It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood!

My husband and I thrilled to have moved his parents into a new nursing home. And when I say "new", I really mean new. Newly built and most important, a new concept in nursing homes. This new nursing home is Avalon by Otterbein in Monclova. There is also one in Perrysburg. The Monclova home just opened in April and my husband and I went to their open house last week. We had his parents moved in just five days later.

This is the new type nursing home based on a "social" concept instead of a "medical" concept. Avalon is a cluster of homes that each house eight people. My in-laws got adjoining rooms and have made one their bedroom and the other the living room. There is a big kitchen where everyone is encouraged to help out if able, and the residents are even asked to help plan the meals! Every one dines at one long table where lunch and dinner is served family style where platters and bowls are passed. If there are visitors there during mealtime they are happily served as well at no cost. The residents can have breakfast whenever they show up, allowing them to sleep as long as they want! And, they use "real" dishes. No more plastic hospital plates.

At the old nursing home they didn't have showers in the tiny bathroom and there were certain times of the week when it was their turn to use the shower. Now they have two huge bathrooms with enormous walk-in showers!

There is a fireplace and sitting area in every house, as well as a back patio with flowers and a grill. The residents can do their own laundry. My mother-in-law is thrilled about that!

Everyone who works there is extremely warm and friendly. When we brought Mom and Dad to look at it, they were greeted with smiles and hugs.

I am in no way bad-mouthing their former nursing home. It wasn't much to look at but it was rated one of the best in the state. However, it felt like I was visiting them in a hospital and now I am visiting them in their home!

Too make this place even sweeter, in addition to being private pay, it is also Medicaid approved!

Check out their new digs at www.otterbein.org/corp_newn_2.htm.

Join us at a Boomers Forum on August 28

Boomers Resource Network of Lake Erie Region Presents:

Boomers Informational Forum
Open to the Public

Thursday, August 28, 2008
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Uncle John’s Restaurant
3131 Secor Rd., Toledo
(Lunch Optional)

We will discuss:
1. Wellness - All Areas
2. Financial Needs - All Areas
3. Obtaining Education For A New Job
4. Entertainment and Travel

For more information, call Loren Frendt at 419.865.8503.

Helping Charlie

"Charlie and Sandra" moved into their new senior villa about 8 months ago. Like many times, the move was very quick due to declining health reasons. Charlie and Sandra were unable to prepare or move themselves, and their family was unavailable. They relied on hired movers to pack and get their items to their new home.

Eight months have past and Charlie and Sandra still have a garage packed with items that have never been unpacked. Some items are keepsakes and collections lost amid the piles.








Both Charlie and Sandra use motorized scooters to get around, and all these boxes make it quite challenging. There are paths for them, though ideally these things need to be sorted and removed.

This was going to be another dirty job. Thought I would snap a shot of me in action - Bandana, respirator and ready to get messy. Some people think I'm crazy for doing these really gross projects, and this one was right up there with the best of the worst ones.

Then Charlie returns home after lunch, sees the amazing progress made in his garage and he begins to cry a bit. He tells me a bit of his story, how thankful he is for the amazing life he has had to date and the frustration he is beginning to feel for the loss of his wife whose dementia is becoming quite advanced.








At this point, I begin to forget all the nastiness of my job and I am thankful for being able to make a huge impact in Charlie's life. His garage is cleaned out, keepsakes found and collections safely stored. The majority of items and boxes were damaged and needed to be trashed. Those things that could be used were donated and three crates of canned goods will be taken to Cherry St Mission, a local food bank.

Couple hours into this project I did think to myself:
"I must be nuts for getting involved in this."

Though now looking back, it's projects like this that truly make me realized why I do what I do: Helping people feel better about life.

Why do you do what you do?