The building situated at 307 Howell Avenue in Brooksville dates back to 1925. It first served as a lodging known as the Tangerine Hotel. After the hotel closed it was converted into an Assisted Living Facility (ALF). Now, in its most recent reincarnation it’s a totally remodeled ALF known as Noble Senior Living at Brooksville under the auspices of Noble Senior Services, a company that operates several similar facilities.
On Wednesday, June 23, members of the Greater Hernando Chamber of Commerce, staff, residents and the public assembled at Noble Senior Living for a ribbon cutting. Executive Director Chyna Huff, who has been in this business for more than twenty years, remarked, “The challenge has always been to find affordable housing for seniors. Here we promote independence and we are surrounded by people who actually want to take care of seniors.”
The guest of honor at the event was Steve Wood, a Marine Corps veteran, who has been there longer than any other resident – twenty-six years. In introducing Wood, Ms. Huff commented, “The first thing you’ll notice about Steve is the smile that’s always on his face, his desire to live life at its fullest and to be kind to others. He’s always active and always greeting someone that’s new.”
Noble Senior Living currently has 55 residents, with several residents in their nineties. Many military veterans reside at the facility, and their names and pictures are posted on a bulletin board to honor their service to our country.
Debra Taylor, the Activities Director, oversees fun and diverse activities. These include Bible study, arts and crafts, spa day, bingo and karaoke, along with shopping trips and visits to museums and other places. Favorites are bingo and karaoke.
Ms. Taylor describes her position at Noble Senior Living as her “dream job” and it shows by the enthusiasm she demonstrates every day. “I start my mornings off greeting my residents with a smile and a song. They love it and their smiles encourage me, which flows over into our day.” Because Ms. Taylor and the rest of the staff deal with fifty-five different personalities, it’s important that each resident be treated as an individual. This is especially important when it comes to activities. “When a resident is not willing to get involved, I encourage them privately, smiling and singing. I let them know that the activity and group would be better if they were involved. For some reason it works really well,” Ms. Taylor concludes.
Featured speaker at the ribbon cutting was April Johnson-Spence, Director of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. She had met Ms. Huff after Noble Senior Services purchased the facility, while it was undergoing the necessary remediation and renovations. Ms. Johnson-Spence started connecting the staff with different agencies that could help them in this process. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get where they are today,” Ms. Johnson-Spence acknowledged. In addressing the chamber members and the rest of the audience, she added, “I challenge you to step up and adopt a room and help with improving this facility. Figure out a way that you can give back to this community (Noble Senior Living).” This advice can apply to anyone. A little bit goes a long way when it comes to volunteering your time or giving back in other ways to help the generation that came before us.
For more information on Noble Senior Living at Brooksville, call 352-796-3276 or go to https://nobleseniorservices.com/projects/brooksville/
