St. Margaret Schools Treats Us

In the spirit of the holiday with a unicorn right up front, students from St. Margaret School paid us a visit on Halloween morning. Thank you for such a special treat.

 

The fabulous chemistry between Caregivers Whitney and Jessica is spooky, especially when it comes to decorating for Halloween. Their ghoulishly fun work included Whitney making the “No Bones About it” poster and Jessica showing her love of spider webs. Plus, there were jack-o-lanterns, ghosts floating along the ceiling and witches booms hanging on the walls. This set the perfect mood for the pirate-themed Bel Air Elementary School Walk-A-Thon which came right up to our door and got Bel Air Assisted Living mentioned in The Baltimore Sun article.

Great teachers have a knack at creating interest and desire. That is certainly true of Susan, a retired HCPS Art Teacher, who volunteered her time and talent to us today to teach the painting autumn leaves using water colors. Our residents loved spending time with her. She is so patient and explains things very clearly. Our artists happily learned some new paint strokes. They even made a “tree” with the branch that Susan found. How? The residents glued their painted fall leaves to clothes pins and pinned them to the branch.

Yes, I did see a cow in a red sweater strolling around Bel Air Assisted Living. The Chick-fil-A cow paid us a visit and socialized with our residents. The tall mascot recommended that we “Eat Mor Chiken.” We took that advice and dined on chicken nuggets with salad and fruit. And we took advantage of the perfect opportunity for fun pictures with the residents, staff, and kids!

Volunteers Nia and Katie came by to hang out with their buds at Bel Air Assisted Living and help us get ready for fall. The group worked together to create a lovely fall wreath full of beautiful colors. Check out photo #2. And they painted pinecones too, as you can see in photo #3.

Bel Air Assisted Living Activities for Seniors

Thanking Our First Responders

We wanted to honor and remember 9/11 at Bel Air Assisted Living. Julie started our morning with “You’re a Grande Old Flag” and “God Bless America” on the piano. The residents made goody bags and thank you posters for our local first responders – Bel Air Police Department and Bel Air Fire Department. (Both are within a mile radius of Bel Air Assisted Living.) We wanted to thank those in our community that work so hard for us and remember them on this most important day!

Where did all the butterflies come from? A big thank you to Miss Mary and her crew: her daughter-in-law, granddaughter and great grandson. The creative ladies provided guidance for turning a doily, water colors, pipe cleaners and a clothes pin into a attractive accent piece. Ms. Diana enjoyed pushing on the decorative puffy dots. Beautifully done. And some of the lovely butterflies landed on the flower arrangements recently created by our residents…a “natural” place to be.

We had a great time arranging flowers for our dining room. Our residents assembled luscious green foliage in vases and highlighted their arrangements with brilliant flowers of red, yellow, pink and purple. And thank you to Miss Mary for making the bow! The finished works of art are in photo #4 and the proud group of our Bel Air florists gathered for a group shot in photo #5.

It’s sort of a mixture of arts & crafts and lunch. Our residents mixed the ingredients, molded the dough, applied the tomato sauce and added their favorite toppings. Presto. Personal pizza to order. A favorite food of many in the USA, pizza a la Bel Air was a big hit locally. And so was the unofficial supervisor, Resident Mary’s great-granddaughter, who worked diligently with our residents to make Dominoes jealous. The result: deliziosa!!!

It’s sort of a mixture of arts & crafts and lunch. Our residents mixed the ingredients, molded the dough, applied the tomato sauce and added their favorite toppings. Presto. Personal pizza to order. A favorite food of many in the USA, pizza a la Bel Air was a big hit locally. And so was the unofficial supervisor, Resident Mary’s great-granddaughter, who worked diligently with our residents to make Dominoes jealous. The result: deliziosa!!!

Bel Air Assisted Living is a luxury assisted living facility located
in beautiful Harford County, Maryland. Privately owned and operated

Our Luxury Care Facility Features 16 Private Suites, Each Complete With Full Private Bath

Activities - Bel Air Assisted Living
Activities - Bel Air Assisted Living

Homemade Cookies – No Surprise

On this Friday evening, it was so hard to be patient. The smell of homemade peanut butter cookies was in the air. Nia and Katie (our amazing volunteers) were in baking mode, but it took time. Our patient residents were joined by Bugsy, from Pets On Wheels. They all seemed to be focused on the tempting aroma coming from the kitchen. Finally, their perseverance paid off. Warm peanut butter cookies served right from the oven.

We had a great time making Watercolor Luminaries. It’s a simple, yet creative process. First, we applied watercolor paint to coffee filters. (The great thing is you can use as many colors as you would like.) Then we “watched” the paint dry. C’mon, faster. Once dry, we tore the filters into pieces. Then we sealed the pieces to mason jars using Mod Podge. Add battery operated tea lights inside the jars and we created beautiful Watercolor Luminaries.

How do we celebrate July 11th at Bel Air Assisted Living? With a bit of imagination and a sense of fun. Our staff made a run to 7-Eleven for Slurpees!!! Blue Raspberry, Wild Cherry, Piña Colada. Take your pick and go for it. And our residents did just that. Notice the difference in their tactics. They varied from the two-handed get-every-drop, the one-handed casual sip and the scoop. No matter the style, when done, all the happy slurpers fit one category – cool.

Happy Birthday, USA.  Patriotism and firing up the grill were a big part of our Fourth of July celebration.  Flags decorated the lawn.  Our residents, proud members of the “Greatest Generation,” donned red, white and blue necklaces donated to us on Memorial Day by American Legion Harford Post 39.  The weather was not ideal, so Chef Casey grilled hotdogs and hamburgers outside so we still enjoyed the cookout feel (and taste)!  Also on the menu, Casey’s homemade Italian cold pasta, watermelon, chips, and red poke cake with blue frosting

Chef Casey and Diana can be very creative in the kitchen.  When talking about desserts, the term culinary artiste comes to mind.  Check out their ice-cream cake cones.  Take a cone and bake some cake in it.  Then top with ice cream so it melts down into the warm cake.  It’s sweet, it’s genius and it’s a perfect ending to lunch today!

Caribbean Travel at Bel Air Assisted Living
Bel Air Assisted Living - Activities for Seniors
Bel Air Assisted Living - Caregiver Tip
Mother's Day 2019 - Bel Air Assisted Living

Cruising The Caribbean

Thank you to Laura for taking us on a virtual trip to the Caribbean!  The residents loved listening to Bob Marley, hearing about Jamaican food, learning about different cultures in the Caribbean, and shaking the seed pod rattle from Antigua.  They also enjoyed trivia about home in Maryland.  And Resident John was quick to respond to those questions.

It was a beautiful day to gather on the porch and have an Ice Cream Social.  It was shirt-sleeve weather.  Banjo Bob played tunes.  The group kept the beat. And our staff made sundaes to order.  What topping would you choose?  The choices included chocolate syrup, nuts, strawberry syrup, chocolate chips, hot fudge, caramel and marshmallows.  To put the afternoon concisely…so sweeeeet!

The Girl Scouts came by this evening for their end-of-the-school-year ceremony.  They sang familiar tunes such as The Star Spangled Banner and You Are My Sunshine.  They also introduced the group to a popular song among youngsters called Baby Shark.  And to add even more fun, they brought a Joke Jar for us to keep for the residents!  A couple of the jokes and punchlines are included in the photos

What a treat.  The Tri-M Music Honor Society from Bel Air High School came by to perform.  Known as the Dynamic Performers, one of their missions is to share their love of music in the local community.  They certainly did that today!  So talented and such a nice group of youngsters.  They played instruments and sang.  Their repertoire ranged from classical music to “Feeling Good,” which was made famous by Nina Simone.  Their kindness was off the charts.

Fresh flowers are synonymous with Mother’s Day.  Look around Bel Air Assisted Living on this special day and you saw adorable flower arrangements created by our residents.  They were the result of a fun and aromatic crafting project.  The group combined fresh flowers, ribbons, vases and colored water to make eye-catching, fragrant displays they were proud to show all their visitors on Mother’s Day.

Assisted Living Reviews

Kentucky Derby - Bel Air Assisted Living
Easter Activity at Bel Air Assisted Living
Activity at Bel Air Assisted Living
Activities at Bel Air Assisted Living

Kentucky Derby Hats – A Tradition

If it’s time for the Derby, it’s time for hats.  Part of the  Kentucky Derby tradition is for women to wear colorful hats decorated with flowers, bows, ribbons and feathers.  Modeled after high-class European racing events, the tradition was started by founder Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr.  Our crafting group jumped in on the fun using handy art supplies and imagination to create Derby Hats.  On the big day, they added a tilt of the hat and the Southern Belle attitude, and it was off to the races.

We love celebrating holidays at Bel Air Assisted Living. And it is so much fun getting ready for the occasions. This year, the build up to Easter included making Easter Candles and creating spring trees. And of course, our residents really enjoyed the coloring of Easter Eggs. This triggered many memories. We joked about how convenient it can be now if you use plastic bags for dying as opposed to the more messy traditional way.

On Sundays during baseball season, we gather in our Sports Room to watch our favorite team crush the Yanks and wear out the Sox. We invite family members and friends to come on by, talk stats and enjoy the greatest game ever played. Resident Reese leads the cheers. To help create the ballpark feel, we provide peanuts and cracker jacks along with other refreshments. And hopefully we cheer on the Orioles to another win.

Our residents really enjoy visits from youngsters and live entertainment. This month, we combined both on a couple of occasions. Students from St. Margaret School visited and sang songs that included Praise Him (When The Sun Goes Down). And on their monthly visit, Girl Scout Troop 904 from Bel Air, Md. sang songs (including My Country, ‘Tis Of Thee), performed skits, and three of the girls played their flutes!

Many of our activities are group-oriented, but not all. Ms. Diana loves to help with decorating for the upcoming Holidays. She wholeheartedly took on the task of trimming our spring tree with Easter Eggs and did a fantastic job! Plus, she had fun and is proud to see her creative work on display at Bel Air Assisted Living. Thank you for the help Ms. Diana.
Activities at Bel Air Assisted Living
Valentine's Day 2019 at Bel Air Assisted Living

Corned Beef & A Banjo

We had a great time celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! Banjo Bob entertained the residents with songs while they enjoyed corned beef on seedless rye with mustard, potato salad. We added a bit of the green with dessert, a tasty Watergate salad. It was Certainly a hit. If you would like the recipe, just click on this link at: KraftHeinz.

It is so nice to be thought of on Valentine’s Day. And Brownie Troop 904 has taken that thought to heart – as compassionate young ladies and as artists. Look at what they did for our Bel Air residents. They created a variety of Valentine’s cards filled with hearts and the love the hearts represent. So creative. So kind. We are so thankful for these talents they share with us and the smiles they create. And we are very proud to call them our friends.

Autumn had arrived and it was a beautiful, sunny, fall day outside. A great time for a Harvest Party. Residents were in creative mode and happily painted and decorated pumpkins from a local farm in northern Harford County. They were assisted by Activities Coordinator Courtney’s daughter Aniston who helped with setup, painting, making the pumpkin dip and serving apple cider. Assistant Manager’s son William provided added entertainment by just being William. So cute. A perfect day inside, too.

Click for our tasty Pumkin Dip Recipe.

You don’t have to go all the way to England to find royalty. Right here in Bel Air Assisted Living, we crowned the King & Queen of our Senior Prom. Residents Annie and Reece captured these honors through popular vote. Activities Coordinator Megan had her brother come with his PA system and deejay for the event. He spun lots of fun oldies songs that the crowd loved. Some were inspired to dance. Others toe tapped and sang along with the music.

We love to see our Bel Air residents being expressive and creative.  At the same time, our crafts program provides fun challenges that offer the opportunity to accomplish a task, be successful and build self esteem.  And on the practical side, our residents often create  decorations for our family and holiday events.  On this day, Residents Kay and Margaret are making lovely centerpieces that were placed on tables at our Father’s Day cookout.

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The Bel Air Experience In Maryland

At Bel Air Assisted Living, residents aren’t just a face in the crowd — they’re family. We truly care about each resident and want to help them feel safe, happy and comfortable.

Here are some of the perks our senior living residents enjoy:

  • Personalized senior care by dedicated team members
  • Quality medical treatments
  • An tasteful, tailored setting
  • Assistance with everyday tasks
  • Housekeeping and laundry services
  • Chef-prepared gourmet meals
  • 24/7 visitation hours
  • Planned social activities 7 days a week, such as card games or art lessons
  • Scheduled outings

Frequently Asked Questions

How are you protecting residents from COVID-19?

Our caregivers and medical team are up to date with all CDC and Maryland Department of Health rules and guidelines. We prioritize health and safety, and are happy to answer any questions about our protocols.

Twice a year, the assisted living manager and delegating nurse lead a full review of each resident’s personalized service plan. Our entire medical staff participates in the review. Additionally, if at any time the resident’s mental, physical, emotional, or social needs change, the personalized service plan may be placed under voluntary review. For example, a service plan review typically occurs after hospitalization or when a new diagnosis is delivered. Whenever the personalized service plan is updated, our entire staff is briefed on the change and trained to accommodate it.

Home health agencies are hired to meet specific needs including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, hospice care, podiatry services, mobile x-ray services, and lab work. In addition, our registered nurse and house doctor are on call 24 hours a day. For a full list of amenities, please see our Amenities page.

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