Our new team builds on a vibrant program
Residents enjoy an outing to the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa.
When team members leave Prairie City Landing, it can be hard. We don’t just lose an employee, we say goodbye to a valued member of our community. We recently bid farewell to Sarah, our extraordinary Events and Adventures Director.
Change is not only constant, it’s often healthy. We welcomed Toni Glenn as the new Events and Adventures Director. With her new team member, Tim, Toni has built upon Sarah’s incredible foundation and continues to enrich our vibrant program.
Toni and Tim have kept beloved traditions that bring joy to our community, such as our annual Lake Day, Mother’s Day Tea, or weekly happy hours. They’ve also introduced new events, encouraged greater participation, and gathered feedback to ensure the program truly serves residents.
Residents enjoy engaging conversations and a delicious brunch to honor all the moms on Mother’s Day.
Extending the Invitation
Toni and Tim know that a thriving community is built on meaningful relationships. They especially enjoy it when a typically reserved resident joins an event. “Supporting those connections brings us so much joy!” Toni shared, recognizing the positive impact of social engagement on health and happiness.
Toni quickly saw the value of team member engagement and began inviting staff to share ideas and lead events. “I think we’re lucky that we have several team members who have these wonderful talents,” Toni said. For example, Cass, a med-tech in the community, is also an art student. Residents love participating in her popular art sessions, eagerly awaiting her next class.
Team members also join excursions outside the community. Tagging along to the Charles Schulz Museum or joining residents for dinner at Thai Paradise gives residents and team members the chance to strengthen bonds.
Enjoying a meal out together, such as going to Thai Paradise in Folsom, is always delicious!
Ensuring everyone is included is a priority for Toni and Tim. When planning off-site adventures, Toni leaves extra seats open on the bus so there is always room for residents from Harbor Memory Care to join in the fun.
Healthy Minds, Happy Lives
Events aren’t just for fun—they support connection and healthy living. One of Toni’s goals was to add cognitive activities. Luckily, she was able to both engage team members and improve cognitive function with a new American Sign Language (ASL) class taught by Bassam, a member of our culinary team. “I know strengthening one’s memory is important,” Toni acknowledged, “and I want to support our residents.”
Bassam, a member of our culinary team, teaches residents ASL.
Another favorite is the weekly Word-in-a-Word challenge where residents create as many words as possible from a 17-letter word. The current record is 313 words! “It’s just addictive! You can’t help but join in,” Toni said of the energy in the Bistro when playing.
Learning opportunities abound, including Tim’s monthly Learning Lab, where he teaches residents practical skills like setting phone reminders or using Cubigo, the community’s event and transportation system.
Listening and Adjusting
Resident feedback and direction are central to Toni and Tim’s program. Toni began a monthly meeting, inviting residents to share ideas and feedback. “All of this programming is for the residents,” Toni emphasized, “We need their ideas, their thoughts, their feedback, and their gentle criticisms.”
Toni (photographed on the far left) and Tim (fourth from the right standing) encourage and support residents to explore their world, engage together, and stay active.
When Tim began a new men’s group, he started with a survey to determine the topics the men would like to discuss. Attendance at the first meeting was incredible, and the residents’ ideas will shape this new time together.
Toni’s enthusiasm is contagious. Together, she and Tim are building more than just a schedule of events—they’re fostering a community where residents form meaningful relationships, learn new skills, and help shape a program that truly belongs to them.
