Wauwatosa Retirement Community Kicks Off Beijing Winter Olympics

WAUWATOSA, WI — Residents at a Wauwatosa retirement community kicked off the Winter Olympics this week with Chinese-themed events. The Games begin Friday in Beijing, the country's capital.

Amy Bielawski, Harwood Place’s director of life enrichment, told Patch the events are a part of the community's destination days. The monthly series has already covered destinations like Germany, France and Portugal. Next month the focus will be on Dublin, Ireland, for St. Patrick's Day.

Bielawski said residents will mostly likely be talking about the Olympics after watching the Games on television.

On Tuesday, residents got into the action with a walking tour of destinations throughout China, an Asian dinner, and a Chinese calligraphy class taught by an expert.

Bielawski said Harwood Place's dining services ties the event together.

"We have a talented and creative team of chefs," she explained.

Tuesday's themed lunch and dinner included fried dumplings, an emperor's platter and Tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit kabobs. Asian tea and a sampling of traditional Chinese candy were also on offer.

The destination series was born out of necessity due to the pandemic, which changed how residents socialize, Bielawski said.

"We had to update and change how we offer activities and programs to residents," she explained.

Bielawski wanted to come up with a safe way for residents to take part in shared activities, like the Olympics.

Signs, posted on the retirement community's first floor, share facts about Beijing and its attractions. Meanwhile, residents were given travel guides to read in their apartments with information on the things they would see if they traveled to the city.

Love Of Learning

Residents at Harwood Place are well-traveled, so staff created a travel log for them to record all the places they've been and relate their favorite experiences. It's posted on the wall for all residents to peruse.

"We had a resident who said they went to Hawaii 18 times," Bielawski said.

For Tuesday's event, Bielawski said residents got into small groups to discuss their travels.

"Some residents traveled due to being in the service," she said. "They enjoyed swapping stories."

Carolou Nelsen, 94, has never been to China but has traveled to Mexico and parts of Europe. In her retirement years, she's also been on several cruises.

She said she won't be able to visit Beijing, but at least she gets to learn about.

"I'm particularly interested in art and architecture," Nelsen said. "The heritage of the countries is just wonderful."