SEM Haven - Monthly Update

Monthly Update, December 2008

CHRISTMAS SAMPLER - You should have received your invitation for our holiday open house on Thursday, December 18^th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. All families are invited to experience the holidays, SEM style: Visit the different households to see our decorations and have some refreshments. Entertainment will begin in the Gathering Room and Kugler Woods living room at 6:30 and end with a special service in our chapel at 7:30. We ask that all families RSVP so we know which residents will need volunteer or staff escorts to enjoy this terrific evening. This is what the holidays are all about - please join your loved ones for this special event.

EDEN ALTERNATIVE - We have 22 new Certified Eden Associates! The following staff members completed three days of training and all are inspired to continue our Eden journey at SEM Haven: Felicia Ayers, Tim Bentley, Kathy Booth, Tina Brothers, Nancy Gordon, Sheron Jones, Estrella Jordan, Lorraine Klaus, Jennifer Larter, Joanna Leonard, Bettie Marcelino, Maria Marshall, Amy Mullins, Bill Oehler, Lindsey Pangallo, Latoya Price, Shondia Schaefer, Anne Sicurella, Cindy Sundgren, Judy Wallace, Juanita Williams, and Connie Woeber.

HOUSEHOLD HAPPENINGS - Our Resident/Staff Holiday parties will be Tuesday December 23 at 2:00 pm. Each household plans its individual party and they all take place simultaneously. Over the past couple of years this has been one of our most popular events with the majority of residents and staff participating.
Kugler Woods enjoyed November with a lunch outing to Olive Garden. On Thanksgiving Eve Ray Heckman played his Saxaphone while we enjoyed a wonderful candle-lit Thanksgiving dinner as a family. We had a very enlightening resident/staff learning circle where we asked, “Why did we come to SEM and what keeps us here?” Kugler Woods welcomes Aleda Evans to our third shift. Aleda previously did private duty nursing. She has been married for 28 years, has 2 children, Georgia and Trevor, one granddaughter, Savannah, and 2 dogs, Hunter and Winston. Aleda lives in Batavia, loves gardening and is an active member of Victory Baptist Church.
Ripple Ridge went out to eat at Applebee's and had a great time. We went shopping at Eastgate Mall and we will be going aging in December. We enjoy Happy Hour once a month; our next one will be New Years Eve with a champagne toast.
Shumard Rehab Center had our first “Almost out to lunch”. We brought lunch in from Wendy’s for both residents & staff. We plan to do this every month. Angela Bolton’s (Occupational Therapy) baby boy is due the end of December. We will miss her, Marissa will be filling in.
McCormick Landing went to eat and shop at Eastgate Walmart and are going to Kenwood Mall this month. Family member who can accompany us please let Melody know. We have been working hard on our Christmas crafts and hope to see you at the craft sale.
Milcroft Manor is looking a lot like Christmas! The residents and staff did a wonderful job decorating the household! We are planning a trip on December 8^th to the Eastgate Mall to shop and be on the lookout for Santa. We are also hard at work making Milcroft Manor’s first edition Cookbook with recipes from our residents and staff.
Gatch Grove - Thanks to Pat Fawley for bringing in and preparing our Thanksgiving turkey in our kitchen. The residents helped prepare the meal and Jerry Schlosser (Marilyn’s son) carved the turkey. It was quite a special day! On the 4^th and 11^th we have shopping and lunch trips planned. On the 11^th we will take a bus trip to view Christmas lights and we are baking cookies and caroling through the facility on the 24th. We would like to welcome Walter Sarver to our family.

Resident Spotlight by Chaplain Bill - Meet Ann Fagin. She was born in Cincinnati and graduated from Mt. Healthy High School where she was voted most outstanding female student. She was a cheerleader, a member of a synchronized girls swimming team and was voted basketball queen. She has one sister, Ruth, who visits Ann often. Ann attended Ohio State and then UC where she graduated summa cum laude in 1988, 40 years after high school! She worked for Clopay as a secretary and also for a building business and an affidavit service. She married Robert W. Fagin in 1949. They were both swimmers and met at a pool. He was the number one diver in the nation and went through college on swimming scholarships. He graduated from UC with a degree in graphic arts. Bob was in the US Marines and was an artist for their newsletter. Bob and Ann had four children, Patrick, Kevin, Todd, and Kim. Ann also has 6 grandchildren and one great-grand on the way.

Her hobbies were gardening, reading, sewing and playing the keyboard. She played weekly at Twin Towers, where her mom and dad lived, and kept playing even after they passed away. Ann liked to drive; especially vehicles like the Volkswagen Bus so she could haul her garden supplies. She traveled to Colorado to see her daughter. She and Bob went to Myrtle Beach often; they both loved swimming and the beach.

Ann had an active church life and attended the Tri-County Baptist Church. At SEM she likes chapel services on Sunday and the Sing-a-Long with Bill afterwards. A passage that reminds me of Ann is Matthew 17:5. Ann is concerned about doing things as the Bible says, especially as Jesus commands. This passage says, “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my son, whom I love; with Him I am pleased, listen to Him”. Ann loves to listen to Him!

STAFF NEWS - Susan Taylor has her first grandson, Karson Allen, born November 10^th weighing 8lbs. 14ozs. Melody Murray has her second grandson, Ethan James, born November 29 and weighing 7 lb, 13 oz. Michele McFarland and Liza Pape are recovering from recent hospitalizations; please keep them in your thoughts.

VOLUNTEER’S HOLIDAY PARTY - The Holiday party for our volunteers will be on Tuesday, December 30 at 2:00 pm. Chaplain Bill has a fun afternoon planned!

SOME HOLIDAY THOUGHTS!

Many residents share part of the holiday with relatives or friends. Please contact Caroline Craig or the nursing supervisor in advance so that we can have residents, and their medications, ready.
Many of you have been asking about gifts for staff. Staff cannot receive individual gifts, but you are free to send something for the whole household or facility. We always appreciate donations to our employee fund which we use for on-going staff recognitions, including our annual employee appreciation dinner.
Another reminder: Christmas gifts need to be properly marked with resident’s name; see any staff member for assistance.
A great idea for Christmas gifts - personalized leaves for our giving tree. Also, we have beauty shop gift certificates. Please call Toni, in the Business Office.
Please feel free to decorate resident rooms; however the fire marshal does not permit a lot of flammable decorations, so keep it simple! Also, no unapproved extension cords.

SOCIAL EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS: December 4^th - Martin White’s music; 12^th - Suzanne Gregg’s farewell performance (she has been coming weekly to SEM Haven for 11 years but is now moving to be near her son; we will surely miss her!); 13^th - Anointed Son’s of God, Gospel Music Holiday Program; 19^th - Milford Jr. High Chorus; 20^th - The Denneman Family Singers; 24^th - Christmas Eve Service; 25^th - 10:00 Jackie McCoy & Family Music; 31st - New Years Eve Party. We will also have a number of Girl Scout, & Cub Scout groups coming in to do an activity and/or sing Christmas Carols.

Kugler Woods (Assisted Living) - December 2^nd - Resident/Family Trim the Tree Gathering; 9^th - Viewing Christmas lights at Sharon Woods; 11^th - 7:00 pm Eastern Star Carolers Get Together; 16^th - Mall Shopping and Lunch; 17^th - Christmas Bingo; 19^th -Christmas Karaoke; 24^th - 2:00 pm Christmas Eve Service With Bill; 25^th - 10:30 am Jackie McCoy’s Christmas Carols; 25^th - 2:00 pm Christmas Day Movie; 31^st - 6:30 pm New Years Eve Bash with The Merry Moores.

Happy Holidays!
Barb Wolf
Administrator