SEM Haven - Monthly Update

Monthly Update, February 2010

EDEN ALTERNATIVE - Eden Principle #9 states: Creating an Elder-centered community is a never-ending process. Human growth must never be separated from human life. The Eden Alternative is not a program, it is a never-ending process. Our work is human work, not mechanical work. The people we work with and for whom we care belong to the living world; they are not cogs in a machine. In our technology-driven society it is easy to forget this basic truth. To make a better world for our elders requires us to stop thinking like mechanics and start thinking like gardeners. In a garden there is much individuality and spontaneity. We constantly strive to keep the soil warm and to overcome frost when it happens..

HOUSEHOLD HAPPENINGS
Ripple Ridge - We enjoyed lunch this month from LaRosa's and out to Red Lobster. We made Oniony Beef Soup for the Soup Social and enjoyed happy hour. This month we are going out to lunch on the 9^th, Valentine Party on the 11^th, happy hour on the 26^th and almost out to lunch from Wendy's. The residents are also going to the library and will be making the best chili ever for the cook off !
Kugler Woods - We had a wonderful New Years Eve party with entertainment by Jackie & Dave McCoy and the banjo. We decided to order lunch in from LaRosa's. We enjoyed entertainment with Mike Pendell and did a lot of basketball practice to get ready for the "Big" tournament. Feb. 3^rd - Family Devotions with Bill; 5^th - Valentine Craft & Bake Sale; 9 & 23 - Piano with Ruth Schaefer & manicures; 10^th - Almost out to lunch KFC; 11^th - Valentine celebration with Judy Downer; 16^th - Happy 102^nd Birthday Marie Stoecklin!
Gatch Grove - January has come and gone so quickly. We had several socials, a grilled lunch, and went to lunch at O'Charleys. Now February and love is in the air. We are baking cookies for the fire department on 2/10 and out to lunch on 2/24 to Red Robin. Welcome to our new family member Leanna Williams STNA, and also congratulations on her engagement. We welcome Terry Stephens (Kay Ferguson's son) as a new volunteer. Congratulations to Grandpa Tim Bentley, welcoming a newly adopted grandson Michael.
Milcroft Manor - We had a fun PJ party; staff & residents spent the day in pajamas and we had pizza, popcorn and old time movies. We are raffling a Valentine basket as a fundraiser for our household. Tickets can be purchased at the front desk or ask Amy Mullins. We are planning a winter blues cookout this month and doing Valentines crafts.
McCormick Landing - We have been baking and cooking using "family recipes", some of which have been passed down from many generations. It's been fun sharing the great food along with favorite family stories. Our happy hours continue to be a favorite; per request we had liverwurst at our last one! We enjoyed decorating hats and having crazy hat day, we had many laughs. Due to the snow we had to cancel our lunch outing so we had pizza delivered and SEM provided us with a wonderful salad. We are talking about different things that we would like to do as the weather improves.
Shumard Rehab - We had a winter Luau & cookout that lifted our spirits & helped get us through January. Anna Campbell & Mary Brauer were the official cheerleaders for the basketball tournament. Great Job Ladies! We will also provide cheering for the volleyball tournament. We will be doing some Valentine crafts and staff are bringing in appetizers & desserts for the party. We will have Wendy's for Almost out to lunch. Laura Jones has been a wonderful volunteer for a long time - she has now officially joined the Shumard family and will be invited to our household events.

STAFF NEWS - Anne Sicurella (Ripple Ridge) is a 1st time grandma! Brooklynn Elizabeth was born January 10 & weighed 7lb, 8oz. Angie Osborn has a new granddaughter, Hayley, born February 3 and weighing 7lb, 10oz. Kathy Booth recently passed an examination to become a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR). This involved quite a commitment to course work and study!

ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS:
Congratulations to all of the participants in our basketball tournament. Also thanks to the wonderful cheerleaders! First place was Kugler Woods (Larry Mecklenborg, Edna Tebbe, Dorothy Seip, Mel Chifari, Vivian Holliday and Ann Wilson). Milcroft Manor took second place (Ed Sander, Dee Strahm, Estelle Phillips & Maemar Mecklenborg). McCormick Landing was 3^rd (Betty Smith, Betty Bernard, Mary Stith and Anna Margaret Morgan with cheerleaders Catherine Hopkins, Marian Schrencongost and Rhoda Mobley). This month will be a balloon volleyball tournament on February 24.

February 10^th - Julie Clifford will sing & play the Piano; 11^th - Household Valentine Parties; 16^th - Mardi Gras Parade & Party with Jim McBride on the saxophone; 17^th - Chaplain Bill will have an Ash Wednesday Service to begin our Lenten observance; 24^th - Balloon Volleyball Tournament; 25^th - Firehouse Chili Contest; each household will make chili in the morning & the Milford Firemen will come to judge in the afternoon.

CMS 5-STAR RATING - Many of you are aware of a program available on CMS website, www.medicare.gov (nursing home compare). Nursing homes overall quality rating is based on ratings in three areas: health inspections, quality measures and staffing. There are many variables that affect a facility's score so the state long-term care ombudsman recommends that you visit the home, observe and ask questions. SEM Haven has an excellent 5 Star rating, putting us in the top 10% of homes in the country!

RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT by Chaplain Bill - Meet Grace Mladinich, born in 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. Her mom was a fine homemaker, her dad worked for the City of New York and she had an older sister. After graduation from high school Grace worked for the New York City Telephone Company. She was married John Mladinich in 1937, an immigrant from Yugoslavia. John worked his way up to vice president at Barnes and Noble. John and Grace loved dancing to big band music. They also enjoyed playing tennis, and Grace also likes baseball and football. Grace and John had one son, three daughters, four grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren with two more on the way. Grace came to Ohio to be with her daughter Mary and the grandchildren.

Grace was an ardent reader - she would come from the library with armloads of books. Another hobby was volunteering including school PTA, church work, senior care and at a hospital. Grace and John traveled all over Europe, but especially to Yugoslavia to visit John's family. They went on cruises and visited Hawaii, Alaska and all through the United States. Grace was an excellent cook - she hosted holiday meals for the family. She was a very active social person, doing something every day with clubs and organizations. The family had their share of pets including hamsters, dogs, a parakeet and a cat.

Grace is a devout Catholic. She attended St. Louis De Monte Forte church in Brooklyn and St. Andrew the Apostle in Milford. She attends all the Catholic services at SEM Haven, thanks to our Catholic volunteers (including daughter Mary). A passage for Grace is John 13:34 and 35. (34)"I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. (35) This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Grace demonstrates this commandment better than anyone I've ever met. I love Grace and all the ways she shows love, and I love having her here with us. Chaplain Bill

Barb Wolf
Administrator