106-year-old still lives alone in her own home

Tina Taylor from Community Nurses Home Health Support Services presented Ida with a gift basket to celebrate her 106th birthday.

Ida Johnson counts her blessings as well as her years - 106 years, to be exact!

She lives alone in her Johnsonburg home, with a little help from her family, friends, and caregivers.

Ida treasures being able to remain independent in her own home. She spent time in two area nursing homes in the past.

"They were fine, but being back in my own home is perfect," she said. "I am a determined person."

Personal care aides from Community Nurses Home Health Support Services spend an average of three hours a day helping Ida with personal needs, meals, and household chores.

Although Ida's family would like her to move south to live with one of them, she remains steadfast in her determination to stay in the area. Ida's family receives regular updates from Erin Johnson, a nurse supervisor for Community Nurses.

Ida wears a communication necklace to make sure help is always available if she would need it. Meals on Wheels delivers lunch each day.

Her parents were German immigrants who arrived in Ridgway in the 1880s. When her father got a job at the mill, they moved to Johnsonburg. Ida still lives in the family house in which she was born and where she and her five sisters grew up.

She said hard work for several decades is one reason for her longevity.

Ida was married for 55 years and has been widowed for 28 years. The murals painted by her husband still decorate the walls of the home they shared.