WATERLOO -- Landmark Commons, a 55+ independent living senior community owned and operated by Friendship Village, is located on 100 acres nestled among cornfields.
“There is more of a country feeling here, yet you’re close to town,” said Friendship Village CEO Sherry Turner. “A lot of our residents come from rural backgrounds. They enjoy having the fields around them. It is well suited for retirement.”
Landmark Commons opened in 2007 and is experiencing some changes.
The senior community now offers Lifecare, a residency contract that guarantees a full continuum of on-site health services — including assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing — at predictable monthly rates.
The facility also has undergone a recent update, including new paint, carpeting and art in the hallways, and freshening up of the complex’s eating venues, The Bistro and Landmark Bay Restaurant.
Even with the improvements and the innumerable amenities available to residents, many who live and work at Landmark Commons see beyond them when describing the culture there.
“It’s more than the walls, it’s more than the amenities,” said Sheila Brustkern, Friendship Village’s sales and marketing director. “There is a sense of purpose, of joy, of connection. There is a feeling of belonging.”
“And it’s the socialization,” Turner said. “It sets us apart. We are very proud of that.”
What is striking is how the residents have made Landmark Commons their own – not just in their private living spaces, but throughout the community. The senior living center has its residents’ fingerprints all over it.
A group of ladies manage the library, monitoring the collection and adding to it.
“They invest a lot of time into the space,” Brustkern said.
Resident Sonya Snyder has worked in the on-site salon since it opened 18 years ago, offering colors, cuts, sets and manicures and pedicures.
Elaine Ames, 82, lost her husband six months after moving to Landmark Commons and has used the facility’s indoor pool, which features a lift and a hot tub, to help others and herself.
“I am an avid swimmer,” she said. “I asked if I could teach a swimming class. It’s given me a purpose.”
One of the most popular spaces is the wood shop, which is just off the below-ground parking and storage area.
Earl Hintzman has been living at Landmark Commons since it opened.
“We put this all together,” he said, looking around the room full of equipment and tools complete with a vacuum system and a finishing room.
“It’s our home away from home,” Hintzman said.
“Our wives like it,” Roger Gast added with a laugh.
At a worktable, James Pint sits over a remarkably detailed wooden model of a semi-truck.
Made from cherry and maple wood, the miniature truck features a dashboard with gauges, a stick shift, mud flaps, tires complete with lug nuts and valve stems and a fully furnished sleeper cab with a tiny alarm clock and a television set with a picture on the screen.
Pint has been working on the piece for eight months.
The wood shop crew has found ways of reaching out to their fellow residents, designing and creating cup carriers for people with walkers, grabbers for those who need help reaching items, and more.
“And they don’t hesitate if they see something that needs to be repaired,” Brustkern said.
At 78, Bjorn Olesen is the youngest of the woodworkers, and he has found a truly personal way of impacting Landmark friends and neighbors – he creates beautifully crafted custom wooden cremation urns.
Rick and Joyce Brandhorst have lived in the community for three years, and their apartment is roomy, comfortable and customized to their wants, needs and passions.
An American flag hangs from the balcony overlooking the lake, a collection of buttons sorted by color and stored in glass jars line a shelf in one room, and treasured furniture pieces anchor the large rooms.
Landmark Commons offers two- and three-bedroom apartments featuring a full, modern kitchen, large bathrooms and outdoor space – patios or balconies – and can be customized to the resident’s liking. They can choose paint colors, flooring, etc. Renovations are also an option. Custom cottages are also available.
Rod Payne and his wife, Kathy, moved to Landmark Commons 18 months ago.
“We feel safe and secure here,” Kathy said. “And people are friendly without being intrusive.”
The couple, who lived on an acreage south of Gilbertville, are happy they made the move.
“It was a good choice for us,” Rod said.
Both are very active in the community.
“If you’re bored, it’s your own fault,” Kathy said.
