Home for the Holidays: Checking in on Aging Parents

In this episode, we sit down with Chandler Burckbuchler, Senior Division Manager and Marketing Manager for Terra Bella Senior Living, to discuss the critical warning signs families should watch for when visiting aging loved ones during the holidays. Chandler explains why the weeks following Thanksgiving and Christmas are traditionally the busiest times for senior living inquiries, as extended family time reveals changes that might go unnoticed during brief visits. She shares practical guidance on identifying concerns ranging from cognitive decline and medication management to nutrition, hygiene, and driving safety.

We also explore the emotional aspects of aging, including loneliness and depression in seniors, and hear touching stories about the importance of listening to our elders' experiences. Chandler emphasizes that caregivers need care too, and offers actionable advice on conducting home safety checks—from testing smoke alarms to removing fall risks. She stresses the value of having conversations about care preferences before emergencies arise and encourages families to visit senior living communities during the holidays to understand their options.

Tune in to discover invaluable insights that can help you support your aging loved ones while navigating these sensitive conversations with compassion and preparation. Whether you're noticing subtle changes or planning ahead, this episode offers the practical tools and emotional support families need during the holiday season and beyond.

SeniorLivingGuide.com Podcast sponsored by TerraBella Senior Living and Tom Marks, Best Selling Author on Retirement

The background music is written, performed, and produced exclusively by purple-planet.com.

https://www.purple-planet.com/

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Transcript

Darleen Mahoney [0:02 - 0:29]: And today I'm super excited to have on our podcast Chandler Burckbuchler. She serves as a senior division manager, marketing manager for Terra Bella Senior Living. Terra Bella Senior Living offers person centered in affordable hometown senior care in Georgia, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. Thank you so much for joining us today, Chandler. 

Chandler [0:30 - 0:49]: Thank you so much, Darlene, for having me. I am so excited to speak with you because I feel like education is a huge opportunity in this industry, and I think you guys do a great job of delivering great resources for seniors. And I'm just really excited to be able to share with you guys today. So thank you for having me. 

Darleen Mahoney [0:49 - 1:36]: Absolutely. Absolutely. And we're excited to have you. You are our podcast sponsor, so we're super appreciative of that as well. I know that you and I have talked and one of the things that we've talked about in the past as we're, like, approaching the holidays is this is such a great time for a family to kind of gauge maybe sometimes where, like, their. Their parents or grandparents or loved ones might be if they're aging. So I thought it would be a good time to kind of talk about some of those things you might want to look for and maybe some of the solutions that you might want to consider if there are some. Some things that. That. That might be not quite right. 

Chandler  [1:37 - 2:30]: Yeah, absolutely. And the holidays are my favorite time of year. If you're anything like me, my parents are my favorite people. So I love going home to visit my family for the holidays. And many of us don't get the opportunity to visit family members as much as we'd like to, but the holidays give you that kind of longer time to check in. And really, that is a perfect time to check in and see how your older loved ones are coping. And so traditionally in senior living, one of the busiest times of the year is right after Thanksgiving and right after Christmas, where we hear from families. And so it's really important that senior living community stay available. And we always want to make sure we're available for families so that if you do go home and see your loved one and see anything that's concerning or don't know if it should be concerning, that we can help you understand if it might be that good time to check in. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:31 - 2:39]: Yeah, I think that that's perfect. It's a time that I think that you spend. Well, you should be kind of spending a little bit more quality time. It's a hectic time, for sure. 

Chandler [2:39 - 2:39]: Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [2:39 - 3:22]: But it's a quality time where you can talk over Meals, spend time maybe baking and cooking, wrapping presents. And, you know, if it's, you know, during the holidays, you're, you know, you're just maybe sipping that hot cider, I guess, depending on what part of the country you're in. I'm in Florida, so we just turn up, turn the AC down sometimes that's needed to enjoy a hot cup of cider. But I think that's when you can have some of those really great conversations and kind of see how things are going as well as spending especially, you know, some families. I know when I grew up, when we went to visit family, we stayed with family. We rarely went to a hotel. So you're in the thick of it with family. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [3:24 - 4:04]: Yeah, absolutely. And so when you're home and visiting your loved ones, of course, a lot of times we, we have our holiday traditions. We do kind of the same things every year. So like you said, we're doing a lot of those things like baking and decorating the tree and spending that great quality time with our loved ones. And it's just a really great opportunity to look in and see how they're doing. And maybe not every situation gives a call for alarm bells, but it is good to see kind of how their needs are changing, because our needs do change kind of as we age and things do change for us. So I think it's just important to know some of the things that you can look out for with your family and what those are. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:05 - 4:07]: Yeah, yeah. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [4:07 - 4:08]: So what. 

Darleen Mahoney [4:08 - 4:16]: What are some good indicators or signs that you kind of maybe want to look out for if you have some of those concerns? 

Chandler Birkbuckler [4:17 - 6:27]: Yeah. And so starting at the highest level, of course, forgetfulness. If your loved one is showing signs of dementia, maybe they're repeating the same stories around the holidays. They're telling the same story from back in the past or asking the same questions, you know, what time is dinner going to be ready? And then repeating that again, or missing names. That's probably the most obvious and highest funnel that they may be indicating some signs of Alzheimer's or dementia or just may need a little bit more support. But there are a lot of other things as well that may seem a little bit more minor or things that you might mistake that are good things to look out for. So if you're visiting a loved one, maybe taking a look at their medication and the dates on their medication, can you tell if it's being taken or when the last time that medication was filled, if it's something they're taking every day, like for their blood pressure, and then what is that medication for? Just making sure that they're able and knowing that they're taking care of themselves with those prescriptions. And then again, looking at those bottles, are there old prescription pill bottles in their medicine cabinet? Are things out of date? Those are just really important things to make sure that your loved one is paying attention to their medication and that they're taking that medication safely. Yeah, things like food, you know, looking in their refrigerator, their freezer, their pantry. Do they have food that's half eaten, old or out of date, or has your loved one gained or lost weight? Are they, you know, cooking. Are able to cook for themselves consistently? So making sure they're getting their diabetic needs changed or say, you know, your diabetic mother is existing off of honey buns, is that, you know, the most nutritious thing she should be eating? Making sure they're getting their vitamins and nutrients right. Right. I think is really important. And a lot of the holiday season is about eating food, so that's always a great time to look at. I am personally very excited for my Thanksgiving turkey. I cannot wait for November. 

Darleen Mahoney [6:28 - 7:38]: Well, I will tell you, I had not ever thought about checking the fridge for expiration dates. I remember, like, visiting with my dad and just checking to see if he had food and kind of what he was eating, because he was really. You know, my mom had always cooked for him, and after she passed away, I think he was kind of lost in the world of going to the public station and kind of surviving off of that. But I think that that's where my concern was. I just wanted to make sure that he was actually eating. And then I also realized that he would go to at least breakfast place every single solitary day. So he had this big breakfast every morning going on. So I knew he was at least getting that. But the expiration dates are super important because I do remember as a kid when, as a teenager, at my grandmother's house, and I remember going into a refrigerator to get, like, sour cream and other things, and they were way expired. And I know that can happen in my refrigerator. I mean, let's be real. We are not all amazing at that. But she didn't have an issue with it. That's what was concerning to me, is that she wanted me to put it back and not throw it out. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [7:40 - 8:03]: Yeah, absolutely. And there are a variety of things that could be at place. Maybe again, it's just like my fridge probably has several expired salad dressings. It doesn't necessarily mean it's a sign for alarm bells. It's really just looking at overall signs, but again, really important to make sure that nutritionally, you know, your loved one is taken care of and they're getting all of the right vitamins and nutrients. 

Darleen Mahoney [8:03 - 8:15]: Yeah, yeah. And on the medication, it's also making sure they're taking the proper dosages, that they're taking it every day the way they're supposed to. Because sometimes that can be mayhem. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [8:16 - 8:58]: Yeah, absolutely. And again, that can be. There can be a lot of things at play there. If you have a lot going on, just thinking about remembering what to take at what time of day, that could be an indication of forgetfulness or just truly, you know, getting caught up in life, but just making sure that we're providing that support for our loved ones and family members. And that's a really great sign to look forward to, make sure that they're getting the care they need and then even kind of piggyback on that. If you're seeing, you know, bruising, scraping on your loved one, is that a sign that they're not taking a medication or that something else is going on and that there are some mobility issues at play? So that would be another really great thing to look for. 

Darleen Mahoney [8:59 - 9:14]: Wow, I had not thought of that, but you're right. Yeah. Those are good things to kind of keep an. Keep eyeballs out for. Is that for sure? So some other ones that you think would be pertinent things to look out for? 

Chandler Birkbuckler [9:16 - 10:09]: Yeah, absolutely. So hygiene. So is your loved one able to take care of their self? If they are somebody who showers frequently and grooms themselves, are they still maintaining their same grooming practices? Can you see? Is their toothbrush wet? Is their hair brushed when you visit their home? Which may indicate, if it's not, that they might need a little bit of additional support to get those daily activities of living accomplished? What is their body odor like? Are they groomed under their nails, so their fingernails and their toenails? That's a really good thing to look out for. And then again, especially knowing, you know, your loved one, if your loved one is somebody who likes to paint her nails every week and. And she's not doing that, Just kind of paying attention to some of the things that they usually do if they are or aren't happening. 

Darleen Mahoney [10:09 - 10:42]: Yeah. And one thing I think is even housekeeping. And one thing with the housekeeping is it's really hard as people age to see because I know that you don't see the dirt and the grime as much when your eyesight starts failing. So looking for some of those signs because that might just be, you know, help with, like a housekeeper or someone that comes in and does some. Some things on that end. But definitely, I think noticing some of those things, if there's some things going on in the. On the housekeeping side. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [10:43 - 11:42]: Yeah, absolutely. And like I say, each of these things that you might be looking for, it might not necessarily need. Mean that they need senior living. It might just need mean that they need added support. But having these conversations early is really important. And like you said, housekeeping is a great one. If your loved one is anything like my mother takes a toothbrush to her baseboards, and if I come into her house for house and the baseboards are dirty, I know that there is something wrong. So just if there's something kind of outside of their practice, just having that check in with them and making sure, you know, they're feeling okay, they're feeling supported, and then just really looking at kind of the symptoms. Overall, I think that the earlier you start that conversation and having that conversation is just really important because the main thing is we just need to make sure we support each other and our loved ones. And I think starting those conversations earlier is really imperative for that. 

Darleen Mahoney [11:42 - 12:13]: Yeah, and I think it's just the overall conversation, because if they're feeling overwhelmed with housekeeping, if they're feeling overwhelmed by, you know, living alone or living, you know, in a home where there's the lawn maintenance, the trash, the pickup, you know, all the different things, they may start just. I mean, and they may be perfectly capable of doing some of those things. They just may be feeling very, very overwhelmed. So it might be a conversation of, are you still good to age in place or do you need additional support? 

Chandler Birkbuckler [12:13 - 12:13]: Or what? 

Darleen Mahoney [12:14 - 12:41]: Do you need additional solutions? Can I help you find solutions where you're feeling better about whatever living situation you want to be in versus, you know, just coming up with a moving solution which is potential, or if there's other things that you can bring to the table. Even though there's, you know, independent living, there's 55 plus living, there's all kinds of different things. Maybe just downsizing. There's all kinds of different options. But I think it's the conversation. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [12:43 - 14:14]: Yeah, absolutely. And I agree. There are so many solutions out here. And again, this is why I'm so glad we're talking about it, because I feel like education is the most important thing for people. Because before I started in senior living, I would have had no idea how to navigate any of this for a loved one, and I would have felt so overwhelmed. So I think just understanding some things that you can look for when you're visiting a loved one and then just knowing that broaching the conversation should not be, you know, a negative thing, but just having that check in with your loved one when you see them around the holidays, Hey, I noticed X, Y or Z, or maybe I don't, but I want to know kind of what you want when we're broaching your options later. I think the earlier you can have that conversation and know what's available in your marketplace to support yourself or a loved one just really helps mitigate stress down the road. It's great to know your options and especially if you're looking at communities around the holidays. I mean, it's my favorite time of year. I look forward to decorating my tree and seeing all of the trees and the lights around town and it's just like that in a community as well. So it's a great time to look because you can see kind of what the holidays look like there and how they incorporate your traditions. So I think it is just a good time to have that conversation with your family member or your loved one or even check in with yourself and just understand kind of what is available out there for you. 

Darleen Mahoney [14:14 - 14:59]: Yeah, absolutely. So one of the things that I know, I've talked about on this podcast, specifically because my dad had cognitive decline with dementia, is seeing his ability to drive. And I think that this is a great time to do the check in on kind of. My dad started utilizing going online because he stopped clear for some reason. He stopped being able to. He had OnStar. He stopped being able to utilize OnStar. He didn't know how to do that. He had a GPS because he did not have a smartphone. So he had old, old school Garmin. Remember those days of Garmin? 

Chandler Birkbuckler [14:59 - 15:01]: Yeah, I do. 

Darleen Mahoney [15:01 - 15:20]: I know he still had one. He wasn't able to really figure that out. So he actually was going online and doing really, really old school to Google Maps and printing it out to go to places that he was very familiar with. That is like red flag central for me. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [15:22 - 16:47]: It is red flag central. But I am very impressed because if I printed out a map, I am sorry. So directionally challenged. I don't know if I could get anywhere. But yeah, I do think that driving, you know, if you are with your loved one around the holidays and you hop in the car with them to the grocery store, understanding how that driving experience is, do they know where they're supposed to turn to get to a destination they go to frequently or even Just taking a look around their car. Are there a lot of scratches or dings? Can you tell if they're hitting the parking lot? I mean, that is scary, because for me, you would probably walk around my car and be like, maybe she needs to be in a community. But no, I think just taking a look, checking in, making sure your loved one is able to transport safely. And I know that that is one of the things that can sometimes be the most challenging to address with your loved one, because especially if your loved one is known as the person who is the driver, they drive you from point A to point B. They're the best driver in the family. That. That can sometimes be a hard conversation to broach. But the most important thing is that you know that they're able to get safely from point A to point B. So if you see a lot of scratches on their car, just seeing if maybe there's, you know, a reason why in checking in with them about that, I think is really important. The great thing to bring up. 

Darleen Mahoney [16:48 - 17:14]: Yeah. I mean, I'll even. I even remember my dad saying to me one time, and this is prior to his. I mean, this should have been a red flag to me, but I don't know if I was just. This is like literally the first thing he ever said that was a little concerning, But I had not seen any other signs of any kind of decline at all. He had said to me, have you ever just sat at a stoplight and you thought to yourself, you looked around? 

Chandler Birkbuckler [17:15 - 17:15]: Or. 

Darleen Mahoney [17:15 - 17:43]: He said, has this ever happened to you that you're sitting at a stoplight in town not that far from your house, and you're sitting at the stoplight and you're looking around and you don't know where you're at? And I laughed at him. I said, no, are you serious? And he's like, I'm just asking. And it was a family function. People were having dinner, and we moved on. And I just thought it was strange. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [17:45 - 18:23]: Yeah. And I think that's a really great thing to bring up, is just really making sure. I think the biggest thing that is important for people to know is just pay attention. And of course, we're talking about senior living resources, so of course we're talking about paying attention to your aging loved one, but just paying attention to any family member around the holidays, even if maybe it strikes you for a second that was odd. And then mentally thinking about it for later. Right. But just being able to go back to a statement like that and wondering if there's anything you can do to Help support them or to help better understand them. I think especially with your aging loved ones, that's really important. 

Darleen Mahoney [18:23 - 18:31]: Yeah. Because I do think that there was definitely probably some other signs we just weren't clicking into. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [18:32 - 20:22]: Yeah. And then just another thing that I would love to bring up because again, not necessarily a sign that your loved one needs to go somewhere right now, but loneliness. And just checking in on how our older loved ones are doing around the holidays, because holidays bring so much joy, but they also bring a lot of nostalgia. And so, for example, if your loved one has lost, you know, somebody recently in their life, that can be something that makes them lonely. Or just, you know, talking about some of the other symptoms we've talked about. If they're not driving the best anymore, maybe they're having more trouble getting out and about to meet with friends. But. But making sure your aging loved one feels, you know, checked in on and isn't lonely. So they should have, you know, a support system around them. It's one of the great things about having a senior community is that there are daily activities and you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your loved one has people to hang out with every day. But there are also local senior centers and adult daycares and places that your loved one can visit to form connections. But I think that's something that we. We don't always think about is loneliness and depression is something that is more common in older adults. And I think something that's really important to treat because those are your golden years. We want, you know, our aging parents to make the most of them and to have that interpersonal connection both with us and with other people. So I think paying attention to how your loved one is feeling, if they express anything in reference to depression or loneliness around the holidays, just making sure that they have a support system. System around them that can help them or helping them find a resource in the local market that can be a support system is really important. Yeah. 

Darleen Mahoney [20:22 - 21:04]: And I feel like when you're talking to grandparents or your parents and they're sharing stories of holidays in the past or things like that, to spend time and listen and engage when they're telling those stories. I feel like that's to really pay attention. First of all, I think you learn so much for sure, and you're doing such a disservice when you don't give them an engaging conversation when they're trying to share things with you. And I think that that's something that they really need. I think it's good for them to be able to share their stories and something that after they've passed, it's something you'll absolutely treasure and appreciate if you do. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [21:05 - 22:08]: And honestly, I think it's something that benefits all of us. It's just really paying attention to and respecting kind of the stories that our, our elders have. I can even tell you just I get the privilege working in my position to be able to go into many of our communities and even hearing our residents experiences and being able to share that with them is the most precious part of my job. That really it's not my job, but it's just so precious to me. And I think that a great reminder around the holidays is you have that opportunity to spend precious time with your loved one and checking in and hearing their stories. If you're listening to them, they're also going to give you all of these indicators that we've talked about. You're going to understand a little bit more about what their day to day experience is and how to help them. But yeah, yeah, I definitely agree that taking the time to listen and really hear what they have to say is very important and really helps you be an advocate for them later when they do need your support and. And then you're not trying to jump in when it's too late. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:09 - 22:24]: Yeah. So I will tell you, I'm just thinking back, I was at one of your communities about a month or so ago and you had one of your residents who we were all just sitting there and he started telling this incredible story. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [22:24 - 22:25]: Oh my goodness. 

Darleen Mahoney [22:25 - 23:20]: I know. I was just in tears about how he met his wife. And I think it was like 60, 70 years ago. They've been married for a long time and he was in your community and he was sharp as a talk. But his wife had been diagnosed with either dementia or Alzheimer's, I'm not sure which. And she was right there with him and he had chosen to move into the community in support of her. They were there together and he told this incredible story of when they first met and it was, it made my whole day. Chandler. It was just one I'll never forget. And I just appreciated that time that I was there just to listen to him regale meeting his wife and he pursued her and she was not interested for a while. So I mean I just, it was such a great story and I just appreciated that time. And I had never met him before. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [23:21 - 24:49]: I did too. And just to kind of tie into this, the one thing that I would say as well is he's telling the story about meeting his wife. I remember Because I was sitting in the room and she did have dementia. She was in there with him. But she was getting some memories from the story I could tell. She would remember parts of the story, and that was just so special to me, and it just meant so much. But again, like, that you may have a loved one who's looking out for. For somebody, maybe they're looking out for their spouse who has dementia. And I think it's also really important to check in on them because I think sitting there with that gentleman, he was appreciative of a lot of the support he had. He mentioned it had been, you know, a hard transition for him. But just making sure if your loved one is caring for, you know, their spouse that has some of these conditions that they're also being taken care of. Because it's really important to take care of the caregiver of a senior as well, or just anybody who's a caregiver. Caregivers need care, too. Is a common thing. We say so. But. No, I agree. I was so glad I got to share that with you, that that meant so much to hear his story. And it's just amazing to be able to connect with people like that. And so I just encourage anybody who's listening to take that time to listen to what your loved one has to say and hear about, you know, their story. And that also helps inform their care later on. 

Darleen Mahoney [24:50 - 25:26]: Yeah, yeah. So I did want to touch on. Even when you're going home and you're visiting with your. With a senior, whether you're staying there or not staying there, I think there's some certain things that to be cognizant of their living environment and maybe do some safety home checks. So what are some of those safety home checks? Even if they're good to go, they're not having any issues. They're going through life and they don't have any hygiene issues. They're socially active. I think it's still a good thing to proactively kind of do some home checks. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [25:26 - 25:26]: I know. 

Darleen Mahoney [25:26 - 26:00]: It's so funny because I think even about my dad, even after I am a grown woman and recently divorced, living on my own with my teenage son, he was very intuitive of when I needed to get my oil changed, even more so than myself. So I think that when you're going home and you're spending time, you know, doing things to make sure, like, the house is being properly maintained, that might be something that might be overwhelming to them, just to make sure they're living in a safe environment. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [26:01 - 28:24]: Yeah, no, I Completely agree. So just like you said, you know, checking if you take a ride with your loved one in their car, looking at where their oil level is, does there, you know, other things like light bulbs, their light bulbs out in the house, those might be challenging for an elderly loved one to reach out to replace, but maybe that's something we can support and you could help them with or figure out how we help them with. Really one of the biggest things I would say, especially like you said, maybe you're not seeing any of these signs. Your loved one is doing great, which is absolutely what we want to see. But I can't recommend enough. Just broaching the conversation earlier. If your loved one is doing well, just taking a moment to ask, you know, what are their wishes and their preferences? Is there a certain area if they do need to move to a community that they want to make sure that they live in, do they want to be in their hometown? Would they be comfortable moving closer to you or just, just other things, you know, what is your preference for medical care and like your medical care journey? Just having those conversations earlier before it's an emergency. Because if you're in an emergency where your mom or dad has a fall and you're trying to help them navigate where to move, what to do, it's just really nice to have that information ahead of time. That way you're not scrambling in a stressful time. A couple of other things that you could look at if you were visiting your family, just as far as safety in the home, making sure there aren't any life threatening situations or anything that looks off. As far as, you know, the stove doesn't turn off or there's messy wiring somewhere that could get somebody hurt. Or just looking for those basic health and safety things. Is there a smoke alarm working? Is there carbon monoxide detector working? Do they need batteries in those? Just, just kind of paying attention to the things that, I mean, those are the things that I forget on a day to day basis as well. But just having that extra check in support I think is really important. And I think either way, it means a lot to your loved one to know that they have that support in you. Um, so I just think it's a really great time for us to check in around the holidays with our families. 

Darleen Mahoney [28:24 - 28:50]: Yeah, absolutely. I think even checking, I know one thing that I on occasion forget to check those air filters. Because air filters are something that you can kind of, if you're not on a schedule, I mean, double check those air filters and then look for, maybe check for like, fall risks, like rugs that are loose and things like that. Those things I do remember checking for. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [28:51 - 29:12]: Absolutely. No, I completely agree. Yes. Especially anything that's a fall risk. One of the things that in assisted living we do is really focus on fall prevention. But there are a lot of things that we can do, like making sure our rugs are taped down in a loved one's home that can assist with that as well. 

Darleen Mahoney [29:12 - 30:02]: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. This has been such a great conversation. So one of the things that, you know, you kind of mentioned as far as, like, deciding what their future wants and needs are prior to needing them, which I think, you know, pre planning is great. I think it's even a good idea to maybe visit some assisted livings in the area prior to needing them so that they kind of have an idea of what they might need so that they're not doing that, you know, emergency decision making. So they at least have some good ideas of some assisted livings in the area that might be great, or even independence, whatever the case may be, just to kind of get an idea what's out there and what they would like prior to ever needing it so they can share that with their family. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [30:03 - 32:48]: Yeah, I completely agree. And that's always what I recommend. If you think that in the future, whether it be tomorrow or 10 years from now, that you might be interested in looking at a senior living community for your loved one, I definitely recommend making that visit because you don't want to do it when your loved one has had a fall and you have to move in a couple of days or a couple of weeks and you're already stressed. I think it's really nice to understand your options and what's different about each community because of course, we as terribella have communities, but there's something for everyone out there that's going to be an exact fit for your loved one or your personality. So I think it's just really important to make those visits as early as you can. And I do recommend around the holidays. I know sometimes it might seem like an insensitive time to make those visits, but I think there are a lot of misconceptions about assisted living communities and kind of what we offer. But we have a very festive and vibrant environment around the holidays that embraces all of your traditions. So maybe stopping by when there's a holiday party or coming to visit when you can see all the trees decorated and understanding that, you know, it could be, you know, your home too, just in a different place and we still support your traditions. And make sure that you have a wonderful holiday season. I do think that it's a great time to visit around the holidays or at least just know your options. If you're visiting your loved one and maybe they live in one city and you live in another city and you know, they want to stay in their hometown a lot of times, unfortunately, at work, we don't always have the flexibility to just be able to go out of town and make visits to other, other towns whenever we want. So when you're in town visiting a loved one, just taking that time to visit communities, and that's a great thing to look forward to. Communities that are responsive to you around the holidays, of course, are going to be there and involved and care about your loved ones. So I think it is a good time to check in and see what options are available in the market or even maybe you're somebody who's listening to this podcast. You don't know kind of what senior living is all about. You're not ready, but you want to learn more. A sales director at one of our communities is going to be able to do a great, a great job with telling you what your options are and what's available in the market, even if it's not senior living, home health options, doctors that work really well with seniors. I think it's just really important to make sure that you and your loved one are connected with groups and people that really support the seniors in our communities, because it takes a village and we should all really support each other. 

Darleen Mahoney [32:48 - 33:10]: Oh, my gosh. I love all of that. That's perfect. You're exactly right. You're exactly right. So thank you so much for joining us today, Chandler. And if you are located in any of the states where Terra Bella Senior living is located, which are both the Carolinas, Kentucky, Tennessee, trying to remember which else, because you guys are growing like. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [33:10 - 33:13]: Virginia and Georgia and Georgia, you guys. 

Darleen Mahoney [33:13 - 33:37]: Are growing so, so many options and so many communities in all of. I've been to the communities and it's just absolutely lovely. And the staff, the staff is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I can't say enough. So definitely check them out the website to find a location near you. If you're in any of those states. Is terribellasrliving.com. 

Chandler Birkbuckler [33:39 - 33:58]: Well, thank you so much for having me. And to anybody who's listening, even if you're not in those markets, we always wanted to try to help. So if anybody has any questions about senior living, you're welcome to reach out to us or there are great resources in your marketplace. So we just really appreciate the time and thank you. 

Darleen Mahoney [33:58 - 34:13]: Thank you so much. If you enjoyed this podcast. We have over 110 podcasts episode now available anywhere you listen to music or podcasts. Thank you for listening.