Now that they are grown, Hochstetler gave it a try and has won twice, including at Franciscan Health’s Senior Day at the Lake County Fair on Monday. Hochstetler’s winning peel beat out 10 competitors and was a whopping 273.25 inches, nearly 23 feet. Fair organizers believe her peel likely set a record.

The 2024 winner had a peel of 42 inches and the 2023 winner, 48.25 inches.

“I grew up peeling a lot of potatoes, but not apples,” Hochstetler said. “It was a lot of fun. I’m glad I did it.”

Hochstetler won a basket full of apple-themed prizes for her winning peel.

Franciscan Health Senior Day at the Lake County Fair features free admission for seniors 62 and older with free health screenings and information on a variety of Franciscan Health programs and senior services. Snacks, healthcare materials and giveaways are also included.

Franciscan served more than 300 seniors at this year’s event.

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“Earning the Silver award is an incredible honor for our team,” said Stephanie Westphal of Belvedere Senior Housing. “This achievement underscores our dedication to enhancing the quality of care and services we provide to our residents every day. We are proud of our progress and look forward to continuing our journey toward excellence.”

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program follows a three-level progression: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. At the Silver level, recipients must demonstrate effective approaches that drive performance and health outcomes. Trained examiners rigorously review each application to determine whether the organization has met the high standards required for this distinction.

“Earning the Silver award is no small feat, and Belvedere Senior Housing has demonstrated exceptional commitment to quality improvement,” said Cathy Bergland, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board Chair. “This recognition is a clear reflection of their hard work and unwavering focus on delivering superior care and service to their residents and staff.”

Belvedere Senior Housing will be formally recognized at Delivering Solutions 25, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, held on October 19–22, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 2025 National Quality Award Program is sponsored by AHCA/NCAL Associate Business Members: HealthCap, McKesson, Rosie, Incite Workforce Solutions powered by SnapCare, and Prevail by First Quality.

About Belvedere Senior Housing

Belvedere Senior Housing, located at 343 East 90th Drive in Merrillville, Indiana, is a warm and affordable assisted living community serving adults aged 55 and older. Opened in 2017, the three-story community offers 126 studio and one-bedroom apartments, delivering a full spectrum of supportive services designed to promote independence, dignity, and connection.

Belvedere provides 24/7 certified staff support, medication assistance, three restaurant-style meals daily plus snacks, housekeeping, laundry, and a wide variety of enriching social, wellness, and recreational activities. For those who qualify, financial assistance programs are available, making Belvedere a desirable and accessible alternative to traditional nursing home care.

The community is proudly managed by Gardant Management Solutions, one of the nation’s top senior living providers. Belvedere Senior Housing reflects Gardant’s core values of love, compassion, and dignity, offering residents a nurturing environment where they can continue to thrive.

About AHCA/NCAL

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 15,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and facilities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through advocacy and quality improvement initiatives, AHCA/NCAL works to advance solutions that enhance care for the millions of frail, elderly, and disabled individuals served in member facilities across the nation. For more information, visit www.ahcancal.org.

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“Flip the Script on Aging” is the theme of Older Americans Month this year. It aims to dispel stereotypes and change how we think and talk about aging.

What is Ageism?

How do the media and those around you characterize aging? Not always well. “Agesim” refers to inaccurate stereotypes and discrimination related to older adults, explains an investigation in JAMA Network Open. For example, as an older adult, you may notice that people around you might:

• Insist on helping you when you don’t need help
• Assume you can’t hear well and speak too loudly
• Assume you are cognitively limited and speak more slowly or talk down to you
• Assume you are not doing anything valuable or important
• Treat you like a child with names like “sweetie” or insult you with names like “old fogey”

Even calling someone “elderly” can have a negative impact, because it conjures up stereotypes. (A better term is “older adult”—that’s what we are!) Or someone may comment that you “look good for your age”. It’s intended as a compliment. But underneath it is an assumption that aging makes us ugly.

Researchers note that ageism can damage your physical health—and your mental health, too. The experience of ageism increases your risk of health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and poor mental health.

Facing everyday ageism can lead to feelings of anger, as well as anxiety or depression. It can be a source of chronic stress. Ageism can sometimes even affect how healthcare practitioners respond to your concerns. If your symptoms are dismissed as “just old age,” this can be ageism.

Fears, Health, and Longevity

Can your own attitude about aging affect your health? Yes, say researchers. As we are exposed to ageist messages every day, we can believe them ourselves without even realizing it. We “internalize” them, explain researchers. We can become more fearful of aging, and that hurts our health. We can think the worst about ourselves.

This kind of ageism is just as common—and damaging—as ageism that comes from others.

Reframing Aging

What if we flip the script? People who have a positive view of aging live, on average, 7.5 years longer than people who hold a negative view. Yes, rejecting ageism can help you live a better life.

If someone says something ageist to you, you can gently correct them with a different message, e.g., “I don’t think of myself as elderly. I am an older adult with a lot going for me.” Speaking to a doctor you feel is not listening, you might say, “I don’t want to assume my symptoms are old age. What are some other alternatives?”

In some situations, you may not choose to say anything out loud. But pay attention to what you tell yourself. Your own positive message can help protect your well-being. Older adults have many strengths, some that are truly unique to later life.

Explains the National Center to Reframe Aging, a message all of us need to hear is this: “Aging is a dynamic process that leads to new aspirations, abilities, and knowledge we can share with our communities.” They urge us to “tell a more complete story of aging”.

The “Mature Mind”

To hear that story, it helps to understand how our brains change and grow through the years. In a book called The Mature Mind, Gene Cohen, a psychiatrist and gerontologist, reveals what he calls “the positive power of the aging brain”.

Rejecting the stereotype of decline in aging, he explains that older adults continue growing and developing in unique ways. We are more adaptable than stereotypes would tell. As we go through the phases of life, he says, we can become more liberated. Our brains from new connections. We grow in perception and judgement.

The speed at which we process information may naturally slow down with age. However, older adults can often become more creative, better at using both sides of the brain together, and very skillful at solving problems. This comes from an age-related skill psychologists call “crystalized intelligence,” the knowledge and abilities that come from years of living.

Because of experiences and a lifetime of using the brain, older adults can also be better at accepting life’s realities and adapting to change. They can often achieve stronger emotional balance. “The capacity to ride out emotional storms more flexibly and resiliently is one of the fruits of aging,” says Cohen.

With aging, many people can experience a greater sense of self. When older adults continue to seek out new experiences or learn new things, the brain “actively grows and rewires itself,” says Cohen. He encourages effective wellness practices, like staying social, exercising, learning new things, and being creative. All of these tap into the power of the aging brain.

Spiritual Growth

Experts on aging have explored how older adults experience spiritual growth, too. “Old age can be seen as a distinct life stage in which individuals develop new understandings of nature, time, and the universe,” explain gerontologists. The term for this is “gerotranscendence”. Older adults can sometimes see life through a different lens—a larger one that delivers new awareness and deepens spiritual connections.

This greater spiritual awareness can be the secret to being able to “go with the flow” and adapt to the physical changes of aging, say researchers. Whatever your spiritual beliefs or practices may be, aging may help you find new meaning. Spiritual growth in aging gives us a “framework” to deal with painful events, making us more resilient. It deepens our sense of self and our understanding of life, they explain.

Even if we face challenges, aging has its perks. Older adults have many gifts and talents to share. You can reject ageist ideas and take pride in this special stage of life.

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Mayor Austin Bonta gave a warm welcome to everyone in attendance at the beginning of the event. He’s excited that the City of Portage can organize this event for another year to support seniors in the local communities.

“The City of Portage cares about the health of everyone, whether it’s the youth or someone in their 20s or 30s,” Bonta said. “We want to make sure that we’re addressing the most important health issues and getting information out there to the community to improve their situation. Ideally, we want people to live in Portage from when they’re born until the senior phase. It’s important for us to make sure we have seniors in the community who are healthy and active, and this is one way for us to celebrate that community.”

Norma Laboy, public relations specialist with the City of Portage, was proud of not only the participation from attendees but also the vendors who volunteered to educate the local residents.

“We have a lot of the senior living facilities here, as well as the hospitals and some nonprofit organizations,” Laboy said. “We’re grateful to have so many volunteers who want people in our city to know what to look out for. We have about 10 more vendors than last year, and it’s been a focal point for us to reach out to some of the places that most people might not think about. Not every senior is in need of a senior health facility either, so we wanted to have something for everybody here.” 

Some booths gave attendees a chance to spin the wheel for a special prize. Other vendors had prizes for answering questions or participating in a health screening.

The event also presented an opportunity for residents to learn about the City of Portage’s Senior Advisory Committee, which is a group of individuals who are dedicated to providing advice and support to older adults in the community. Laboy serves as the team management and event coordinator of the committee, which is also composed of Bonta and representatives of additional local agencies.

“A big reason why we started the Senior Advisory Committee is because we don’t want seniors to feel forgotten,” Laboy said. “During COVID-19, we were doing drive-thru lunches and pickups because we wanted them to know how important they are. We also want them to know how important these health issues can be, and that’s a big motivation for our committee.”

Cathy Ellis, marketing liaison with Dunes Hospice, was one of the vendors for this event. Ellis has been supporting the City of Portage’s health fair since the annual event first got started. She’s pleased with how the event continues to become more polished as more people begin to learn about it.

“Seeing the seniors come out here to learn about what we have to offer is incredible,” Ellis said. “Mayor Bonta’s advisory group does a great job with bringing the vendors out and advertising it. There’s so many health fairs out there, and this one has so many giveaways and meets the needs of the community.”

While this event is directed towards the senior community, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for everyone to walk away more educated.

“The highlight of this event for me is meeting the seniors,” Ellis said. “Educating them and hearing about their story, that’s first and foremost. It’s also a great time for networking with businesses. It’s amazing for our seniors, but a lot of us vendors have really good relationships with one another. It’s an opportunity for everybody to become more educated.”

As the City of Portage’s Senior Health Fair touches the hearts of many seniors in Northwest Indiana once again, this leaves the department excited about how they will continue to make a difference for the long-term future.

“The best part about this event is that it gets bigger every year,” Bonta said. “Having an annual event like this is a lot of fun for the people who can come in, connect with the vendors, and enjoy lunch together. There’s a wide range of services and tips that help educate our attendees and allow them to learn something they didn’t know when they walked in. It’s great that we’ve started getting residents from not only Portage, but also residents of other local communities.”

The Senior Advisory Committee in the City of Portage is made up of several organizations, some of which are even located outside of Portage. Bonta encourages seniors from throughout the Region to join them in an effort to make residents of Northwest Indiana as healthy as possible.

For more information on the City of Portage, you can visit portagein.gov. 

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Milton Village was created in cooperation with the Netherlands-based Vivium Group, a nursing home management team whose objective was to create a small-scale living environment for people with dementia. The result is an enclosed complex that fully recreates a Dutch village, complete with a theater, supermarket and other amenities. The village gives guests more regulated independence and less institutional-style programming. Called “de Hogeweyk,” it’s based on seven pillars: favorable surroundings, lifestyle, health, life’s pleasures and the meaning of life, formal and informal networks, organization, and social inclusion and emancipation. It is a revolutionary concept in care, and Milton Village is the first to use this model of care in the United States.

With assistance from the Vivium Group, Center for Hospice Care and REAL Services adapted this concept for use in a daycare setting. There is a pub where guests can watch sporting event re-runs, a garden area, a putting green, a barber shop/salon and a kitchen area that hosts the baking club. There’s even a garage with an old Studebaker on loan from the Studebaker Museum for those who enjoy tinkering with cars. 

While their loved ones enjoy Milton Adult Day Services’ amenities, caregivers can tap into the numerous resources available from Alzheimer’s & Dementia Services of Northern Indiana. These include a monthly education series, lunch-and-learns, coffee chats, a caregiver lending library and more. 

Milton Adult Day Services offers flexible scheduling for caregivers. The facility is open from 7:30 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, and guests need only attend two days a week – although they are welcome as many days the family needs. Five hours of care is available for $75, which includes meals and snacks. The staff prepares a care plan for each guest, which may include monitoring vitals and health conditions and administering medications. Some insurance plans will help pay for these services.

Caregiver support from Alzheimer’s & Dementia Services of Northern Indiana is available at no charge.

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Debbie Martin spent 31 years taking care of others while working at Franciscan Health Michigan City, but when her own health issues became too overwhelming, she knew she had to stop working and care for herself.

“I was very lonely,” the 66-year-old Michigan City woman said. “I can’t drive, so I’m pretty much confined to the house. The depression was horrible, just a downward spiral.”

Martin was worried about what would happen to her dog, Cooper, if she had to go into a nursing home. Last summer, Martin’s home health physical therapist asked if she’d ever heard of Franciscan’s Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

PACE is a national, community-based healthcare program created for people 55 and older who are eligible for nursing-home level care but prefer to remain in their own familiar surroundings. The PACE model of care is centered around the belief that the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families are better served in their own communities whenever possible.

Martin checked into the program and began attending their day programs in August 2024.

“They saved my life,” Martin said. “Having them get me out of my house was a blessing. The minute I walked in, I felt right at home.”

The program enables seniors to live as independently as they can by providing all-inclusive primary care and specialty services in one convenient location. Each participant is assigned a nurse practitioner, social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist, dietitian, nurse and home care coordinator.

“I get therapy there when I need it,” she said. “I ride the bike to keep up my muscle mass, they help get me showered, we have lunch. If you’re having any kind of issues, they’ll have the doctor or whoever see you in a day or two. Just the availability of everyone you need in one place is terrific.”

Martin said she is “a people person,” making the activities and time spent together with other participants and staff her favorite aspects of PACE. She recently enjoyed singing karaoke with the other participants and coloring Easter eggs.

“They aren’t my friends, they’re my family,” Martin said. “We share phone numbers and check on each other. We always have something to share and something to look forward to.”

Paula Hedrich, activities coordinator for Franciscan’s Michigan City PACE program, said Martin brings joy to those around her.

“She’s always very positive about wanting to do any activity and very appreciative,” Hedrich said. “She gets along with everybody and makes other people feel good.”

By enrolling in PACE, Martin now has a place where all her medical needs are met and she can routinely enjoy friendship and fun. She said she would encourage anyone considering becoming a PACE participant to do so.

“Just come visit and feel free to ask any questions,” Martin said. “They’re more than willing to help you.”

Franciscan’s Senior Health & Wellness Program operates PACE programs in a variety of locations across Indiana, including Dyer and Michigan City. More information on the PACE program is available online and by phone at (219) 864-2630 (for Dyer) and (219) 214-4619 (for Michigan City).

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