Betty and Paul Kalmbach

This fall, Dirk and Renee Clouse came to Valley View to visit their longtime friends Betty and Paul Kalmbach. The two couples went to First Baptist Church in Bellefonte together and have known each other for years.

Since Betty lives in the Terrace and Paul resides in Memory Lane, the Clouses toured much of Valley View’s campus. They graciously shared their experiences with us.

“As soon as we walked in the door, we knew it was different,” Renee shared. “Everything was so clean and there were special little touches, like cold water dispensers with fruit in it.”

She said that one of the things that impacted them the most was mealtime. “My husband and I were so impressed that they said a prayer before eating. It touched our hearts. That’s the way it should be.”

“Staff treats you very kindly and goes out of their way to make sure you know where you are going,” her husband, Dirk, added. “You folks are doing an outstanding job.”

Betty Kalmbach agreed. “I’ve never seen staff at a facility interact with residents like they do here at Valley View,” she said. She said that a recent event made her realize it even more. “During the fall festival, I watched team members pick up garbage, hug residents, and serve so cheerfully. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

She recorded her thoughts on a “Seasons of Reflections” tree in the Terrace Activities Room. “I watched during the Fall Festival and was so amazed with the staff interaction with the residents,” she wrote.

She and her husband, Paul, lived in a cottage in Valley View Village for four years before moving to an apartment in the Terrace.

This January, Paul began to need memory care and transitioned to Memory Lane. Throughout the week, Betty makes the trip to Memory Lane to share lunch with her husband.

“We are well satisfied with Valley View. God was so good to bring us here.”

This article is from the Fall 2023 View from the Valley Newsletter. You can see the full issue here:

Fall 2023