Carole and Jerry have been residents of Vista Prairie at Brentwood in Rice Lake, Wisconsin for 10 weeks. It’s the biggest transition in their life together, except perhaps when they got married 20 years ago, at the age of 68. They blended their families from previous marriages. She has four children, and he has three.

Their decision to move to Brentwood came when Jerry was in the hospital in Eau Claire recovering from an unexplained issue with his legs, which resulted in exchanging his riding lawnmower for a walker. It all started when he was mowing his two-acre lawn at their house in Campia, northeast of Rice Lake.

“I came to a stop, and I couldn’t get off the lawnmower,” Jerry recalls. “So I fell, and my neighbor and my son got me up and walked me into the house.”

That incident was enough for Carole and Jerry to seek a more secure place to live, at the urging of Jerry's daughter, JoEllen, who lives in the Twin Cities. She and her siblings grew up on Jerry’s dairy and beef-cattle farm where he had long supported their 4-H and FFA activities. Now it was JoEllen’s turn to guide their next steps.

“I like this place,” Jerry reflects. “I love the meals and I love the care they give you. They come in every morning and take my temperature and weigh me.”

The couple brought their car with them to Brentwood, where they rent a garage. Carole will do the driving when the weather gets a little better. Her family lives in Tennessee and California. She’s looking forward to a reunion with them this spring.

Like most new residents, Carole and Jerry are going through all the stages that William Bridges described in his classic book, Transitions – Making Sense of Life’s Changes. They have experienced an ending for their time living together in Campia. They are now in what Bridges calls, “the Neutral Zone,” where they are adapting to their new surroundings and patterns. And they’ve already embraced their “New Beginning” at Brentwood, with the help of a loving staff, their new friends, and great food.

The Brentwood community offers 28 one and two-bedroom apartments for seniors who value their independence but want options for personal care and supportive services. We also offer 19 memory care suites that provide a long-term option for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.