Vienna celebrates confidence and style
Vienna Nursing Center looks to bring out pride on International Women's Day
Katie Logemann, 109, puckered her lips at the request of Ryan Berlt.
Berlt, normally an activities aide, was doubling as a makeup artist on Wednesday at the Vienna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Logemann was one of about 40 senior ladies spending the afternoon getting pampered and glammed up by staff. They got their hair and makeup done while relaxing and sipping on glasses of sparkling cider. To enhance their natural beauty, the ladies got to choose from an assortment of jewelry and scarves, spread out on beautiful plates, to complete their look.
Logemann, who was joined by her granddaughter Melinda Mullins, sported a top decorated with pretty pink flowers, which matched her pink lipstick. She wore red pants, her favorite color. A long pearl necklace adorned her neck.
“You look beautiful, grandma,” Mullins said as Berlt applied her makeup.
Logemann prefers a more natural look, Mullins said of her grandmother, adding that she used to teach water aerobics at the age of 101. Mullins completed her grandmother’s look with a colorful scarf and pink and white clip-on earrings.
“You’re just cute as a pie,” photographer for the day Brittany Ortegel said, as Mullins led her grandmother out to the photo session in an adjacent courtyard.
Logemann posed with lush greenery in the background, backlit to create highlights in her beautifully styled hair.
“It was a surprise,” said 94year-old Olive Maria Turner, who was delighted at the day of pampering. “I liked all of it. It’s been fun.”
Marketing director Jamie Henderson Vilinskas explained that the event was held in appreciation of International Women’s Day.
“We’re celebrating beauty at any age,” she said.
Henderson Vilinskas said a lot of the women have pictures from when they were young, and that they proudly display them in their rooms.
“Our goal is to show each woman she’s just as beautiful today as she ever was, and to give her and her family a new picture that provokes that same sense of pride and confidence,” she said.
The staff plans to have prints made and sent out to the seniors’ families for Mother’s Day.
Shirley Klinker, 86, really enjoyed Wednesday’s friendly atmosphere.
“My favorite thing is how nice and friendly and helpful everyone is. We had a fun time today! They got us all prettied up. It’s something I am going to remember for a long time.”
“Our goal is to show each woman she’s just as beautiful today as she ever was, and to give her and her family a new picture that provokes that same sense of pride and confidence.” JAMIE HENDERSON VILINSKAS VIENNA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER MARKETING DIRECTOR