When Sara Murphy, pictured here, moved into Halcyon House, a WesleyLife community for healthy living in Washington, Iowa, the relocation didn't mark just a change of address; it was a return to her roots.
Sara grew up in Washington and lived just down the road from Halcyon House, shown above in a photo taken around the time Sara lived nearby. She raised her daughter and five sons in Washington and, as a public-health nurse, was known to all as a helper in the close-knit town.
Sara, one of Halcyon House's newest residents, says she remembers watching Halcon House being built long before she ever imagined she’d call it home.
“My grandmother’s cousin (shown in the newspaper clipping below) was the first superintendent of the building,” she recalls. “And my grandmother’s sister was one of the first residents. It’s always been home to me; I went by there every day.”
Sharing her nursing expertise
Sara's connection to Halcyon House solidified over the years. As a public health nurse, she volunteered her time and expertise in the community after WesleyLife took it over.
"They’d call me in for flu clinics every year or to look at someone as a favor,” she says. “I’ve always enjoyed spending time with older people. They appeal to me because they tend to be pretty practical. And this has always been a very well-run place."
Sara’s career in nursing, including geriatric and home care, shaped her realistic and independent outlook on life. “You have to learn to roll with the punches,” she says with a smile. “I’m just like I was 50 years ago — I say what I think.”
At 86, Sara is medication-free and maintains a vibrant spirit. She says she "just knew it was time" recently to make the move to community living; “I’m happy here; this is the next stage in life," she says. Sara adds that despite the recent loss of her husband, she tries to focus on the future.
Halcyon House executive director Vani Tschantz describes Sara as a pillar of the community.
A desire to remain independent
“Sara is one of the only people I know who was here from the first days of Halcyon House's transition to a WesleyLife community," Vani says. “Her spirit and outlook is very no-nonsense. She knows what she wants, and what you see is what you get. She has a realistic outlook and has always been very independent.”
That desire to remain independent remains in full force for Sara at Halcyon House, where she feels she is encouraged to live life her way with support where and when it is needed.
"It's a very welcoming place,” she says. “I've been to other communities that have seemed cold, but that's not Halcyon House. Everyone here has been nothing but good and kind to me."
When asked if she ever imagined the Halcyon House of decades past would grow into what it is today, Sara laughs. “Nope,” she says simply — but she’s glad it did, and happy to be a part of it.
