Kendal at Oberlin

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Kendal at Oberlin

Kendal at Oberlin is a nonprofit life plan community that offers a wellness-focused, resident-led lifestyle for independent living.

Kendal's Stephens Care Center also provides person-centered care for memory support, assisted living, and nursing care. Picture yourself in a senior living community with all the educational and cultural opportunities you’d expect in a town with a top liberal arts college and world-renowned conservatory of music. Add an inclusive culture based on respect for each individual, equality, excellence, and social responsibility, and you have Kendal at Oberlin.

09/10/2026

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures (hopefully) cooler, here are 3 things you might want to pick up.

1. Apples
The apply harvest is just starting to unfold in Northern Ohio, which means “ample” opportunities to buy fresh fruit, pick your own and join in harvest celebrations. Head to Berlin Heights, where you can visit two orchards. At Quarry Hill Orchards, apple picking is available daily, but advance registration is required. While visiting the orchard you can also enjoy homemade a real fruit ice cream cone and a glass of w**e. The annual Apple Peak party is Oct. 10 and includes wagon rides, apple butter demos and more. Burnham Orchards has a packed calendar of apple events, including making an apple pie and caramel apples. The Honeycrisp festival is Sept. 12 and its Fall Festival Day is Oct. 9, a Friday when many schools are closed.

Other apple orchards in the area that offer apple picking include Hillcrest Orchards and Miller’s Apple Hill in Amherst, and Pick n’ Save Orchard and Richardson Farms in Medina.

2. Poetry
Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things” has been making the rounds since his death Aug. 31, but the 92-year-old poet has a robust collection of poems – and novels and essays – you might want to explore. Or consider taking a day trip to New Castle, Kentucky, where The Berry Center and Bookstore celebrate its most famous family.

Also making the rounds is the summer release of “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World.” The documentary of Mary, an Ohio native who died in 2019 at the age of 83, chronicles her life and work through the eyes of poets and others who cherish her work. The movie is being aired on PBS and at some independent movie theaters.

Several of Mary’s poems are included in a 2026 book by actress Ellen Burstyn entitled “Poetry Says It Better.” Writes Ellen: “I love poetry. I’m writing this book for people who don’t. Why? Because I think they are missing out on something really good…good for their hearts – what Mary Oliver called ‘that organ of the emotions.'"

3. School
Like many states Ohio offers a robust lineup of lifelong learning opportunities for older adults. Ohio's universities and colleges allow residents age 60 and older to attend classes at no cost. Participation is limited to space availability and permission from the instructor. Some local options include The Center for Lifelong Learning at Lorain County Community College and at Encore Campus with Cuyahoga Community College.

09/07/2026

Celebrating the dedication and spirit that make our community thrive — Happy Labor Day to our incredible staff and residents at Kendal at Oberlin! Thank you for all you do.

08/31/2026

Peruse Kendal’s “Yellow Book” of Activities and you’ll be amazed at what is on the lengthy list. Over the years Kendal residents have pondered just about every issue, concern and need residents might have and created a solution.

Like Threads, a simple mending and alteration service for residents needing a hem shortened – “we’re not getting taller” jokes member Prue Richards – a button sewed on, a rip repaired and the like.

“We don’t do tailoring, or zippers. And we tell residents, ‘don’t wait until it’s falling apart, and if there’s a loose thread don’t pull it,’” Prue says.

Typically, volunteer sewers Prue, Nancy Garver and Margaret McBride have office hours every Thursday morning in the Craft Room. That’s when residents show up with their items – primarily clothing, limit 3 items per person per visit – though house calls can be arranged. There is a sewing machine in the room but usually the women take the item home to make repairs.

There is no charge, but satisfied customers are encouraged to donate to the Residents Assistance Fund, which supports residents who, through no fault of their own, outlive their financial resources.

Currently demand is high so the three-women team is looking for more volunteers, which inspired Prue to make a clever appeal in the latest monthly Kendalight: “Helping with small mending and alteration projects for residents is a good way to meet people and learn new things about old acquaintances – like their inseam, and who’s gaining weight, who doesn’t put their winter sweaters in mothproof tubbies for the warmer weather, and who are literally losing their buttons. You learn who shops exclusively at L.L.Bean and much, much more.”

Prue has been making clothes since she was a child and still uses the sewing machine for quilting. And while her clothes-making days are over she feels good seeing residents out and about wearing repaired and restored items that look almost as good as new.

08/28/2026

Ohio’s parks and nature preserves, along with its urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods, are pleasant places to walk in September and this year residents have an added incentive to get outside: a commemorative prize from America 250-Ohio.

Here’s how it works. Download the challenge app. Walk 25 miles anywhere in Ohio (treadmill walking excluded) during the month of September and win a commemorative prize.
The Buckeye state has been celebrating the U.S.

Semiquincentennial with 12 themed months for 2026. September is sports and wellness month, and what could be more inclusive than walking, which is accessible to young and old and people with various physical limitations. All you need is a comfortable, well supported pair of shoes.
And walking is good for your health – both physical and mental.

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular brisk walking can help you:
•Maintain a healthy weight.
•Prevent or manage various health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, several cancers and type 2 diabetes.
•Improve heart health and fitness, and build endurance.
•Strengthen bones and muscles.
•Boost energy levels.
•Improve mood, thinking, memory and sleep.
•Improve physical function and, in older adults, lower fall risk.
•Reduce stress and anxiety.

Kendal residents are avid walkers, whether it’s around Kendal’s 1-mile perimeter, a walk into town or Oberlin College or Saturday walks to nearby Lorain County Metro Parks.

“Walking is man’s best medicine” says Hippocrates and the Cleveland Hiking Club offers lots of medicinal offerings daily. The club’s hikes are of various lengths and levels and held throughout Northeast Ohio.

So whatever solo or in a group, it’s time to lace up and head outside.

08/27/2026

Most graduations occur in the spring but at Kendal Early Learning Center graduation day is celebrated in August when the “graduating” preschoolers head off to kindergarten.

Two weeks ago was the big day and six children dressed in caps and gowns were honored by KELC staff, parents and residents, fondly called grandfriends.

The teachers talked about each student and then handed them a diploma. After the ceremony in Heiser Auditorium the celebration continued in the Courtyard Garden with refreshments and face painting.

Preschool parents Leah Brockman and Josh Gerlick said “the graduation was joyful and unexpectedly moving. It meant so much to Ella, and to us, that Emily, the teacher who first welcomed our family into Kendal about three years ago, returned, introduced Ella, and bid her a fond farewell. That gesture captures the depth of relationships built here. The courtyard reception was a perfect setting to come together as a family one more time as the ‘graduates’ closed their preschool chapter and began their kindergarten adventure.”

The children are heading off to different schools - St. Peter’s, Oberlin City Schools, Lake Ridge Academy, Firelands City Schools and Western Reserve.
While an exciting new adventure awaits the children, parents Leah and Josh reflected on what an enriching experience KELC was for their daughter.

“Certainly, Kendal's dedicated teachers have come to know and care for Ella, but her grandfriends are probably one of the greatest gifts of her preschool experience. Gardening, cooking club, stories, walks, and ordinary encounters that happen within the Kendal community have given her relationships that don't exist in most preschool settings. She has grown up surrounded by children her age and adults from different backgrounds, experiences, and generations of perspective. Ella tells us a story every day about something she made, discovered, planted, cooked, or explored. Those experiences have made Kendal a genuine community, and they have taught Ella that curiosity and friendship are not limited by age.”

Check out their family photographed on graduation day.

08/21/2026

Cleveland photographer Bill Pappas bring an eclectic collection of three dozen photographs to Kendal at Oberlin this month, and today (Aug. 21) you can hear the photographer talk about his artistic vision. Bill’s talk is 4 p.m. in Heiser Auditorium and is open to the public.

“The human countenance has always been a fascination of mine, and as I continue to revisit environmental portraits, I am also intrigued by what I would call ‘whimsical scenics’ that catch my eye. The choice of whether the final photograph will be color or black-and-white is usually part of the pre-visualization process while I am composing the image,” Bill explains.

The exhibit, entitled “As I See…and Saw,” runs until Oct. 12 in the Kendal Gallery. Most of the images are for sale, ranging in price from $375 to $925.

Bill’s love of photography led to a 37-year career as a commercial advertising photographer in downtown Cleveland. His fine artwork features studies of people from a visually enhanced perspective, as well as scenic vignettes from a wide variety of domestic and international locations.

Bill’s images have been exhibited in the Cleveland Museum of Art May Show, The New York Art Director’s One Show, the International Graphis Press publication “Photographis,” Spaces Gallery, the Gates Mills juried shows, The Cleveland Society of Communicating Arts, the Butler Institute of American Art, The Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado, and the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia.

He is a member of the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, the Cleveland Print Room, and Friends of Photography at the Cleveland Museum of Art. In addition, Bill’s work is represented in many private and permanent collections, including the Cuyahoga County Administration Building, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Clinic.

08/18/2026

Oberlin College student and recent graduate Jessie Carney was an intern at the Kendal Early Learning Center for eight months this past school year. The Los Angeles native credits his KELC experience for helping him find his career path.

Here is Jessie’s story.

“I was drawn to KELC because I love teaching and working with kids. I had been working at the Oberlin Observatory teaching Astronomy 100 students at the college how to navigate the night sky for a few years, and I knew I wanted more experience in early education because I'm fascinated by the way young minds develop.

My time at KELC was incredible. I absolutely loved working with the kids and getting to know each of their amazing, wacky, hilarious personalities. I enjoyed every minute of seeing the kids gain confidence using their voices, setting boundaries, and embracing their talents. I got to watch my students build the foundations of skills and talents that they will be developing and honing for the rest of their lives, which felt like such a privilege.

I was also lucky enough to interact with grandfriends on numerous occasions when they came into class to do activities with the kids. It was wonderful to see the grandfriends interacting with the kids and sharing stories and games from their own childhoods in the activities they led. I am always tempted to share my favorite stories from my younger years when I’m working with kids, so it was always sweet and hopeful to see our grandfriends be reminded of their childhood memories in the same way.

Since graduation I have moved to Boston. I recently started a new position as an associate teacher with Bright Horizons and I am so happy that I can continue my teaching journey working in early childhood education. It is a big change of pace from our little town in Ohio, but I have been enjoying the journey and I am thankful every day for the head start KELC gave me in learning the ropes of teaching.

I will always be rooting for my Kendal students, my very first class.”

08/10/2026

The “dog days” of summer are here and dogs everywhere, including the couple dozen who call Kendal home, are staying hydrated and moving at a slower pace. Thankfully the 110+ acre campus has plenty of trees for shade and an enclosed Dog Yard.

Residents also slow down during the summer, well kind of.
Tennis players are out early, enjoying the clay courts, and bikers head out for evening spins. Gardeners are tending to their green space, whether it’s around their cottage or a community garden.

Fresh veggies, herbs and flowers seem to be everywhere, including the fresh flower arrangements that decorate Kendal’s public space. And native plants keep the outdoor colorful, including a section of the perimeter walk that is home to gorgeous pink, white and red marshmallow plants.

And when the heat cooperates, residents and staff enjoy eating lunch outside at one of the many picnic tables around campus or in the Courtyard Garden.

Northeast Ohio is home to bountiful farm markets and residents like to take advantage of them, especially the Oberlin Farmers Market on Saturdays.

With Oberlin College students on summer break, downtown moves at a slower pace, but that will change the end of the month as students return for class.

Staff are planning on celebrating the Dog Days of Summer with Hot Dog Heaven food truck on August 21st. Everyone will get to chow down on hot dogs and even a special a “puppy chow” dessert.

And at Kendal too, says Joyce Benjamin, president of Kendal at Oberlin Residents Association:

“All too soon, our residents will be back from summer vacations, friends and family will be back to the faster pace of fall activities, and our strolls in the summer sunshine will be replaced by brisk walks to get to a meeting or appointment. Enjoy the remainder of our beautiful summer and revel in its supposedly slower pace.”

08/04/2026

For four days in July, 16 Human Resources staffers from across the Discover Kendal system gathered at Kendal at Oberlin to talk about best practices, workplace challenges and more. And in keeping with the gathering’s theme – “Charting Our Course: Navigating the Future of HR Together” – the group enjoyed a dinner cruise on Lake Erie.

“This is an opportunity for us to come together and bond as a group. We have monthly Zoom meetings but there’s nothing like being together in person. Check out the group photographed. Seven of the 10 Kendal Affiliates were represented and everyone left feeling good about the gathering,” says Toni Merleno, who has been Kendal’s HR Director since 1998.

The gathering happens most years and is held at various affiliates. (Oberlin last hosted in 2010.)

Takeaways from this year include:

1. Kendal’s Values and Practices

“This little booklet is what drives all that happens at Kendal,” says Toni about the Quaker-based values outlined in the 25-page booklet she gives to every person being interviewed and for new hires.

The group talked about ways to put these values into practice, from reaching consensus to treating each person with respect and dignity.

2. Workplace challenges

“The job market is full of job hoppers. People are not loyal to businesses or companies like they used to be, especially since the Covid Pandemic happened,” Toni says.
Like other industries, long-term care has its challenges. There is a shortage of nurses, certified nursing assistants and doctors, especially geriatricians.
“We really have to work harder to fill these positions,” she says.

3. Benefits package

Obviously, the hourly wage or salary is important, but so are quality-of-life issues. For instance, Kendal at Oberlin employees have access to a fitness center and preschool, both on-site. Tipping is prohibited but twice a year residents generously donate to a fund that is divide among non-management staff, and employees can earn a referral bonus for recommending applicants they know who get hired at Kendal.

07/31/2026

Some activities come and go at Kendal at Oberlin, but one that has been a mainstay since the life plan community opened in 1993 is table tennis. So, no surprise that when it comes to the Ohio Senior Olympics, Kendal often sends competitive players.

In 2025 two residents, Sandi McClennen and David Bell, went to the Ohio Senior Olympics to play table tennis and became familiar with the set-up. They returned this spring and brought home a total of three medals: Sandi was second in Women's Singles and first in Women's Doubles, and David was third in Men's Doubles.

The annual statewide competition is open to people 50 and older and is organized into 5-year age spans, with the oldest group being 90+. This year table tennis was one of 16 sports spread over two months in venues around the Columbus metropolitan area.

“We’re already practicing for 2027,” Sandi says.
Over the years table tennis at Kendal has attracted many residents, staff and family members, some who play weekly, others very occasionally. Currently, table tennis is set up in Heiser Auditorium three times a week, for two hours.

According to the “History of Kendal at Oberlin” book: “From the start, thanks to the gift of a table from the late resident Mary Miraldi, table tennis has formed part of Kendal’s recreational scene. In the early years, activity focused chiefly on a yearly tournament, while efforts to spur regular play surfaced periodically and then faded. Beginning in 2007, led by resident Sidney Rosenfeld, a growing number of residents began improving their games, and the term “table tennis” gained currency in the Kendal community, pushing aside the more common term ‘ping pong."

Address

600 Kendal Drive
Oberlin, OH
44074

Website

https://kao.kendal.org/about/contact-us/

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