Activity Scrapbook

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.

It’s Getting Spooky Around Here

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.

Teacher Inspires The Class

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.

Did I See A Cow In A Sweater?

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!

Fall Colors Are Inside, Too

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.

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!

Butterflies Appear In the Dining Room

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.

Flower Arrangers Blossom

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.

Lots Of Pizza Makers In The House

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!!!

Sunflowers Radiate Warmth

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!!!

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.

Coffee Filter Art

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.

Celebrating 7/11 With 7-Eleven Slurpees

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.

Fourth of July Cook-In

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

It’s A Cone, It’s A Cake, It’s So Good!

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!

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.

Turning A Saturday Into A Sundae

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!

Girl Scouts & The Joke Jar

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

Tri-M Music Honor Society Performs

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” that was made famous by Nina Simone.  Their kindness was off the charts.

Mother’s Day Flower Arrangements

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.

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.

Getting Ready For Easter

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.

O’s Sundays – “Play Ball!”

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.

April’s Young Musical Guests

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!

Spring Tree Decorating

Many of our activities are group-oriented, but not all. Ms. Diana loves to help with decorating for the upcoming Holidays. She whole-heartedly 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.

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.

Residents Accompany Julie On The Piano

We are so fortunate that Julie visits us at Bel Air Assisted Living three times a week. The residents enjoy listening to music and really love when she plays the piano. Many join in by keeping time and playing instruments while Julie tinkles the ivories. Here are clips from two of those days. You can see that residents Ferne and Shirley were drawn in and wanted to be close to the music. What a trio!

Afternoon Tea On Valentine’s Day

Bel Air residents enjoyed a lovely Valentine’s Day Tea. Our chef Michelle made a delicious assortment of cucumber and cream cheese, and ham tea sandwiches. The attendees had the option to sip a variety of teas – hot or cold. Oh, and the scones were so tasty. They made for a nice ending to our holiday celebration!

Brownies Make Valentines

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.

St. Margaret School Is So Thoughtful

Some people and organizations have kindness built into them. Our wonderful neighbor, St. Margaret School, is definitely guilty of this. Their teachers and students come by to visit with our residents. Last Halloween, they made and delivered treat bags. And what do they do now? They present Bel Air Assisted Living with a Certificate of Appreciation thanking us for our service to the community. They are so thoughtful and inspire us to do more. Thank you so much.

Just Having Fun Singers Visit

Yes, their name is accurate. The Just Having Fun Singers shared their talents and smiles with our residents and staff. Jan, the emcee, led her group of volunteers through familiar songs including Home on the Range, God Bless America and Edelweiss. Our residents gladly joined in. Also, Resident Annie won a ribbon for answering a trivia question, and Resident John was honored for being a January birthday boy and a WWII veteran. Thank you so much to the Just Having Fun Singers for visiting and entertaining, and all the fabulous work they do.

Youth Group Sings Christmas Carols

The youth group from United Methodist Church by to sing Christmas carols. A really nice group of children, they sang familiar holiday tunes and even took requests. Their play list included Frosty The Snowman, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, Hark The Herald, Away In The Manger and Deck The Halls. And they ended perfectly with We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Thank you so much to the youngsters and the Church for sharing their talent, kindness and holiday spirit with all of us at Bel Air Assisted Living.

Girls Scouts Make Christmas Merrier

Our residents were treated to the kindness, courtesy and respect of the Girl Scouts. The lovely group of young ladies sang Christmas carols and gave our residents gifts they made themselves.

Santa Visits, And even Sings

It’s a holiday tradition, a visit from Santa. Our residents and guests sat with the big guy to share the spirit of the season. And they sang Christmas songs together. Family members joined in the fun, including little toddlers sitting on Santa’s lap. What a fabulous day!

Making Christmas Candle Holders

Now this is creative. Take an empty jar, stick on some Epsom salt, insert a candle and you have soft light flickering through ice crystals – a beautiful holiday decoration. Our residents really enjoyed the process of making candle holders and are proud of their work.

St. Margaret’s Halloween Treats

We are very fortunate to have St. Margaret’s Church and School across the street. In addition to providing church services once a week for our residents, Deacon Victor Petrosino often visits with us. And the teachers and students are always so generous by making gifts for our residents such as place mats, decorations, pictures, etc. For this Halloween, they decorated treat bags filled with a variety of candy. Creative, fun, and our residents love sweets, so this was a perfect treat for Halloween. We are so thankful for their service to the community, and to our own little community here at Bel Air Assisted Living.

Parade at our Front Door

Look, it’s a parade! The students of Bel Air Elementary School paraded through town and were kind enough to come right by our front door. Residents gathered on the porch and waved to the wonderful students, teachers and parents as they came by. An annual event, the Aegis reported that the theme for this year’s walk-a-thon was superheroes and villains. The students raised $10,500 which will be used for books, computers, field trips and other items for the kids.

Harvest Party

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.

Bel Air Jam Session

Many of our residents enjoy music and will take an active role. On this day, when Julie played the piano, a bunch of our music lovers jumped in. Resident Fern handled percussion and kept the beat. Residents Kitty, Kay, Annie and John joined the jam session with a variety of instruments while Resident Marquita and Mercy (staff) enjoyed the performance.

Royalty at the Senior Prom

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.

Having “Slime” Fun

Say the word “slime” to a youngster and they think fun.  Say it to a Bel Air resident, and they think fun, too.  Our crafts group combined glue, water, detergent and food coloring to make their slime under the guidance of our Queen of Slime, Activity Coordinator Megan.  The texture felt so disgusting, but as you can see, Residents Kay & Margaret could not stop playing with it.  Such fun.  And working with their hands can be a great stress/anxiety reliever, an excellent form of sensory stimulation, and helps with hand dexterity.

Sophie’s Specialty Is Pet Therapy

When she walks into Bel Air Assisted Living, you can tell right away she’s a professional and she knows her business.  Sophie, a 3 year old Flat Coat Retriever and Border Collie mix, is a happy-to-be-here Certified Therapy Dog.  Our residents are thrilled to snuggle with, pet and love Sophie.  The result is pet therapy, a low-stimulation form of therapy that helps to increase self-esteem, along with mental and physical activity.  And it is enjoyable for all.  Thank you to Sophie and Pets On Wheels for coming to visit!

Our Residents Are Crafty

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.

Creating Flowers On Mother’s Day

Flowers are commonly seen on Mother’s Day.  This year, our Bel Air staff gave this custom a bit of a twist.  They provided the tools for our residents and multiple generations of their families to paint flowers.  What fun!  Choose a pastel background color, paint a terra cotta pot, add a green stem and top with a beautiful sunflower.  The finished works of art brightened the faces of all on a very Happy Mother’s Day.