SEM Haven - Monthly Update

Monthly Update, January 2008

EDEN ALTERNATIVE - Our Christmas Sampler open house was wonderful again this year with many residents, families and staff attending. In addition, the individual households had separate holiday celebrations. They held fundraisers or drew names so that all residents received gifts. We can all be very proud to live and work at SEM Haven!

HOLIDAY TREATS – The staff at SEM Haven wish to thank the many families and vendors who brought in a wide assortment of treats for us to enjoy. It really means a lot to be remembered in this way. We are unable to keep track to write individual thank-you notes but want you to know how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness. In addition, several families made donations to our employee fund, which we use for staff member recognitions. Thank you!

HOUSEHOLD HAPPENINGS
Ripple Ridge - The holidays are over but we are not going to let that stop the fun. We will be going to a steak house and are also planning on having more fun household activities such as "Happy Hour" and "Movie Night". Ripple will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary as a household this month! A big “Thank You” to one of our resident's grand-daughters who made Christmas special for several residents in need at SEM Haven. The staff got together a list of items that the residents would like or need and she went shopping and got them everything on their lists!
Milcroft Manor had a wonderful Christmas Party. The staff purchased Christmas PJ’s for all the residents. We had lots of good food and fun. In January we are planning a trip to Skyline Chili. The Milcroft Manor family wishes everyone a Happy New Year.
Kugler Woods December was a busy, but beautiful month over in Kugler Woods. We were all decorated in Angels and Berries. We had a wonderful lunch outing, went shopping, and had party after party. On New Years Eve the “Merry Moores” performed music and comedy while we snacked and drank Champaign. What a great way to bring in the New Year!
Gatch Grove would like to let Diana Bosse (daughter of Bill Cordry) know how much we appreciate the wonderful letter she sent to the Enquirer about Christmas as a “Good time to remember angels among us”. It was published on Dec 19, page B10. We will be having a women’s “almost out to lunch this month” on the 16th and are having a lunch fundraiser to purchase a new radio with cd/cassette for our living room.
McCormick Landing had a busy month! We worked hard and had a very successful craft/bake sale. The residents chose to buy the staff a small Christmas gift with the money they made. We enjoyed hosting our families at the Christmas open house (our soft pretzels and cheese are always a big hit). Later in the month, at our household party, each resident received a nice gift from their “Secret Santa” staff member. The smiles were proof that you’re never to old to enjoy Christmas. We made “home-baked cookies” and had fun decorating them. "Happy New Year" to all from McCormick Landing.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – We are still working on some fixes to our heating and air conditioning systems. The work will likely go on for several months, but there should be little disruption to the residents or staff.

COLD & FLU SEASON – All residents and staff who chose have received the flu vaccine. However, we still ask that anyone with symptoms of illness not visit your loved ones at SEM Haven. Elderly individuals are very susceptible to complications of flu or colds.

WELLNESS CLUB - On January 31^st our Therapy department will talk to the residents about the need for exercise & will give an exercise class. The households will then continue with the exercises on their own. Each month we will feature another topic on Wellness.

EMPLOYEE NEWS – We are sad to say good-bye to Mary Kay Rengering, nursing supervisor, who has earned a well-deserved retirement. Mary Kay has truly made a positive difference in the lives of our residents and staff; she will be greatly missed. Please welcome Terry Emery to her new role – she will be our nursing supervisor on Fridays. Several of our staff members are beginning “cross-training”. They are learning nurse aide, food service, sanitation, and housekeeping duties. The goal is to have the household work as a team where they can help each other when the need arises. This is just one of the steps on our culture change journey to resident-centered care.

SOCIAL EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS: January 1^st - New Years Day Celebration with Ruth Schaefer; 2^nd - Jr. League Choral Group; 15^th - White Elephant Bingo (if anyone has figurines or nick-knacks they would like to donate we would appreciate it); 16^th - Bill Roth’s Music; 23^rd - Monte Carlo fun.
Kugler Woods – 10^th - Lunch Outing (Bob Evans); 18^th - 1:30 Music with Mike Pendell; 24^th - Going to the Movies.

RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT (by Chaplain Bill) - Meet Cordelia Hamann, alias “Dink”, alias “Inka Dinka Do”. She was born in Irvine, KY and reared in Loveland, OH. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. In 1942 she married her high school sweetheart, Ralph Hamann. They had a son, Robert (who became a dentist and is now retired). Unfortunately, Ralph was killed in France during WWII so Dink and her son went to live with her parents. She now has two grandsons, Rob and Jason, and two great-grandsons.

Dink did not have any hobbies until she came to SEM Haven. Now, she is “The Dinkster” and is into anything and everything. Her son says she has undergone a transformation - she was used to being a wallflower, but now she is a social butterfly. She is a go-getter, and she gets around on that walker like she uses hi-test gas.

Dink comes from a Presbyterian background but wasn’t going to church much until she came to SEM Haven. She now attends chapel and Bible Study every chance she gets, and I am very pleased to have administered Christian baptism for her. There is also a volunteer, Darlene Stoffel, who has loved and visited Dink for years, and takes her out on the town every other Sunday. Dink feels good at SEM Haven, because she is treated so well. She loves all those who look after her, and they all love her.

Keep Warm!
Barb Wolf,
Administrator