Home Times Monthly
A newsletter for Pond Home residents with all the news that’s fit to print
May 2012 volume 61
To My Dear Residents:
Believe it or not, next month Pond Home will celebrate the 110th Anniversary of our first Resident Admissions. On June 5, 1902 Pond Home admitted the first five residents, three women and two men. These admissions were the culmination of over three years of volunteer work by a dedicated group of women who were devoted to providing care to the elderly in their community. They got their big break when Virgil Pond donated his unused homestead in Pondville, (now in Norfolk on the Wrentham/Foxboro line) to accommodate their plan. Almost 110 years later Pond Home is at a new, larger location providing support and care to 42 men and women at any given time. If you have friends or relatives you would like to join our community please have them contact me for more information.
Thanks for reading,
Becky Annis, Administrator
Resident Spotlight
Marilyn Lacasse is this month’s highlighted resident. She was born in Boston to Anthony and Mary Mazzei. She has a younger sister Judy. Growing up together Marilyn loved to take Judy to the beach and on shopping trips to Boston. Marilyn graduated from Cardinal Cushing High School in South Boston. She and her husband Arthur grew up in the same neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, but they officially met when she was in high school and was walking to the store to pick up some things for her mother. Arthur told her he was heading to Ollie’s Ice Cream parlor for coffee and asked her to come along. Marilyn’s good friend Patricia worked at Ollie’s. Later, Arthur asked her to go to the beach with him. Marilyn said she would have to check with her mom first. Mom approved so they had their first official date at New Pond Beach in Norwood. Arthur worked as an engineer for Honeywell. In his position he worked on rockets and got to meet many astronauts over the years. Marilyn worked at the John Hancock Building in Boston as a Clerk in the office. She and Arthur married in 1955 and moved into a home her parent’s owned in Jamaica Plain. They had two children, Stephen who now lives in Eastham, and Jane who lives in Wildwood, Missouri. In 1963, when their children were still young the family moved to a home on Hamilton Road in Wrentham. From Marilyn’s kitchen window she could see the field and forest that The Community at Pond Meadow is now on. When they moved to Wrentham Marilyn worked for the Massachusetts Department of Welfare as a Clerk. In this position she did the clerical work for people seeking benefits. Later she worked as a Clerk at the Wrentham District Court House. She was there for many years and really enjoyed it. When not working she became very involved with youth organizations in her new town. She was a Boy Scout Leader, the Treasurer of the Wrentham Baseball Town League, and a Catholic Youth Organization Leader. She and a group of women started Wrentham’s first Youth Center. This was back in the day when there were minimal organized activities for elementary school children and she and her friends saw a need and wanted to fill it. They met with the elementary school principal and got permission to use the gym in the evenings, after supper. The kids were able to play basketball, pinball, hold dances and have fun together in a safe environment thanks to Marilyn and the other volunteers. When asked if Stephen and Jane participated Marilyn reports that they tried it out and didn’t like it, so they stayed home! Jane has two sons; Ryan who is attending Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee, and Patrick who is finishing his freshman year at Northeastern. Both are studying to be engineers like their ‘Nono’, a nickname for Arthur, their grandfather. Stephen has two sons as well; Derek who lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife and three children (Marilyn’s great grandchildren) and Aaron who lives in Berkley, MA with his wife and three children. Soon the family is to be blessed with a fourth child, Marilyn’s seventh great grandchild! Of the soon to be seven great grandchildren there are two boys and four girls so far, with another girl expected this year. Marilyn moved to Pond Home in June of 2011. Her sister Judy lives in Plainville and comes to visit weekly. Marilyn enjoys sewing, knitting, crocheting, cribbage, and now that she lives at Pond Home visiting with her neighbors as well. She is looking forward to her lifelong friend Connie’s return from wintering in Florida so that they can resume their weekly Rummikube games.
Employee Spotlight
This month’s spotlighted employee is Terri Javery. Terri is the Director of Nursing and Assistant to the Administrator. She began working at Pond Home on April 24, 1995. Prior to her work at Pond Home she worked as a Nursing Supervisor at several nursing homes in the area. When she started at Pond Home she knew Pond Home was different and where she was meant to be working. In her opinion Pond Home offers care the way long term care should be provided everywhere. She knows we are lucky at Pond Home to be able to really get to know you residents as well as we do. She loves working with the staff and knowing all the residents over her years here. Terri takes great satisfaction in hearing the residents and staff laughing together and enjoying each other’s company. Terri lives with her husband John (who she met when he was the lead electrician for the construction project that is now The Community at Pond Meadow), and daughter Abigail. Abby is now 6 years old and loves coming to Pond Home as she has done since she was a new born. Terri’s family includes two step-children as well, Lindsey who is graduating from UMASS Amherst this month, and Taylor who is in 10th grade and worshipped by his little sister Abby. Terri is an animal lover and has always had pets. Currently she has two cats at home and is hoping to get another dog in the not too distant future. Terri enjoys singing and is a member of the Coastline Show Chorus, a Sweet Adeline acapella group that she joined with her mother. She attends weekly practices and annual competitions with this organization. She is sharing this love of music with Abigail and enjoys taking her to shows. They recently saw the Musicals River Dance and Mary Poppins. Terri finds it hard to believe she has been working here 17 years. She is proud to be a part of Pond Home.
May Birthdays
Please give a big Happy Birthday to the following residents celebrating their birthdays this month:
7th ~ Marilyn Lacasse
8th ~ Judy Riley
22nd ~ Lucille Luscher
22nd ~ Ceil Kozial
26th ~ Stella Veneski
29th ~ Nell Domina
New Ombudsman will be visiting at Pond Home
Wrentham resident Joan Merritt will be regularly visiting Pond Home as our new Ombudsman, replacing Marilyn Peterson. The Nursing Home Ombudsman Program advocates for quality care and quality of life in nursing homes and rest homes to ensure residents’ rights are protected. Ombudsmen identify, investigate and resolve complaints by or on behalf of facility residents. The Ombudsman Program at Pond Home is administered by HESSCO Elder Services. It is a mandated service through the Federal Older Americans Act and funded by Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Elder Affairs. You are always welcome to direct questions and concerns to the Administrator, Becky Annis directly or through Resident Council. Joan’s visits offer another option for you to share any concerns or compliments you may have.
Eye-Pal Solo donated to Pond Home
Thank you to the ABiSee Incorporated located in Acton for their generous donation of the Eye-Pal Solo equipment to Pond Home. This is a remarkable device that can assist people with low or no vision in reading mail and materials. It is located on the 2nd floor in the North wing alcove. If you would like to use it and need guidance see a member of the Activity or Nursing Staff. The manual is located next to it and it is a rather intuitive device once you have used it a few times. Place a piece of written material on it and the machine can magnify it and read it for you! We know this will benefit some residents now and more in the future. Please take advantage of this wonderful new addition! Representatives from ABiSee will be seeking your input on how you like the equipment this month.
Activities Highlights for May
On the 1st at 11:00am join Barbara to learn how the ABiSee machine can help support your independence by magnifying or reading something for you
On the 10th we host the opening reception for our 6th Annual Children’s Art Show. Beautiful creations will be displayed throughout the hallways and public areas of the first floor through Mother’s Day weekend. The reception is a time to meet the young artists, ranging in age from infants to five years old, (from Our Redeemer Child Care Center in Foxboro) and their families. The reception will be held from 4:00 to 6:00pm.
On the 11th at 3:00pm the Activities Department will hold a Mother’s Day Tea in the living room.
Tuesdays in May at 1:30pm we will have Music Listening utilizing Pond Home’s extensive music collection. This is a temporary adjustment in our schedule as our volunteer Sing-a-long leader Barbara Stanton is unavailable until the end of June due to personal obligations. If you can carry a tune and are willing we would love to have someone step in and help lead the popular sing-a-long activity in her absence.
On the 15th a Girl Scout Troop will be joining us to help plant the seat height window boxes on the covered patio off the Supportive Nursing Care Section. Please join us to help or supervise, because the girls are looking forward to an opportunity to interact with the residents here. Becky’s daughter Katie is part of this troop of eight girls. Refreshments will be served.
On the 31st at 10:00am we will again be hosting baby Barn animals in the living room. Come down to enjoy snuggling with them.
Reminders
~The sun is shining bright these days – remember to protect your skin and eyes by using sun block on your skin and lips and wearing a hat and sunglasses when you head outdoors.
~Be sure to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and other decaffeinated beverages frequently. Remember we always have cold water available on the buffet in the dining room and now have it as you walk into the living room (thanks to a suggestion by staff member Marian Szymanski). If you need assistance ask a staff person to get some for you. We are happy to do it.
~Planning to go away? Whether it is for a meal, day, or week please let the Nursing staff know so that any medication you may need while you are out are sent with you. So everything is ready for you and there are no delays in your departure, overnights should be planned with at least 48 hours’ notice.
Medical Services Offered
One of the benefits of living at Pond Home is that we offer lots of medical services on site. Besides the 24-hour nursing care Pond Home’s Nursing staff provides we also offer on-site:
· Primary Care Physicians & Nurse Practitioners
· Lab Services
· X-Ray & other Diagnostic Services
· Podiatry (foot doctor)
· Dental Care
· Optometry (eye exams)
· Hearing Aid testing & fitting
· Physical Therapy
· Occupational Therapy
· Speech Therapy
· Counseling Services
· Hospice Services
These are provided for the convenience of you and your family members. If you and your primary care physician determine you need a medical service or specialist that does not currently come here let the Charge Nurse know so that we can research options for you.
Appointments & Transportation
If you wish to or need to have appointments outside of the extensive services we offer on-site PLEASE keep Pond Home staff informed! The Nursing Department needs to know if you are going for a medical appointment off site so that we can manage your medical records and follow up for you. Pond Home’s primary purpose is to provide nursing care and a supportive living environment. We offer transportation services as a convenience to our residents. If you wish to utilize Pond Home staff for transportation or to accompany you at the appointment please provide at least one weeks’ notice before the appointment so that we can schedule the staff. We are happy to provide transportation at no additional charge for appointments to specialists and medical services within a 15 mile range of Pond Home. If it is for services we do not offer at Pond Home there is no additional charge.
You are welcome to choose to utilize a service off site that we have a duplicate of on-site. If you wish to use Pond Home’s transportation services on an appointment for a service we already offer on site it is a chargeable service, which will be billed on your next invoice. At your request we can provide a Pond Home staff person to accompany you into your appointment as a chargeable service.