Lifestyle Enrichment
Helping seniors be active, engaged in their community, and focused on well-being.
2024 Away form Home with Western Home
Mississippi River Cruise
March 30 - April 9
Registration now open!
Final payment date: November 20, 2023
Set sail aboard the American Queen from Memphis to New Orleans on a seven-night cruise. The charms of bygone eras flow from town to town on this Mississippi River journey. Experience the Cajun charms of the Bayou in small towns filled with profound history, complemented by the big city energy of the Big Easy and Baton Rouge!
Michigan's Mackinac Island & more
June 2 - 7
Registration opens January 8th for wait list spots
Final payment date: March 1, 2024
Experience Michigan's diverse history, landscapes, and landmarks. Horse-drawn carriages, World War Il gliders, and dune buggies abound, and a cruise and a castle await. The highlight of the tour is Mackinac Island, where the sounds of waves and horses' hooves reign!
Sioux Falls
August 7 - 10
Registration opens May 13th
Final payment date: June 20, 2024
Sioux Falls is one of the Midwest's hidden gems, boasting pristine landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and a commitment to science and the arts. From an arboretum, aquarium, and earth science center to a music museum, sculpture foundry, and old vaudeville theater, Sioux Falls has much to explore!
Wisconsin Cranberry Trail
September 17 - 20
Registration opens June 17, 2024
Final payment date: August 1, 2024
Delve into the history, processes, and flavors of Wisconsin's famous cranberry season! The fall colors will delight, and visits to a cheesemaker, an alpaca farm, an art gallery, and an Amish store will further your appreciation for Wisconsin-made products.
Taste of New England
October 4 - 12
Registration opens May 1, 2024
Final payment date: July 1, 2024
Venture through New England by bus, boat, and rail as the autumn landscape is transformed into a patchwork of color. Along the way, explore the area's rich history related to presidential families, the fight for America's freedom, and the von Trapps. Plus, experience many iconic New England traditions such as maple syrup making, a lobster bake, and lighthouse viewing!
Ozark Mountain Christmas
December 3 - 7
Registration opens August 15, 2024
Final payment date; October 1, 2024
Get ready for neon lights, uplifting Christmas celebrations, and astonishing Broadway-caliber shows! Amid the Christmas magic, take in the Ozark Mountain vistas from aboard a paddlewheeler, marvel at the Mabes, and watch the miracle of Christmas come to life on stage.
We believe an active lifestyle is a vital part of healthy aging. Lifestyle enrichment programs keep seniors active, engaged in their community, and focused on well-being.
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Your time and talents make a real difference to the people whose lives we touch. Whether you want to work directly with our residents or help keep our programs running smoothly behind the scenes, we offer a myriad ways to help us live out our mission. Explore options below and sign up to get started!
Volunteer Opportunities include:
Help with activities and crafts in our assisted living and nursing areas of care
Accompany residents on group outings such as shopping trips, community band concerts, seasonal city tours and more
Greet guests for events in Diamond Event Center as a member of our Ambassador team
Create crocheted or knitted prayer shawls for our sending services
Read to residents who can no longer read on their own through the Reading with Jean program
Serve as shuttle driver on our south campus
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Bereavement care includes:
Sending Service - A brief time of thanks and goodbye to the family of the deceased. A prayer shawl is given as a keep-sake of their time with us.
Follow up cards and notes written by volunteers sent to family members on important dates in the lives of their family.
Memorial services to honor, remember, and celebrate our resident lives.
Working closely with the spiritual care team, the bereavement team works to ensure educational and supportive resources are available to families we serve. A bereavement fund administered through the Western Home Foundation provides educational resources, cards, and reading material for our residents’ families.
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Intergenerational activities helps everyone have a better understanding of the world around them.
We love when we can partner with local schools for activities, concerts and pen pal relationships! We are actively involved with students from the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) at Cedar Valley high schools. The CAPS Legacy Project matches students with residents for one on one discussions. Students and residents learn about how life is today and how it was different when the residents were their age.
The CAPS CNA course provides CAPS students interested in the medical field a chance to earn their CNA certification in the supportive environment of Western Home’s Learn and Earn Center.
Travel Opportunities
Pack your bags and come with us to destinations across the country! The Away From Home with Western Home program offers several travel opportunities April through December. Each year Lifestyle Enrichment team members work with professional travel planners to create tours of varying lengths, destinations and modes of transportation. Recent trips include
Sioux Falls, SD
Springfield, IL
A land tour of Alaska
Nashville, TN
Beach vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC.
You do not need to be a Western Home resident to come along and friends and family are always welcome on the trips!
Get in touch
Carolyn Ayers
Director of Lifestyle Enrichment
