It wasn’t the elegant building that changed everything for the retired schoolteacher. It wasn’t the thoughtfully designed apartment or the carefully planned activities calendar. It was Sarah showing up at the hospital on a snowy day with a plant and taking time to just sit and talk.
That’s where great senior living really starts – with people who get it. At Holiday, we call it “uncommon hospitality,” but it’s really just about being there when it matters. It’s noticing when someone skips lunch, helping hang family photos in just the right spots, or simply saying “good morning” like you mean it. These everyday moments of connection are what turned Sarah Murphy’s story from ordinary to extraordinary.
Sarah works as Community Sales Manager at Holiday Illahee Hills and was recently honored with Atria’s Uncommon Hospitality distinction. Her story shows how the right person at the right time can change everything for an older adult and their family.
When worry calls: a daughter reaches out
It all started with a worried daughter reaching out. Her mom, who’d spent decades as a schoolteacher, had retired in November 2024 and was living alone. As winter dragged on, her mom – usually the life of the party – became quiet and withdrawn. The daughter called Holiday, not knowing what else to do.
“She told me her mom was always very social, and she was deeply worried about how quiet and empty things had become,” Sarah shares.
Beyond duty on a snowy day
The mom and daughter visited Holiday and fell in love with an apartment. But then life threw a curveball – a bad fall, a minor stroke and a hospital stay changed everything.
Most people might have said, “Call us when things settle down.” Not Sarah. She called them every day, just checking in. And when a snowstorm kept the daughter from visiting the hospital one day, Sarah stepped up.
“I had already planned to bring her mom a plant to brighten up the hospital room,” Sarah says. “So I made the trip and spent time just chatting with her. We talked about her life, her home country of Latvia and the summer reunions she still enjoys with her sorority sisters on Lake Michigan.”
Neighbors before you know it
Once rehab was over, the family didn’t waste any time. They came right back to Holiday, and within days, Mom was moved in and settling into her new life. A Resident Ambassador showed her around, introduced her to neighbors, and suddenly a move that could have been scary felt more like coming home.
People make the place
It’s the little things – like delivering plants on snowy days or remembering someone’s stories – that turn a good place into a great home.
“Getting to know our residents on a personal level – hearing their stories, their history – it’s what makes this more than a job,” says Sarah. “We’re helping people feel like they’re home again.”
Holiday communities are beautiful buildings with tasty meals – but it’s people like Sarah, showing up with their whole hearts day after day, who make all the difference.
Find your spot at the table
Whether you’re searching for the perfect place for your mom or dad or thinking ahead for yourself, remember – it’s the people who turn a building into a community.
At Holiday, Sarah’s story isn’t unusual. It’s the kind of care we strive to give residents every single day. Come visit us and see what it’s like to be part of a senior living community where someone’s already saving a seat at the dinner table – just for you.
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