09/22/2026
Marilyn has been settling into our Mary B's neighborhood beautifully, and from the very beginning, she's shown that she doesn't just want to be a part of the community — she wants to contribute to it!
She loves wiping tables and sweeping after meals, setting the tables for the next meal, and folding laundry. She's also discovered a love for our numbered jigsaw puzzles, often taking them to her room to work on. She even helped Charlie complete a numbered 100pc puzzle!
And then there's the plants. 🪴 Marilyn has happily taken on the role of our plant caretaker, making sure our live plants get watered. Sometimes, she even brings them into her room for a few hours of sunshine!
At Bingo, Marilyn is still building confidence to call the numbers herself, but she's found her own important way to participate. She sits next to our team member as the numbers are called, and places each card on our Bingo chart. And during karaoke, Marilyn grabbed a team member's hand to dance as another resident sang one of her favorite songs! She's engaged, helpful, and content.
This is truly Montessori in action — offering meaningful choice, purposeful work, independence, and opportunities to contribute. Instead of simply doing things for Marilyn, we're creating opportunities for her to do things with us and for her community.
Every puzzle piece, every folded piece of clothing, every watered plant, every Bingo card, and every dance is more than an activity. It's a reminder that Marilyn has a purpose, she has something to give, and she belongs. 💛
This story is from Bickford of Bexley.
