SEM Haven - Monthly Update

Monthly Update, May 2010

EDEN ALTERNATIVE - We recently went through the process of re-registration as an Eden Alternative home. This involved completing an application stating the progress we have made over the past two years on our journey to eliminate the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness and boredom. The application included letters of support from our Board of Directors and resident councils. We also had testimonials from staff, residents and family members. The final step was an hour-long conference call with the Eden Alternative support office. I am happy to report that the office was very impressed with our resident-centered care philosophy and the progress we have made towards our goals. We can celebrate our approval to continue to be an Eden Alternative home for the next two years.

HOUSEHOLD HAPPENINGS - Gatch Grove - In April we had Opening Day for the Reds, almost out to lunch from Miami Market and lunch at Cheese Burger in Paradise. May started off with a Kentucky Derby party. We will start walking or wheeling outside. We are planning a pizza party, a lunch outing and several socials. Beth Weber & Anne Wedmore both have daughters (Rebecca and Lea) graduating from High School. Congratulations to Stephanie Gibson on her upcoming wedding May 22^nd. We will miss our friend Lucy Howell. Also we would like to welcome Anna Campbell and Paul Naylor to our Family.
Ripple Ridge - We enjoyed a lunch outing to Frisch's and almost out to lunch from Wendy's. We appreciated the nice weather by taking an evening bus ride around Milford. In May we have a trip planned to the Nature Center as well as a garden store and of course, Happy Hour and a lunch outing. Dave will be tilling up the garden soon and the residents are looking forward to planting fresh vegetables. Congratulations to Amy Musselman who is expecting her first baby in October.
Milcroft Manor - What a beautiful Spring on Milcorft with fun on the patio and Grill out's. We are getting ready to plant our garden and are asking family's to bring in their loved ones garden hats. We could also use help with planting, just contact Amy Mullins. We had almost out to lunch at Bob Evans and this month we are going to Skyline for cheese Coney's. We said goodbye to Betty Burns last month; she will be missed.
McCormick Landing - We enjoyed coloring eggs with volunteers Carolyn and Jill Neagle; some of our designs could rival Martha Stewart! Easter services provided by Fr. Ed (Betty Smith's son) and the local churches were lovely. Thanks to all who help to make that special. Hope for a successful season for our Cincinnati Reds was celebrated on opening day April 5^th. We have enjoyed several grill outs so far this spring. Martha Glaser's daughter, Marianne McKenney and her garden club came to visit and helped us add many beautiful flowers to our back patio.
Shumard Rehab Center - Shumard has been busy planting flower seeds & watching them grow. They also have enjoyed our Happy Hour & Almost out to lunch at Frisch's. The residents enjoy sitting in the courtyard during the warm weather. We also had our Spring Sale, we sold flowery flip flops, house plants & garden perennials. We are now preparing for the prom during National Nursing Home Week.
Kugler Woods - In April we went to Red Lobster and had good fun. We picked up volunteer Ruth Schaeffer and took her with us. Ruth volunteered to play the piano for us two Tuesdays a month for the last 9 years and has now retired at the age of 98! We will sincerely miss her playing but will continue to see her and be her friend hopefully for the next 9 years. Team member, Felicia Ayers has a son, Brandon, who graduates from High School this month. Brandon is also the Grandson of Marlene Rybolt who also is a team member. We would also like to welcome back to our household, Annie Rein.

MAY HIGHLIGHTS - May 6^th - National Day of Prayer Service & our second Garden Club meeting featuring Butterfly Gardens; Nursing Home Week starts with Sunday 9^th (see below); 19^th - The Harksters will sing with volunteer, Clay Driskell; 26^th - Creative Aging program, Visitor From the Plains, we will learn about life on the plains during the frontier days.

KUGLER WOODS (ASSISTED LIVING) EVENTS THIS MONTH: May 5^th - 10:30 Chaplain Devotions; 11^th & 25^th - 2:00 Happy Hour and Manicures; 14^th - 2:00 Planting in the Courtyard; 18^th - 6:30 pm Guitar with Terry Fluharty; 19^th - 10:30 History with Chaplain Bill; 20^th -11:15 Lunch Outing; 27^th - 12:00 Picnic in the Courtyard.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - We are looking for folks to help run our gift shop or to organize our library. This would be a fun thing to do with your loved one during visits. Please contact Nancy Maltry or Chaplain Bill.

NURSING HOME WEEK - National Nursing Home Week begins on Mother's Day, May 9 and continues through May 15. Each nursing household is sponsoring a day and has a special theme. Following are the highlights of our schedule for that week:

Sunday May 9 - 3:15 Mother's Day Celebration with harpists Maliah & Olivia;
Monday May10 - Milcroft Manor sponsoring Western Day; Laura Hazelbaker entertaining at 2:00; wear yellow.
Tuesday May 11 - McCormick Landing sponsoring Disco Fever at 2:00; wear silver & pink; coffee & donuts for staff.
Wednesday May 12 - Ripple Ridge sponsoring Elvis is in the House at 2:00; wear blue; Cookout for McCormick, Milcroft and Shumard.
Thursday May 13- Shumard Rehab sponsoring Prom Day, New York, New York theme; 7: 00 Senior - Senior Prom with Mark Rasmussen - Students from area High Schools will join us for an evening of music, dancing, food and fun. Wear black, silver & red; cookout for Gatch & Ripple.
Friday May 14 - Gatch Grove sponsoring Through the Years at 2:00; wear black & white.
Saturday May 15 - Nursing Home week video at 2:00

NURSE'S DAY - We are celebrating National Nurse's Week, May 2-8. This is a time to honor our professional nurse's. At SEM Haven we have 12 RN's with a total of 134 years of service and 30 LPN's with a total of 216. This averages 8.3 years of service to SEM Haven! On Friday, May 14, our nurses will be recognized with a special gift and a lunch catered by Village Pantry. We really appreciate our wonderful nurse's at SEM!!

SPRING GARDEN TEA - On April 29^th SEM Haven sponsored this wonderful event. Pat Greeson from Natorp's gave us many gardening tips while we enjoyed tea and cookies. It was quite enlightening and we really appreciate Pat and Natorp's for providing this service.

STAFF NEWS - We were sad to say good-bye to retiring nurse, Bobbie Potter. She worked at SEM Haven 12 years, during which time we received many compliments from residents and families about her kind, gentle and genuine caring ways. Bobbie is excited to be spending lots of time with her granddaughter!

FEATURED RESIDENT by Bill Oehler, chaplain - Meet my dear friend, Verna Swegert. She was born and raised in Fairfield, Ohio. Her father was an inventor and contractor. He invented an electric toaster and a gas stove range which was patented. He also had a roofing company. Her mother was a homemaker and a really great cook. Verna graduated from Fairfield High School where she played in their orchestra. She has one sister who still lives in the house in which she was raised. She had one brother who passed away 30 years ago.

She was married in 1940 to Burrell Leisner. He was a real estate salesman in his family's business. During WWII he enlisted in the US Army and served in the Signal Corps in Europe. After the war, he worked in the furnace business and expanded to refrigeration and air conditioning, as well as mechanics in the commercial field. They had two children, Pat and Ron, two grandchildren, David and Terri Collins, and three great grandchildren. Verna & Burrell loved Big Band Music and dancing; they would take the Island Queen to Moonlight Gardens.

Verna worked as a receptionist at Mercy Hospital in Hamilton. She also worked for surgical practices as an office manager. Later, while living in Florida, she worked for Eckerd Corporation in the Advertising Department. She loved vegetable gardening. She was a piano and organ teacher, and an accomplished seamstress, making her own clothes.

After Burrell passed away Verna traveled with a friend to the Bahamas, Hawaii, and, starting in Florida, to 30 states. In 1987, she married Cyril Swegert, a retired bus driver. She was a long time member of the Presbyterian Church and later joined the Methodist Church in Milford. She taught Sunday school and played the organ. She loves chapel services and listening to songs. A passage that reminds me of Verna is Ephesians 5:19, 20. "Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20) giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". I give thanks to God for Verna, and I sing to her each time I visit her.

Barb Wolf
Administrator