Waltonwood Ashburn (a premier senior living community) is pleased to announce Robert McKeon as its new culinary services manager. McKeon is a seasoned chef, bringing more than 30 years of culinary experience to his new role. He is a classically trained chef having worked in restaurants and hotels before making the move to senior living. He has spent the last 12 years in healthcare culinary where he ensures nutritiously balanced and healthy meals for residents. McKeon’s focus is the betterment of people’s lives. He sees this as an opportunity to cook with a passion and prepare dishes that inspire people to eat healthy while infusing flavors that elevate their taste buds. He loves creating community through food and using the freshest ingredients possible to produce unique dishes that help improve the quality of life for residents.

“Cooking is my passion and focusing on the senior population has been rewarding. I am able to take something I love and make a difference in the lives of seniors by providing nutritious meals,” said McKeon. “I started off working in the hospitality industry before taking a break to help run a family business, but I knew my heart was in the kitchen. Cooking for seniors is so important. There are many paradigms to food. It’s not just a meal for seniors, it is social, healing and so much more. My cooking style is for the active and healthy senior. Food that is low-fat and high protein but packed with flavor. My goal is to empower the culinary associates to make dining an experience for each resident.  We are a family in the kitchen, and I want residents to feel that. I’m excited to be at Waltonwood and provide high caliber foods for the residents to enjoy. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to do this for a living.”

Waltonwood Ashburn offers five-star dining in its main dining room, a café for residents and new outdoor patio seating for the summer months. McKeon will update the menus by season and run specials each month for residents, including the Four S’s (steak, seafood, sangria and strawberry shortcake) which will debut when dining reopens in August. McKeon says he was attracted to the job because it’s a family-owned company that has strong values and beliefs. He understands the industry and the importance of nutrient-dense meals that are tailored to residents’ needs. Executive Director Christopher Leinauer knows McKeon is the right person for the job.

“Robert brings years of experience in the food industry to this new role, and we couldn’t think of a better person to lead our culinary services team,” said Leinauer. “His approach to dining and serving fresh, local ingredients is exactly what we were looking for at the community. He has the residents’ best interests in mind, and I know the residents will not only enjoy his food but also enjoy his company.”

With in-person visits and events still restricted at senior living communities across the country, Waltonwood Ashburn, a premier senior living community, wanted to show the unique and creative ways it is keeping residents engaged. The culinary team recently started hosting “Amaze-Singh Eats,” a live cooking demonstration that independent and assisted living residents follow along to on GoToMeeting, a video conferencing tool. Since the dining rooms are closed, the food is delivered to residents and they are able to log onto the platform and cook the meal themselves in the comfort of their homes. The senior living community is always looking for ways to show its commitment to its residents, especially during a time of such uncertainty.

“Our dining services is one thing many residents are missing right now,” said Christopher Leinauer, executive director at Waltonwood Ashburn. “They enjoy getting together and socializing, but right now with social distancing they aren’t able to do that, so we created “Amaze-Singh Eats” as a way to keep residents engaged. We named it after our parent company, Singh Development Company. Residents are able to see other residents on GoToMeeting and cook a delicious meal to enjoy. We’ve held a few sessions so far and it has been a hit with residents. Each session is a different theme, and we are hoping to come up with new ideas throughout the summer. This is a fun way for us to say thank you to the residents as we get through this time together.”

The cooking demonstrations are held every other Wednesday. Residents can decide if they want to participate in the cooking or just log onto the platform to socialize with other residents and associates at the community. Socialization has many health benefits for older adults. Some of the benefits include:

• Reduced stress
• Increased longevity
• Greater self-esteem
• Less anxiety
• Improved mood and quality of life

“We are always looking for new activities or programs that will redefine senior living,” said Leinauer. “This is our way of showing the entertaining things we are doing to keep residents involved and show others what it is like inside a senior living community. There is a misconception on food and events that take place at senior living communities, and we are here to show you the vibrant lifestyles our residents lead. We will come out of this time stronger than ever, but in the meantime, we’re going to have some fun keeping our distance and making delicious food.”

Norma Waitman, a resident at Waltonwood Ashburn – a premier senior living community – discovered her passion about four years ago when she started knitting. Since then, the 87 year old has turned her hobby into a project that benefits others. Waitman knits hats for newborns and donates them to the birthing center at Inova Loudoun Hospital. Each hat takes about four hours to make, and she tries to make at least one a day. Waitman says knitting is therapeutic and relaxing for her. She also says it is rewarding knowing that the several hundred hats she’s made in the last four years have brought smiles to new parents and babies.

“I wanted something that would keep me busy in retirement, and when a group of ladies I knew started knitting I wanted to join,” said Waitman. “I had never knitted before, but I have grown to love it. It truly has become my hobby, and I look forward to making hats each day. I stick to just hats but make a variety of colors. I also like to have a theme for them. For February, I will make red hats for Valentine’s Day. I make red, white and blue hats for Fourth of July, and I usually select fall colors for the end of the year. I have a lot of fun making them and picking out the different colors. I have a friend who delivers the hats to the hospital, and I always get a thank-you note or photo from the delivery. It warms my heart to see the hats benefiting a precious child who just came into the world. I am thankful I found a hobby I love that also benefits others.”

Arts and crafts, including knitting, have many benefits for seniors. Some of the benefits include:

• Keeping your brain active
• Improving your hand-eye coordination
• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving self-esteem
• Promoting social activities

“At Waltonwood Ashburn, we love to encourage personal growth and the pursuit of a purposeful life for residents,” said Christopher Leinauer, executive director at Waltonwood Ashburn. “We love to see the different hobbies residents have and just how passionate they are for their craft. Norma has dedicated so much time to knitting hats for newborns, and it is inspiring to see. What she has been able to do in four short years is incredible, and I know the hospitals and new parents are grateful for her support. She is dedicated to helping others, and we are honored she calls Waltonwood Ashburn home.”

Waltonwood Ashburn, a premier senior living community, is pleased to announce Maria Cressida R. Manalo as its new resident care manager and Megan Mastre as memory care coordinator. Manalo, originally from Philippines, brings more than five years of experience in senior living to her new role. Previously, she served as a charge nurse, RN supervisor, and most recently as a director of nursing service. Mastre, who is originally from Pittsburg, has nearly 15 years of senior living experience. Both Mastre and Manalo have significant nursing experience to fill a couple of important roles at Waltonwood Ashburn.

“Growing up in the Philippines, I was raised by my grandparents who later helped me raise my daughter as well,” said Manalo. “I’ve always had a very close relationship with them, and they are one of the reasons why I chose senior living as my career path. Elderly people have so much knowledge to pass on, and I think we can learn something new from them every day. I enjoyed working in rehabs in the past, but now as a resident care manager, I am able to build strong long-term relationships with the assisted living and memory care residents. Waltonwood has a very good reputation when it comes to resident care, and I know it’s the right place for me to continue my career in senior living. The roles I’ve held previously prepared me to be resident care manager, and I am excited to become part of a team that treats residents and employees like family.”

After receiving a practical nursing degree and becoming a certified nursing assistant, Mastre knew she wanted to start her career in geriatrics. She has spent many years in both assisted living and memory care and has worked in hospitals, rehabs and senior living communities. Mastre moved to Virginia five years ago. In her most recent position, she served as the director of health and wellness, and she directly oversaw care of assisted living residents. After spending a few years in memory care, Mastre decided that’s where she wanted to continue to grow her career. In her new position at Waltonwood Ashburn, she will be managing all memory care units and will become the frontline person for the residents, the medical staff and memory care team members.

“I am thrilled to become part of the team at Waltonwood Ashburn,” said Mastre. “The senior living community provides top-notch care for its residents, and I am honored to be part of the family now. Working in memory care, there is only one thing that’s for certain – every day is a different experience. That’s one of the many reasons why I enjoy working in memory care and with seniors in general. My career in senior living is one of the best choices I’ve made.”

“We’re excited to welcome Megan and Maria to the Waltonwood Ashburn family,” said Randy LeMaster, regional director of operations at Waltonwood Communities/Singh Senior Living. “They each possess the passion, talent and experience to help us redefine retirement living and ensure that the residents enjoy excellent care and quality of life. They both play a vital role within the community, and we are thrilled to have them on board.” 

In celebration of Read Across America Day, residents at Waltonwood Ashburn joined students from The Compass School in reading some of Dr. Seuss’s classics such as “The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham” and “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.” Sponsored by the National Education Association, Read Across America Day encourages children to celebrate reading on Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Waltonwood Ashburn recently welcomed the children from The Compass School. During this special intergenerational activity, residents of the senior living community and the students spent time together reading some of their favorite Dr. Seuss books. The senior living community also donated books to the school to ensure these stories can be enjoyed by students for years to come. 

“Spending time with children is definitely a highlight for our residents. These intergenerational activities like Read Across America Day are so enriching and always bring so much joy to our residents and the children,” said Justin Roberts, executive director of Waltonwood Ashburn. “We are always looking for ways to give back to the local community and are thankful for our partnership with The Compass School. 

Intergenerational activities provide many benefits to the lives of seniors, including improving their physical and mental health. The children also value the connection with the older generation and truly benefit from the relationships with the seniors. Celebrating Read Across America Day is just one of many intergenerational activities Waltonwood Ashburn plans throughout the year.

“It is very rewarding to see the seniors and children interact with one another during our visits to Waltonwood Ashburn,” said Erin Price Warren, ambassador for The Compass School. “We are focused on creating an educational environment for our students that promotes curiosity and excitement, and events like Read Across America Day at Waltonwood Ashburn help us deliver on that mission.”