Our Interview with Resident Dorothy Brazeal
Dorothy was born in Bloomfield, Nebraska but was raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Growing up, she had four brothers and a dog named Zipper. Her career entailed being a flight attendant for Delta Airlines. She raised four wonderful children and has two fabulous grandchildren. Dorothy was also a housewife until the children were in High School and then she worked retail in a health food store and a children’s clothing store. The events in history that she remembers well are: The invention of color TV, the microwave oven, and the JFK assassination. The biggest accomplishment in her life was raising her children. Dorothy feels like you should always keep a positive attitude and a smile on your face. She also feels that you should spend time with your children because they grow up too fast.
Upon deciding that she would move to assisted living in Marietta, GA, Dorothy and her family visited a lot of places before choosing Dogwood Forest of Marietta. They chose Dogwood Forest’s assisted living community – one of the most well-known in Marietta, GA – because it felt the most like home. She loves living here and thinks that everyone is so nice. Her favorite part about living at Dogwood Forest is her friend, Calvin the resident dog. Along with Calvin, she has many friends at Dogwood Forest of Marietta.
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Our Interview with Resident Tam Duffil
Tam Duffill was born in Bremerton, Washington. His father had spent 30 years in the Navy and was a retired Admiral. The first 16 years of his life he lived in Arlington, Virginia where his father was stationed at the Pentagon. He later moved to Mobile Alabama.Tam was in a rock and roll band named “The Rebel Rockers”. He appeared on TV and had a record called “Cooly Dooly”. Tam was friends with the drummer of the rock group “Lynyrd Skynyrd”. He played with that band on occasion.
In 1959, he attended Alabama College, which is now known as The University of Montivella and graduated in 1963. Tam worked for Martin Luther King Jr. for 3 years, working the varitype machine for him. Tam said that he wanted to join in on some of the marches they had but was told they needed him more at the varitype machine.
He was a teacher in Savannah High School and sang in folk music clubs while living in Savannah, Georgia. Tam has been married 4 times and had one child. He was an avid motorcyclist until he was run into by a woman in a car in 1977 and broke his hip. He was in a hip cast for 1 1/2 years and had to have 4 operations. This is what brought him here to Dogwood Forest’s assisted living community in Marietta, GA.
He volunteers to play his guitar and sing for our other assisted living residents, and enjoys performing here at Dogwood Forest of Marietta, GA.
You can see him perform every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
He has recently had the honor of being inducted into the Rock-a-Billy Hall of Fame.
Watch Tam perform on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvzEF9MFUzk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5HFZmsIK94
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Our Interview with Resident Mary Bowen
I grew up on a farm in Pinehurst, Georgia (Dooly County), going to church with my family and cooking with my mama for family meals and many church socials. I enjoyed helping my grandmother tend to her many camellias in her entire front yard. My husband (Ralph) and I used to take our kids fishing in Florida every Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. So my entire family loves to fish even to this day. My children and grandchildren were involved in many sports at their school and we enjoyed attending all their games and related events with basketball, football, baseball & the livestock association. I was a Sunday school teacher for 45 years, sang in my church choir and I was also a substitute school teacher. It is very gratifying to me to have some of my students come up to me today and thank me and tell me how I made a positive impact on their lives.
I was at home cooking with my daughter Deb when the news came on that President John F. Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. I remember turning off the stove as the world seemed to just stop at that moment in time. I grabbed my daughter, hugged her tightly and began to pray for the President’s family and my country in its time of need. I attribute my biggest accomplishments as being able to raise my daughter & two sons as well as my beautiful grandchildren in a loving Christian home. Our lives have truly been blessed! I would tell our future generation of students to keep their minds and hearts open to all new possibilities. It is important to keep a positive attitude and apply themselves. Spend time with your children – nothing can replace quality time spent with your family!! As a parent it is important to nurture a child especially in their young formable years. Allow them to make their own mistakes and learn from their experiences. Most importantly – always tell them you love them no matter what happens in their lives.
After my husband passed away, I moved here to assisted living in Marietta, GA because my daughter lives in this area and she wanted me to be closer to her. I like the way Dogwood Forest is designed with all the rooms and activity areas being on the ground floor. That makes it very easy for me to participate in all the wonderful things that Dogwood Forest has to offer. I enjoy participating in the spiritual and inspirational functions offered here. We have a lot of musical entertainment and sing songs. Some of my friends here tell me that I know the words to all the songs. I used to play the piano when I was younger so music has always been a big part of my life.
My favorite part of living here in assisted living in Dogwood Forest’s Marietta, GA community is while the facility itself is very nice and clean, the best part is the staff!! Everyone is so nice and helpful to me. Whatever I need help with the staff is always so friendly and always willing to help me. The food here is great, and Ken and his staff are amazing!!! Mary Frances and Margaret are some of my dearest friends here at Dogwood Forest. We enjoy each other so much.
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Our Interview with Resident Hank Brancato
Hank was raised by immigrant parents in Hackensack New Jersey. He was the youngest of six children. His father had an apple orchard and his father & mother were hard workers. Their names were Dominque and Angelina. Hank worked as a golf caddy at the age of 10 and contributed financially to help his parents make ends meet. His love for the game of golf began there. He was also known to earn money by boxing on the side in offbeat hangouts in the town of Hackensack. It’s hard to imagine a man allowing people to tape his hands up so he can potentially damage them fighting. They fought without gloves. You would think he would want to protect them for his golf game, but he learned many things through his short boxing career that would later help him in life.
In the town of Hackensack, Hank laid ground for building relationships through his work, cultivating and setting himself up for a place in society. At one point he was The Secretary for the board of Health for Hackensack.
Hank eventually gave up boxing for another interest. After serving in the US army in the Phillipines and Japan in WWII, he became an Arthur Murray Dance instructor. He had spent his early years following the Dorsey brothers around Coney Island, Westchester and Manhattan. He really enjoyed the Fox-Trot & Lindy and dancing to the Big Bands, the music of the that era. He was very graceful on his feet probably due to his early boxing days. This only helped him to enhance & perfect his golf swing.
Hank eventually turned pro, class “A” PGA . He was on tour during the 1950′s, making the local papers with his successes. He taught at Inglewood CC New Jersey, Commack Hills CC Long Island, NY, Bethpage CC Long Island NY, and others like Rockhill Long Island.
He had enjoyed an athletic career where he was able to teach a community of comedic celebrities like Buddy Hacket, Joey Bishop, Dick Shawn. Other celebrities he taught golf to were Rocky Marciano, Carey Grant, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and many others.
When asked about his proudest life accomplishments as he looks back on them from Dogwood Forest assisted living here in Marietta, he said, raising his four children, being a golf professional, and proud of taking care of the health of his family and himself. When asked about advice to a college graduates, he said stay out of other people’s business. Keep your nose to the grind, and stay focused. When asked about starting a family his comments were about learning how to save money for the future. These responses were typical coming from a young adult of the “Great Depression”.
He came to Dogwood Forest’s assisted living Marietta community two years ago due to the inability to drive correctly and the lack of interest to feed himself. We wasn’t interested in cooking for himself anymore, so he got sick and was hospitalized.His daughter’s friend, Karleen Turner, recommended Dogwood Forest Marietta (called Eden Gardens at the time) because her father was there and loved it.
What he enjoys the most at Dogwood are the activities. He loves bingo and word games. He wins prizes which in turn he gives them away to others. This act of giving helps him feel purposeful and good about himself.
His best friends at Dogwood are: Mary, Jeanne, Tam, Andy and Calvin the dog!
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World Alzheimer’s Day Celebrated on September 21
The entire month of September is celebrated as Alzheimer’s Month, making it a time to rally support for Alzheimer’s and all of those affected by it. September 21st marked the annual date for the international World Alzheimer’s Day. Throughout the year, preparations and decisions are made which pertain to the theme of the day and the activities that will be practiced around the world in an attempt to raise awareness about dementia. Dogwood Forest, an assisted living community in Marietta, GA, encouraged seniors and their affected families to celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day. Assisted living facilities in Marietta, GA focus on individual events and participation each year, raising awareness for their residents and those around the world who suffer from the disease. All Dogwood Forest commemorated the event with activity geared to raise Alzheimer’s awareness.
“Faces of Dementia” Are All Around Us
This year, the theme for World Alzheimer’s Day is “faces of dementia.” It is through this theme that people will be asked to recognize the trials and tribulations faced by those who are suffering from this disease. World Alzheimer’s Day is meant to promote support and proper care for those involved with Alzheimer’s; it is on this day that people around the world unite, that organizations in support of Alzheimer’s join together in an attempt to actively engage people in the activities which promote a better understanding of the disease and the research needed to finally find a cure. Those who have loved ones living with alzheimer’s in know all too well that there are far too many of those “faces of dementia” surrounding us today, and that it’s the responsibility of the younger generations to ensure that these seniors receive the care and proper encouragement they need and work toward a cure.
World Alzheimer’s Day is a Source of Hope
There are organizations around the world involved in World Alzheimer’s Day each year, and with increased media support, the overall coverage has proved extraordinary in terms of making a difference for those people who are suffering from dementia. The significance of World Alzheimer’s Day should not be underestimated. No matter where seniors reside, whether it be in the homes of their loved ones or in assisted living facilities in Marietta, GA or across the nation, they will find support coming in from all around them. It is a day which unites people suffering from dementia, their families, their caretakers, their friends, researchers, medical professionals, and the media all over the world in an attempt to globally coordinate awareness and work toward a cure. This coordinated message speaks to governments and policy markers around the world, reminding them of the serious health issue presented by dementia and urging them to better understand the severe implications dementia has on health systems and services in every country. This effect on health systems continues to grow with the growth of populations. By incorporating a new message or theme each year, World Alzheimer’s Day can be used to educate people about the misconceptions and challenges associated with dementia and the search for a cure.
World Alzheimer’s Facts
By observing World Alzheimer’s Day, Alzheimer associations everywhere can gain increased recognition as well as credibility for what they do, giving them a more powerful position from which to influence the opinions of governments and leaders. This way, they can achieve greater visibility and persuade more people that finding a cure for Alzheimer’s should be a top priority. The effects of the day trickle down to assisted living facilities, where many sufferers of dementia and Alzheimer’s reside. Some assisted living residents in Marietta at Dogwood Forest find that after World Alzheimer’s Day, people tend to be more patient, understanding and helpful. As such, the effectiveness of the day is incredibly important. The success of World Alzheimer’s Day is measured by the number of countries that participate in at least one of the many events. It is also measured by the number of daily visitors to Alzheimer sites from individuals who want more information. Additionally, media impressions and inquiries received as well as the increase in individuals who join Alzheimer associations can contribute to whether the day can be considered successful and effective.
How You Can Help
ADI, the organization that founded World Alzheimer’s Day, is responsible for seeking financial support and for distributing materials around the world. These materials allow members to organize country-specific events. On World Alzheimer’s Day, ADI encourages other organizations to become members and to organize events in their area. After the event, they release a report on the events which took place and the success of each. If you want to participate, you can organize local events by contacting the Alzheimer’s association in your country and/or state by making donations to help fund repeat events. It is not a perquisite to have dementia or to be caring for someone with dementia to participate in events or host events in honor of World Alzheimer’s Day. With more people participating, awareness is raised about dementia, and we step a little bit closer to eliminating the disease altogether.
How World Alzheimer’s Day Affects Assisted Living Facilities in Marietta, GA
This day is especially significant for those who have families affected by dementia because it gives them an opportunity to spend time with others who understand what they and their loved one are going through. Many of those who place their elder loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer’s in assisted living in Marietta, GA grapple with feelings of helplessness, and coming together on one day a year to show their support can make all the difference in the world. By promoting research, support, understanding and compassion through a growing initiative to fight the disease, Alzheimer associations can see tangible results on World Alzheimer’s Day.
Dogwood Forest Marietta Can Provide the Nurturing Environment You’re Looking For
Seniors living in Georgia who suffer from Alzheimer’s and/or dementia deserve to lead a peaceful, safe lifestyle within a diverse, active and nurturing community. Dogwood Forest’s Marietta location is one of few assisted living facilities that can provide this lifestyle, offering non-drug methods for supporting and helping those who suffer from this debilitating disease. Contact Dogwood Forest Marietta for more information.
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Welcome to Your New Home!
Dogwood Forest retirement and assisted living homes has enhanced the lives of hundreds men and women. We understand that seniors need a place to relax and enjoy stress-free living every day. Here at Dogwood Forest we have created the perfect living environment. All of our homes and services have been designed to create the perfect atmosphere to promote positive, healthy lifestyles for all of our senior residents.
It is clinically proven that a person’s living environment significantly affects their well-being; with a positive environment promoting happiness and health. Dogwood Forest extends its services to all living situations: retirement, assisted living, post-operative, rehabilitation and respite care. All of these different states of well-being receive the same quality service and treatment. Dogwood Forest services include nutritious meals and snacks, medicine management, wellness and exercise programs, life enrichment activities, socialization and more.
All of our Dogwood Forest locations provide an environment that fosters security, independence, happiness and hope. Be sure to check out all eight of the Dogwood Forest retirement and assisted living homes as each home’s environment is unique. Whether residents choose to reside in an atmosphere of city living or a more secluded, natural area, each Dogwood Forest home provides the highest standards and quality of life.
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