SEM Haven - Monthly Update

Monthly Update, December 2009

EDEN ALTERNATIVE - Eden Principle 7 states: Medical treatment should be the servant of genuine human caring, never its master. In the traditional medical model of care the doctors, nurses and medical treatment are the "stars". At SEM Haven our residents are the stars - we seek to listen to what it is they are telling us they need and individualize our care plans to reflect this, always seeking to eliminate loneliness, helplessness and boredom. What a better way to live!

CHRISTMAS SAMPLER OPEN HOUSE - See you on December 17, 6:00 - 8:00. Each household is preparing for our guests so be sure to go to each one. Mark Rasmussen will entertain in the gathering room 6:30-7:30 followed by a Christmas program with Chaplain Bill.

HOUSEHOLD HAPPENINGS - Our Resident/Staff Holiday parties will be Tuesday December 22 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. Families are welcome also.
Kugler Woods Assisted Living - Dec. 8^th at 7:00pm will be our "bells" choir performance for nursing. On The 15^th we are having a lunch and Walmart outing. Dec 18^th is Christmas Music with Mike Pendell and the 21^st is music with the One Man Band. Chaplain Bill will have devotions on the 9^th and history with Bill on the 23^rd. Dec 29^th is piano with Ruth and finally our New Years Eve Bash with Jackie & Dave McCoy is on the 31^st at 6:30 pm.
Shumard Rehab Center - We did some great cooking including pumpkin pie, homemade bread & even made butter from cream. The residents made Christmas cards for the servicemen. We enjoyed Almost Out to Lunch from Wendy's. This month we are having lunch from McDonald's on the 14^th and happy hour on the 26^th.
McCormick Landing - We have been very busy making crafts and decorating our household for Christmas. We are going to lunch and Christmas shopping at the mall on the 9th.
Milcroft Manor - We will be having live music with Dave Hawkins and a gift exchange during our Christmas party. On each resident's birthday we bake their favorite cake in the morning and have a celebration in the afternoon. This month we will have lunch from Wendy's. Twice a month on Thursdays we have art class with Bonnie, a retired art teacher from Milford.
Gatch Grove - November was busy, busy - making crafts for the Christmas Bazaar and to decorate our household, lunch at Montgomery Inn and Arby's, happy hour and grilling with Denise. Our month was topped off with a Thanksgiving dinner cooked on the household, complete with extra family members dining with us. We welcomed Amy Jewel back from maternity leave. The Gatch Grove Family Cookbook is flying off the shelves; we will have a second printing if needed. We are primed and ready for a joyful and blessed Christmas season!
Ripple Ridge - The residents enjoyed lunches at Skyline Chili and Max and Erma's. We went to Eastgate Mall for Christmas shopping and lunch. We had a great Thanksgiving with several home cooked side dishes and a ham cooked on the household. We are busy decorating for Christmas and appreciate any help to make our household beautiful! We have happy hour planned this month and are taking several residents to see the Nutcracker on the 16^th. Volunteers are needed for this event; if you are available please see Anne, Kelli or Dave.

WIFI FOR RESIDENTS - Our internet service has been upgraded so residents now have access. You will need a wireless computer. Contact Christine Pierce to set you up.

STAFF NEWS - Congratulations to our newest state tested nurse aide, Amy Giron.

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

RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT by Chaplain Bill. Let me introduce you to Martha Glaser, born and raised in Norwood, Ohio, with a short stay in Indiana where she met her future husband, Ralph Glaser. Her mother was a homemaker and her father worked for the railroad, he also worked as an accountant for a newspaper. She had an older sister Pat, who passed away and a younger sister Geraldine, who became Catholic Sister Delphine, and is still alive at 92 in the "Precious Blood Convent". Martha worked for the Cincinnati Enquirer taking ads, until she married Ralph at age 21. They had three children (Geraldine, Marianne, and John) and six grandchildren.

Martha's hobbies reflect how important family is to her. She was a very talented seamstress and made all the clothes, including formals and Marianne's wedding dress. She and Ralph combined their talents and made museum quality miniature doll houses. Each room was extravagant; they even had dishes and tools. Ralph's ability in wood crafting and Martha's talent as miniature seamstress was incredible. They were members of the "miniature club of Cincinnati" and traveled all over doing shows. Most miniatures are one inch to scale; theirs were ¹/₄ inch to scale. They made 40 to 50 scenes for weddings, holidays, and First Communions. Ralph made a copy of the house where Martha grew up in Norwood. Martha still has some on display in her room in McCormick Landing. Martha loved flower gardening and was president of the Losantiville Garden Club. She was a great cook; the chocolate chip cookies were gone before they could cool off! She liked Ruth Lyons and is now a fan of Oprah and Dr. Phil. She and Ralph liked big band music and they frequented the park dances on Sunday nights while dating. They also loved square dancing. They travelled all over the United States. After the kids were grown they went to Hawaii, England, Italy, Canada, Mexico and some tropical islands.

They were members of St. John's Evangelist Catholic Church in Deer Park for 70 years. Martha never misses our chapel services and often stays to meditate when the others have gone. A passage for Martha is Hebrews 10:25: We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near. Martha inspires me. I love her and I am so glad she is with us.

EVENTS FOR ALL HOUSEHOLDS: Boy Scouts will visit Dec. 4^th to sing Christmas Carols; 5^th - the Denneman Family annual Christmas Caroling; 7^th - Girl Scouts Bingo; 10^th - Each household will bring cookies to share at our Cookie Exchange; 24^th, 2:00 pm - Christmas Eve service with Chaplain Bill; 25^th 10:30 am - Music with Jackie McCoy; 31^st New Years Eve Party with Julie Clifford.

SOME HOLIDAY THOUGHTS!S!

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.

Happy Holidays!

Barb Wolf
Administrator