May often feels like a month where things begin to bloom: when what's been quietly taking root starts to open and come into view.
This month's Bloom Bulletin looks back at three meaningful April events, introduces a new feature we're excited to share, and brings you a bookshelf pick that feels just right for where so many families are right now.
In this issue, you'll find:
- April in Full Bloom: A Look Back
From our Springtime Memory Café at Dickinson Hall to a Sip & Shop at J.McLaughlin Lake Forest that raised close to $1,000 for the Alzheimer's Association, April was full of connection and community. A few highlights from several memorable events. - Client's Family Review
We're introducing a new feature in the Bloom Bulletin for real feedback from the families we serve. This month, a client's stepdaughter shares what it looked like when a very resistant loved one slowly, steadily opened the door to care. Her words say it better than we ever could. - Case Study: From Caregiver to Daughter
Helen's daughters saw the same problem very differently. What unfolded when they finally brought in support changed not just Helen's nights, but the whole shape of their family. A real story about resistance, trust, and finding a better way to love someone. - The Bloom Bookshelf: The Unexpected Journey
Emma Heming Willis wrote this one from the inside. It's practical, honest, and full of language for the parts of this experience that are hardest to name. A genuinely helpful read for anyone supporting a loved one through dementia or chronic illness.
We hope this issue offers something supportive as you navigate your own path or support someone you love. As always, if I can be a resource in any way, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Jennifer Muskat
Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer, Full Bloom Memory Care
April in Full Bloom: A Look Back
Sip, Shop & Celebrate Spring!
On April 9th, Full Bloom partnered with J.McLaughlin Lake Forest for an afternoon of shopping, conversation, and community. Guests enjoyed drinks and light bites while supporting a cause close to all of our hearts.
Together, we raised nearly $1,000 for the Alzheimer's Association, funding research, advocacy, and support for those living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Thank you to the J.McLaughlin team for their generosity and to everyone who showed up, shopped, and made the day so meaningful.
Jennifer Muskat
Full Bloom's Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer
Elderwerks' Aging & Dementia Symposium
Full Bloom was a proud sponsor of Elderwerks' Aging & Dementia Symposium on April 16th. This full-day event brought together clinicians, care professionals, and advocates to explore the latest in dementia diagnosis, care, and ethics.
Supporting events like this reflects our commitment to the professionals and families at the heart of memory care.
Jim Kimzey
Full Bloom's Co-Founder & CEO
Springtime Memory Café at Dickinson Hall
On April 21st, Full Bloom's Director of Client Care & Training, Colleen Hagan, hosted a Springtime Sensory Memory Café that brought participants and care partners together for an afternoon of creativity and connection.
Guests crafted tissue and paper flowers that became part of a shared "Spring Bloom" archway, a beautiful, collaborative centerpiece celebrating everyone's contribution. It was exactly the kind of gathering that reminds us why meaningful engagement matters so much.
Colleen Hagan
Director of Client Care & Training
Debbie Nava
Lead Staffing Manager
Client's Family Review
When a family says "we haven't found this level of peace of mind elsewhere," we feel that deeply.
This review from a client's stepdaughter captures what Full Bloom Memory Care is built around: meeting resistance with patience, honoring a person's life story, and training caregivers to the specific needs of each individual client.
This review reflects that journey, and we're grateful for families who share their experience.
May Community Events
Outdoor Walking Club
Weekly on Thursdays (5/7, 5/14, 5/21, & 5/28), 8:30am - 9:30am
Sunset Woods Park, 1801 Sunset Road, Highland Park, IL 60035
Spring is in the air! Let's take it outside: Forward Focus Concierge Medicine's Outdoor Walking Club is back. Grab a friend and enjoy the outdoors while getting your steps in. Gather at the rocket ship in the park.
Northwestern's Mesulam Institute: 32nd Annual Alzheimer Day
Tuesday, May 19th, 10:30am - 4:00pm
Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Feinberg Pavilion, 251 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611
Full Bloom Memory Care® is thrilled to be a Silver Sponsor of Northwestern's Mesulam Institute 32nd Annual Alzheimer Day on May 19th. This landmark event brings together leading researchers, clinicians, and scientists to share the latest advances in Alzheimer's care and treatment.
Memory Café at Dickinson Hall
Tuesday, May 19th, 10:00am - 11:30am
Dickinson Hall, 100 E Old Mill Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
In this hands-on activity, you'll transform a simple coffee cup into a charming bird feeder (supplies will be provided). No experience needed, just a love of color, nature, and a little creative fun. Take your finished feeder home and enjoy the visitors it brings!
Case Study: From Caregiver to Daughter
What happens when a daughter isn't ready to let go of her caregiving role, even when it's costing her everything?
Helen's story will feel familiar to a lot of families: two sisters who saw their mother's needs differently. A daughter who needed professional care to fail so she could prove she was irreplaceable. And what happened when it didn't.
The Bloom Bookshelf
The Unexpected Journey
by Emma Heming Willis
Emma Heming Willis writes from the inside out, as a wife, a caregiver, and someone who has had to learn, in real time, how to keep showing up without losing herself. Equal parts honest memoir and practical guide, this book offers caregivers permission to grieve, to ask for help, and to find moments of grace in one of life's most demanding roles. Heming Willis pairs her own caregiving story with expert guidance on everything from understanding difficult behaviors to building a support network, reminding readers throughout that caring for yourself is not a luxury. It's part of caring for them.
Available at Lake Forest Book Store and other retailers nationwide. Purchase Here
Learn more about our unique approach to in-home memory care, or call us at 847-407-1450 to see how we can help.
