After a reluctant move, Don and Betty Valiant have lived at All Saints for more than a year — long enough for Don to admit something he never expected.
“I hated the idea of it,” he said. “I thought it would feel like an institution. A place where old people go to die.”
Instead, he found friends waiting for him.
“We knew friends of 60 years who already lived here,” Don said. “Plus, Betty’s cousin is here too. Everyone was so friendly. That surprised me.”
Betty moved to All Saints after Don was hospitalized unexpectedly. She is paralyzed on her left side following a stroke several years ago and Don had been her primary caregiver. Their adult children found All Saints for Betty and when Don was ready to be discharged from rehabilitation, they encouraged him to move in too. By living at All Saints, they felt comfort that Betty could receive consistent care and the two could stay together.
Talking with Don and Betty one morning, they both wore big smiles. And could hardly pause between words as they listed all the things they’re involved with. They stay busy from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day with exercise classes, games, social events and frequent field trips. That afternoon, they were taking the bus to visit Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store where they have hundreds of flavors of sodas and thousands of puzzles.
“You come here to live. You don’t come here to die,” said Don. “They keep you busy all the time.”
Don echoes what Lifespark believes at its core: aging is a team sport. Community, connection, and purpose are non-negotiables. And every resident is invited to join a team.
As the saying goes, the best leaders are the ones who don’t chase the title. That was certainly the case for Don when he reluctantly became captain for the forklift games which at the time was one of the games in Lifespark’s Spark Performance League. It has now been replaced by Robot Soccer.
“Everybody said, I don’t want it! We lost the first game but went undefeated after that and finished in fifth place,” he laughed.
It’s possible someone mentioned that Don used to run his own small engine repair shop. Or that he and Betty used to ride motorcycles. Or it might be his bright smile that shows the joy he brings to daily activities. At any rate, Don received the Captain of the Year trophy earning himself the permanent nickname.
Don now serves as the captain of the All Saints Coyotes. Their team competes in the SPARK Performance League, a one-of-a-kind senior sports program featuring head-to-head matchups with other Lifespark Senior Living communities. The game-style events turn wellness into team spirit and friendly competition.
Today, Captain Don and his wife of 70 years are thriving. He no longer sees All Saints as a place to fade away. It’s where he plays robot soccer, goes fishing, rides adaptive bikes, and fills his days with connection, purpose, and joy.
For more information about COMPLETE Senior Living, go to https://lifespark.com/complete-senior-living/.
