Blog

We already know that we have some of the best chefs in the industry and now we are giving you an opportunity to taste their talents! Do you absolutely love bake goods? How about a good meat rub? Perfect! We got you covered at the City of Grayson Farmer’s Market. Wednesdays in June from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm you can enjoy our Dogwood Forest market stand at Grayson Community Park selling all the freshest baked goods and most flavorful rubs.

From delicious mini sweet potato, french coconut, and buttermilk pies and wonderful glory muffins to start your day- to robust rubs to make your meats at home taste as flavorful as ever, we have you covered. But here is the really cool thing– we aren’t selling in the market to make a profit. We are selling because ALL proceeds … Read more...

Grayson, Georgia is a small town tucked away in the southeast corner of Gwinnett County. With a population of fewer than 3,000, the town is one in which everyone knows your name — including the mayor. Though it is only a 45-minute drive from Atlanta, the noise, light and air pollution is minimal. If you have dreamt about moving to a small town in your retirement, but don’t want to move too far from your family in the city, Grayson is the perfect solution.

Because Grayson is so small, it is relatively unknown to non-locals. Let’s take a quick tour around Grayson, including who’s here and what’s around.

The Local Government 

City hall is located just off Grayson Parkway; if you blink, you’ll miss it! Though the building itself is fairly low-profile, it serves an important role in the community. … Read more...

Chances are you know someone, either directly or indirectly, who has been affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Even if you don’t, you have read the stories and know just how devastating the condition is. Victims suffer from confusion, memory loss and even begin losing their sense of self. The brain slowly deteriorates and, eventually, claims the life of the person affected. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure.

However, June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. People across the country, including many celebrities, are banding together to bring awareness to this terrible disease and urging everyone to do their part in ending Alzheimer’s. While the most common way to help is donating to causes researching cures, you can also educate yourself on the warning signs of Alzheimer’s to begin the fight against it early on.

Around … Read more...

Where did you grow up?  Mary was born on February 3, 1931 in Gainesville Georgia and she lived in Gainesville until she was 10-11 years old. Her family then moved to Hapeville, Georgia where she spent the rest of her childhood.  She grew up the 3rd oldest child with 2 brothers and 1 sister and today she has 1 brother and 1 sister living.  Mary graduated from Hapeville High School and attended secretarial school in Atlanta, Georgia.  

What are some of your favorite memories from your childhood?  One of Mary’s favorite memories from her childhood is getting out of school and taking her Daddy, who she loved very much. She enjoyed eating cornbread and buttermilk while he was working on the farm.  Another favorite memory from her childhood is running to church after Sunday School to sit by her mother … Read more...

At Dogwood Forest, we make sure our assisted living communities never feel institutional like medical facilities. Rather, we work hard to make them feel like one big house, where all of our residents feel like a family that lives together. At the heart of our efforts is our interior designer, Laurie Holbrook. Since the 1990s, she has been working with Solomon Holdings, the parent company of Dogwood Forest, to create a warm, welcoming environment.

Since she was young, Laurie has had a dream of being an interior designer. In the 1980s, she worked for Trammell Crow Interior Contractors. At that time, she had just married Al, who is now the chairman of Solomon Holdings. Fast forward about a decade, and Al was laying the foundations of the modern assisted living industry. He had hired an interior … Read more...

When it comes to choosing the right care for your aging mom, you have a lot of decisions in front of you. Deciding between them can be daunting, and you might wonder if assisted living is really the best choice. Will your mother be better off living in an assisted living community instead of staying with you or another caregiver?

We have compiled a short survey that can help you decide which steps to take next. And if you are considering assisted living, take a look at these health benefits for Mom.

1. Assisted living provides a loving community of friends and staff members.

Studies show that nearly 30% of senior adults are isolated and lonely. Often faced with limited mobility and activity, seniors find themselves without companionship or any sort of mental stimulation. This social isolation can actually increase … Read more...

When you or a loved one decides it’s time to move into an assisted living community, there are many factors you may have to consider. What will happen to the house? Will you be able to bring pets with you? Should you look into memory care, or are you able to live independently? How will assisted living care be paid for? All of these are important questions to consider. However, there is one that many people don’t think about: What will happen to all the furniture and other possessions that fill your home?

Downsizing is one of the biggest issues our residents face when they first move in. As spacious as our apartments are, they simply aren’t big enough to hold as much as a house can. Here are a few tips on moving to an assisted living center … Read more...

As we get older, every day we get to spend with our moms is a gift. This is especially true on holidays, including Mother’s Day. Our residents spent the holiday with their children, enjoying tea. However, we know that one day is not enough to truly celebrate mom. At Dogwood Forest, we know that, when it comes to mothers and children, #LoveIsAgeless. That’s why we are celebrating all month long!

Cindy Bell, Executive Director of Dogwood Forest in Gainesville, recently spoke about how important her mom is in her life.

“My mom, Hilda Bell, is a breast cancer survivor, sings, dances (ballroom and line dancing), plays the Dobro, makes her own hats, is a master wood carver and teaches it weekly, and made her first vocal CD at age 91!” Cindy says. “She will be 93 this year. She is … Read more...

Where did you grow up?  Ethel was born in Fayette County, Georgia and when she was 11 years old, her family moved to Clayton County.  She grew up the third oldest child in the family with 6 sisters and 2 brothers. Today 5 of the brothers and sisters are still living.  Ethel graduated from Jonesboro High School, and took some business college courses Massey Business College.  

What are some of your favorite memories from your childhood?  Ethel’s family states that Ethel grew up on a farm and remembers picking cotton as a child.  Ethel also has good memories of attending school while growing up, but otherwise had to work a lot on the farm while growing up. 

What are some of your favorite memories from your adulthood?  Ethel got married in 1951 when she was 17 years old to Lanier … Read more...

Spring is in the air! Of course, for many of us in the Southeast, it never left. But soon it will be time for gardening, fresh flowers, and spring cleaning.

No one relishes the idea of de-cluttering his or her living space. But once it’s done, we always seem to be happier. There are a few great ways to make spring cleaning less work and more fun.

And since you want to make sure you do a thorough job (so you don’t find yourself doing summer or fall cleaning), here are some easy questions to ask yourself while you are deciding what to toss out and what to keep forever – or at least until next spring.

Everyone has a few items in their space that must absolutely stay. Tax documents, birth … Read more...