Peace on Earth at Heritage Homes
After her father was called home to Heaven, Janice Bobholz began the process of looking for a home for her mother, Shirley. Looking back, she knows God led her to Heritage Homes.
Let’s start at the beginning. Rodger and Shirley, Janice’s parents, lived together in the country near Juneau, Wis., and as he aged at home, Rodger was diagnosed with cancer.
“He started to confide in me. He was fighting two battles, cancer and something else,” she explained.
The pair noticed Shirley was forgetting things. Rodger started chemotherapy, and during that time, Shirley underwent a memory assessment that resulted in Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnoses.
Janice did her best to take care of both of her parents. Her father was eventually called home to Heaven on Mother’s Day 2020.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Janice began to consider care options for her mother. In the meantime, Janice and independent caregivers worked to provide Shirley with care and to keep her at home. From working in law enforcement, Janice was familiar with nursing homes in the area and knew she needed a community with dedicated memory care services.
One day, a cousin stopped by her home for a visit and mentioned Heritage Homes. Pastor Mark Bartsch, the chaplain at Heritage Homes, visited their church to share a presentation years ago, so she was familiar with the name.
Shirley called Heritage Homes and began to discuss options with Kamilla, the organization’s housing and marketing manager. Although its memory care area was full at the time, Janice and Shirley joined the waitlist. The two stayed in touch with Kamilla during the next few months. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, Janice was unable to tour the community but received photos of the memory care area. Janice then quickly completed the paperwork. Afterward, Barb Butler, Heritage Home’s now-retired administrator, and Pastor Bartsch made a house visit to meet Shirley.
In March 2021, Shirley made her move to Heritage Homes. As part of her admission, a Social Security card was required, but Janice couldn’t find it right away.
“It was the first time I had to find my dad’s wallet after he died. I opened it up to look for Mom’s card, and Kamilla’s business card fell out,” Janice explained. “I knew at that moment that I was making the right choice. The Lord was guiding me, and Mom would be safe.”
Shirley has called Heritage Homes home for the past seven months, and Janice finally feels at peace.
“I can finally sleep through a night. From when my dad got sick to the night we moved Mom into Heritage Homes, I don’t think I got a solid night’s sleep,” she said.
Janice is grateful that the team at Heritage Homes is working hard to keep her mom safe.
“The staff, the love and compassion they give, from housekeeping to dining staff, to the nurses, to administration, to activities staff. They are like a family to me, and they treat my mom with such dignity and respect,” Janice added.
From the beginning, Pastor Bartsch’s presence in the community was an important amenity of Heritage Homes for Janice. His spiritual guidance comforts both her and her mother.
“We have a good connection because God and her faith are very important to Shirley,” explained Pastor Bartsch. “She often attends our weekly worship and joins us for “Sing to Jesus” time.”
Heritage Homes offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Because it provides a full continuum of care for every stage of the aging process, residents can remain independent, active, and fully supported for as long as possible. Learn more about Heritage Homes at myheritagehomes.org, or call (920) 567-2001.