia has a really big heart, and she shows it every day!” says UMRC Housekeeping/Laundry Supervisor, Lorina Hawley. Virginia has served older adults all over campus, as both a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and

If you are like most people, you feel cold every now and then during the winter. What you may not know is that just being really cold can make you very sick.  Older adults can lose body heat fast, father than when they were young. Changes in your body that come with aging can

Rev. John and his wife, Karol, have a passion for trains. For John, it started with the first Lionel train he shared with his brother as kids. In the 1960s, he gave his son a train set and later bought two train sets for $40 at a garage sale. However, as a Lutheran pastor

Musical roots run deep in Chelsea Retirement Community resident Lillian Livingston’s family. Lillian’s mother was an opera singer in Vienna, Austria. Lillian is a retired piano faculty member from Rider University’s Westminster Choir College in New Jersey, located on the Princeton campus, where she taught for 39 years. Many of her students won competitions

Chelsea Retirement Community resident Earl Avery started his career in education as a science teacher in 1961.  However, his student-focused approach led him to wonder, ‘What were their barriers to learning?’  “I had the opportunity to take some counseling classes and got really excited,” explains Earl.  He became a certified guidance counselor in

Caregiving comes naturally for Cassie Lockwood, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at UMRC’s Kresge Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center (Kresge Center). The oldest of seven, including the youngest who has Down syndrome, Cassie says, “Taking care of my siblings has made me appreciate and love helping people.” Cassie believes it is important to set a good

Women had not yet been given the right to vote when Estelle Jargello Novak was born on June 3, 1919 to Polish immigrant parents in Detroit.  Still, during World War II, Estelle helped blaze an inspiring path for women’s service in the military.Eager to do her part, Estelle served as a member of the

Moriah Gumbert says she’s always been a “rule follower.” That’s why her role as the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) Compliance Coordinator at Thome PACE in Jackson is perfect for her. Moriah prepares documentation for each participant, keeps track of reporting and assessments, and ensures that all regulations are met for state and federal audits. “Some

Rev. Jim Maxwell is a retired minister who served St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ferndale from 1979 to 2004. His wife, Mardi is a retired social worker. Jim’s jogging buddy, a Methodist pastor, had mentioned UMRC to Jim. When a neuromuscular disease limited Jim’s mobility, he and Mardi decided to check it out. They

Ann and Dick Kraft made Flint, Michigan their home for nearly 60 years. Dick was a civil engineer and owned his own company; Ann was a home economist. When it came time to retire, they chose Chelsea Retirement Community (CRC). “Because of our Methodist ties, we know about UMRC’s excellent reputation,” says Ann.

Caring for others has always been a passion for Paul and Connie Schubert. Paul was a Lutheran pastor- serving as far away as the Virgin Islands- before earning his Ph.D. in psychology and starting his own counseling practice. Connie worked with children as a psychiatric clinical nurse. in 2012, the Schuberts combined their love

Rev. Dr. Brent McCummons and his wife Marlene are residents of the Prairie Cottages at UMRC’s Chelsea Retirement Community. They chose UMRC for its active lifestyle, nurturing community, and continuum of care, should they ever need it. They included the UMRC Foundation’s Benevolent Care Fund in their estate gift to provide the same for