Kendal at Oberlin

01/08/2026

Many older adults received a gift this holiday season to help with mobility, memory, meal prep and more. Not you? Well gift yourself with one – or more – of these gadgets.

For Mobility

Grab bars, whether in the bathroom or other areas of your house where you need extra stability, are key to preventing falls. After testing 11 models, The New York Times Wirecutter recommends these two: the sturdy, ADA-compliant Moen Home Care Stainless Concealed Screw Grab Bar and the Zuext 16-inch Anti Slip Stainless Steel Shower Grab Bar (both under $30).
With the disappearance of matches, many have turned to lighters for lighting candles, charcoal grills and the likes, but arthritic hands can make that challenging. Two suggestions are REIDEA and SUPRUS arc lighters, both rechargeable.
A walking cane or stick, especially in winter when pavement can be icy and snowy, helps you keep moving outdoors regardless of the weather. Healthline recommends these two: Nova SugarCane Walking Cane for balance and stability and the HurryCane Freedom Edition Folding Cane for overall support.

For Memory

Thanks to technology, including AI, computers and smartphones offer many memory assists, from how many Oscars has Tom Hanks won (2 – for Philadelphia and Forest Gump) to “where is my phone?”
One assist for caregivers is Memoryboard, a digital display board that allows family and friends to send reminders, messages and photos to their loved one using an app.
To help with those occasional “senior moments” to find lost keys and the like, AARP recommends a Bluetooth tracker, specifically Tile Pro Powerful Bluetooth, Chipolo One and Apple Air Tag.
As we add years to our age we often add medications too, which makes a reliable pill box almost a necessity. Two that NYT Wirecutter recommends are Koviuu Weekly Pill Organizer (most versatile) and Auvon Weekly Pill Organizer (best for arthritic hands).

For Meal Prep

Hand strength can be challenging as we age, which is why our kitchen should be equipped with an electric can opener (two popular ones are stand-up Hamilton Beach and cordless Kitchen Mama), and a jar opener (Consumer Reports recommends Humanfun Jar Opener).

01/07/2026

Naomi Miller moved to Kendal from Portland, Oregon a year ago and has been pleasantly surprised by the vibrant arts and culture scene offered in Greater Cleveland and in small towns like Oberlin.
Read more about Naomi’s journey and what she’s come to love about life at Kendal in our latest Faces of Kendal feature:

Naomi Miller moved to Kendal from Portland, Oregon a year ago and has been pleasantly surprised by the vibrant arts and culture scene offered in Greater Cleveland and in small towns like Oberlin.

01/05/2026

Kendal at Oberlin is hosting an important educational program on fraud and scam prevention on January 8 at 1:30 PM. This session is designed especially to help older adults stay informed, spot red flags, and protect themselves from the growing number of scams targeting our community.

If you or someone you care about could benefit from learning how to stay safe, this is a great opportunity to get practical, trustworthy guidance.

🗓 Date: January 8
⏰ Time: 1:30 PM
📍 Location: Kendal at Oberlin

Please share this with anyone who might find it helpful!

A program focused on educating elderly individuals of scams and fraudulent activity will be held at Kendal at Oberlin on Jan. 8. The program is set to begin at 1:30 p.m.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from all of us at Kendal at Oberlin! May the year ahead bring you health, happiness, and countless moments of joy. Wishing you a wonderful start to the New Year!

12/30/2025

This month Jeannette Spooner celebrates her 4th anniversary working in Kendal’s Housekeeping Department.

Her current position involves cleaning Independent Living cottages in Lot 14 and 15 and helping out as needed with other housekeepers. Jeannette has had many interesting conversations with residents while cleaning, often about trips they have taken, but one meaningful exchange stands out.

“I got to talk to a resident that knew a friend of Anne Frank's. I'm a big fan of Anne Frank's and I read her book, and it's so neat to meet somebody that knows someone who actually knew Anne Frank and was neighbors with her,” she says, adding “Working with older adults has given me more of a positive insight. It's very enjoyable. And I tend to learn a lot. I just love the Quaker values the residents have.”

In 2021 Jeannette was in a very bad car accident that almost took her life. “I was in bed and could not use my legs for three months. I had to learn how to walk again and that was a challenge, and I had to learn how to use a wheelchair and a walker. So, working at Kendal and seeing people with walkers and wheelchairs, I can relate and it can be challenging. But we get through it and we have to think of the positive of everything for life is beautiful.”

Jeannette is married and has a 21-year-old son, two dogs and a cat. She has lived in Oberlin for more than 40 years and “loves every bit of it.”

12/25/2025

Happy Holidays from Kendal at Oberlin! Here’s to joy, peace, and a bright year ahead.

12/23/2025

Holiday Cheer at Kendal at Oberlin!

Our departments brought their creativity, teamwork, and holiday spirit to this year’s Tree Decorating Contest—and the results were absolutely spectacular. A huge thank‑you to all the departments who participated and helped spread the magic of the holidays throughout our campus.

12/22/2025

To all who celebrate, we hope these eight days have brought moments of reflection, connection, and light. Happy Hanukkah from all of us at Kendal at Oberlin!

12/17/2025

Kendal at Oberlin’s application to the Arbor Day Foundation was recently renewed, which means the life plan community has been recognized as a Tree Campus Healthcare community since 2022.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation:

“Being recognized as a Tree Campus is a significant achievement. It demonstrates your institution's commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and community engagement. By meeting the rigorous standards set forth by the Arbor Day Foundation, you contribute to a greener and healthier campus environment.”

There are about 60 Tree Campus Healthcare designations in the United States but only a handful are Continuing Care Retirement Communities such as Kendal at Oberlin.

Being a Tree Campus is just one of several environmental sustainability initiatives at Kendal.

The John Bartram Arboretum at Kendal at Oberlin was accredited as a Level II arboretum in 2022 by ArbNet, the global network of arboreta founded by the Morton Arboretum in Illinois. This is the only arboretum in Northeast Ohio which resides on the grounds of a retirement community (Kendal at Oberlin). Stewardship of the arboretum’s 100+ acre grounds, ensures its conservation as a place where trees and other plants are grown for enjoyment, education and celebration of the natural environment…a place where Kendal residents, staff and the greater community can benefit from for years to come.

In an effort to reduce light pollution, which adversely effects human health, wildlife and the environment along with wasting money and energy, Kendal hopes to become the first retirement community certified as a Dark Sky Place by Dark Sky International. Lighting improvements that have been made at Kendal, include shielded, low glare walkway lighting that dims down when no one is on the path and installation of 20-foot poles (instead of the usual 8-10 foot) that provide more uniform lighting with fewer poles.

In 2021 Kendal mounted 60 solar panels on a new garage and carport, each with 2 EV charging stations. These panels generate enough electricity to light both buildings, power the charging stations and illuminate 75 energy-efficient LED light poles and posts.

12/16/2025

You’re never too old to appreciate a good reading list, and in fact some of today’s book lists are geared for the older adult audience.

Here are 5;

1. Not only is Mark Nepo's new book “The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life” for older adult readers, but the book comes with a two-page “Elder Reading List.” It includes some familiar titles, such as “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande, “The Coming of Age” by Simone de Beauvoir and “Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life” by Richard Rohr, but also some new (to us) books, like “Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life” by Sharon Blackie, “The ElderGarten: A Field Guide for the Journey of a Lifetime” by Sally Hare and “Walking in Wonder: Eternal Wisdom for a Modern World” by John O’Donohue.

2. Thanks to a robust online community of millions of readers “Goodreads" can easily compile all sorts of lists, like 6,000 “Aging Books.” Titles include “Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?” by New Yorker cartoonish Roz Chast, two by Fredrik Backman - “A Man Called Ove” and “And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer” and two by Nora Ephron – “I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections” and “I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman,” Joan Chittister “The Gift of Years: Growing Old Gracefully” and “The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You” by Margareta Magnusson.

3. Another Goodreads list is “Senior Citizen Books” and includes the endearing 2025 book “The Correspondent,” the “Thursday Murder Club” series by Richard Osman, “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” by Jonas Jonasson, and “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder (also made into an award-winning movie).

4. The Austin Public Library compiled a list of non-fiction books for older adults. Titles include “Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age” by Mary Bray Pipher, “The Widower’s Notebook” by Jonathan Santlofer and “Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimaging Life” by Louise Aronson.

What book would you recommend for an older adult?

12/15/2025

The holidays are a time for family, but they can also bring important health conversations, especially for older loved ones. When health issues make cooking, bathing and other activities challenging it might mean it’s time to consider a move to Assisted Living. Here are tips on how to find a quality community.

When health issues make cooking, bathing and other activities challenging it might mean it’s time to consider a move to Assisted Living. Here are tips on how to find a quality community.

12/12/2025

We’re thrilled to see Kendal at Oberlin highlighted in the Cleveland Jewish News for creating meaningful opportunities for residents to celebrate Chanukah. As our CEO Seth Vilensky shared, “The spirit of Chanukah and the brightness it brings to the world is a theme everybody can get around."

Ensuring that older adults in the Jewish community have an opportunity to take part in activities and celebrate Chanukah with others is crucial to their well-being and happiness, according to