b'The SeldonsEXCELLENCE ISHAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE . Wendell and Barbara Seldon are high school sweethearts who are still going strong 66 years after they said I do. The couple lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Parkside and say they couldnt be happier. Ill be honest, I needed a little convincing to give up our independent lifestyle, says Wendell. Its hard to realize you need help, but Barbara and our children made me realize the house was too much to manage at our age (Wendell is 90; Barbara is 89) and that the support we would get at Parkside would make a big diff erence in our quality of life. They were right. And besides, when Barbaras happy, Im happy!I am quite happy here, says Barbara. We are fortunate we dont require a lot of help, but when we need it, its here,Thelma Gilbertand theres a lot of comfort in knowing that. Bev Kniff en, the Seldons daughter, played a role inEXCELLENCE MEANS EXCEEDING MY HIGH helping them select Beth Sholom. We looked at severalSTANDARDS .communities around Henrico County. I steered them towardBefore she retired, Thelma Gilbert was a nurse and says Parkside for a lot of reasons, she says. For years, friendsshe recognizes good nursing care when she sees it. I have told me about Beth Sholoms good reputation andknow, fi rsthand, the diff erence between adequate care and commitment to excellence. I felt that commitment as soongood care, says Thelma. I can tell you the care we receive as we visited. Everything from the community dcor to thehere in the Healthcare Center at Beth Sholom is excellent. apartment designs to the staff s interaction with residents,My standards are high, and the staffnever fails to exceed everything just felt right to meto us. them.Although they have slowed a bit as they enter their tenthThelma moved to the Healthcare Center in 2017, but she decades, the Seldons still keep busy. Wendell, a formerwas familiar with its care before moving in. I was a patient city manager and state executive who held a variety ofin the Rehab Center after suff ering a stroke, she says. I governor-appointed positions including Director of Generalstayed for almost an entire summer. When I left, I was a Services for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Barbara, ahealthy 15 pounds heavier and was able to get back to my former nurse, keep track of their schedules by maintaininglife. When it was time for full-time care, there was only one meticulously detailed daily calendars. What can I say?choice for me.says Wendell. Once a planner, always a planner! Now that Thelma is a resident at the Healthcare Center, she says she has new gratitude for the staff . I feel great here. I have a lot of health issues, and I really believe Im still here because of the care I receive, she says. I couldnt ask for anything more.Thelma also says she appreciates the Centers recent renovations and improvements. Beth Sholom really knows how to make good even better, she says. Thelma says she tries to show her appreciation by helping the staffhowever she can. In addition to welcoming new residents and spending time with residents who may not have families that can visit, she sets the tables for dinner each night. You cant not be a nurse. I have an inherent tendency to want to help, so if I can help someoneeven in a small wayI do.When Thelma isnt helping a staffmember or resident, or watching a favorite Lifetime movie, chances are shes visiting with her boyfriend who, for years, has been trying to convince Thelma to marry him. Hes wonderful, she says,but I dont want to leave here!5'