Happy New Year at Maristhill!

The holiday season was bright here at Maristhill, with many celebrations of family and friends taking place in our updated facility.

The New Year is off to a grand start as well, with another activity-rich month. Among the favorites will be Gary Landgren, better-known as the Honky-Tonk Piano Man!

"The Honky Tonk Piano Man" is a nickname that has followed me around for over 20 years to all the places I have entertained," Landgren says.  

"It's a style that includes ragtime, swing and early jazz elements all rolled into a very informal, yet lively presentation. Usually one hour. I also inter-act with the people, a touch of humor, some history etc etc. For the most part, audiences tap their toes, clap and sing-along."

Staff Recognition

In this month's newsletter Administrator Carolyn Fenn shared a special thanks to Bill Driscoll, our Activities Director, whose energy and enthusiasm in planning and executing Maristhill Marketplace were exceptional. This major fundraiser each year is astonishing to all of us! 

Also, please welcome Lynne Koot, RN, our new Assistant Director of Nursing/Staff Development. 

Lynne will be working closely with Luanne Deagle, our Director of Nursing, and has already jumped in with both feet to assist with flu shots, staff training, and all our ongoing projects! 

Maristhill Marketplace Resumes in 2016 - Save the Dates!

Maristhill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is happy to announce that our 8th Annual "Maristhill Marketplace" has been scheduled for Friday, September 23 rd from 1:00-6:00pm, and on Saturday, September 24 th from 9:00am-12:00pm.

As in previous years, the Marketplace fundraiser will take place in early Fall, with the raffle drawing set to begin on Saturday the 24th.

A wide-range of collectibles will be offered at the sale, as well as jewelry, small furniture, holiday items, kitchenware, and hand-knitted Afghans.

Prizes!
This year's raffle will have a 1st prize of $1000 and a 2nd prize of $500 along with 25 additional prizes ranging in value from $25 - $250!

Read the press release...

The Moving Wall Comes to Waltham August

The Moving Wall is the half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for thirty plus years. 

When John Devitt attended the 1982 dedication in Washington, he felt the positive power of The Wall. He vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington. John, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. 

Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site. It will be in Waltham August 10th through the 16th. 

Book Signing at Maristhill - Join Us!

In one of last year's posts we announced that Noah Beit-Aharon, Assistant Director of Activities at Maristhill, is also a talented author of fantasy novels!

In fact, Noah has secured a two-book contract under his pen name N.S. Dolkart, and a book-signing event has been scheduled to take place at Maristhill on Wednesday July 6th.

You are welcome to join us from 3pm - 5pm in Maristhill's newly-renovated lobby for a presentation and reading from Noah's second book, "Silent Hall," and, of course, for some socializing and fun!

Curious about the book?

Here's a brief summary:

After their homeland is struck with a deadly plague, five refugees cross the continent searching for answers. Instead they find Psander, a wizard whose fortress is invisible to the gods, and who is willing to sacrifice anything – and anyone – to keep the knowledge of the wizards safe.

With Psander as their patron, the refugees cross the mountains, brave the territory of their sworn enemies, confront a hostile ocean and even traverse the world of the fairies in search of magic powerful enough to save themselves – and Psander’s library – from the wrath of the gods.

All they need to do is to rescue an imprisoned dragon and unleash a primordial monster upon the world. How hard could it be?

A Wonderful Resident Milestone Celebration at Maristhill

It seems like there's always something happening at Maristhill as our engaged elder community regularly enjoys a wide range of activities, performances and presentations. 

In the picture to your right, resident Pauline Manning, who recently celebrated her 100^th birthday, enjoys the resident luncheon with her niece Dawn Marie.

Congratulations Pauline! 

Grand Opening of Renovated Space at Maristhill Coming Soon!

It is a time of excitement and change here at Maristhill, as we prepare for the grand opening of our renovated lobby and sunroom.

In the next week, we will be re-opening the main parking lot and moving our receptionist back to the front of the building.

New furniture has also been ordered, and I am working on landscaping the front area to be a welcoming and colorful space.

Stay-tuned for another update soon! 

Valentine's Day at Maristhill

Valentine's Day is a popular holiday at Maristhill, and our residents enjoy various activities and events such as our Valentine's Day Social.

We have also enjoyed an ongoing intergenerational program with local students from St. Jude's school, who visit our facility and work with residents on holiday-themed arts and crafts projects.

National data shows that these programs are beneficial for both the young and the old, offering viable ways to keep children and seniors learning, growing, eating well, and staying active.

These programs are also a favorite within our engaged community here at Maristhill.

Recipe for a Happy New Year & Thank You!

We are at the dawn of a New Year, and I am taking the opportunity to share a "Recipe for a Happy New Year" to get us off to a good start.

But first, I want to thank all of you for your generous response to our Annual Appeal, especially at a time when so many other causes call us to action. The monies raised will help us proceed with our renovations and culture change initiatives, all meant to improve the lives of those we serve.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with you, get to know you, to share memories and forge new experiences over the past year. I look forward to many good things in 2016, including and especially the opening of our renovated lobby and new third floor lounge and terrace!

Recipe for a Happy New Year, Anonymous, from Appleseed.com:

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past –have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing – don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

Happy New Year,

Carolyn Fenn, Administrator

Maristhill Renovation Update

Our renovations have been going well, and we're all anxiously awaiting the upgrades and new space!

Construction is moving along, slowly but surely. We are in the process of installing the supports that will carry the additional weight of the third floor addition and embedding those supports in the current walls.

Thanks to all for your patience and the extra exercise of parking and stairs!

Maristhill Receives Second Consecutive Deficiency-Free State Survey

We are proud to announce that, for the second consecutive year, Maristhill was found to be deficiency-free in a survey performed by  the Commonwealth of  Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

The deficiency-free findings were based on the results of an on-site facility-wide survey, which indicated Maristhill was found to be in compliance with the requirements Long Term Care Facilities and with all applicable requirements for certification in the Medicare and/or Medicaid Programs. As in the past, surveyors interviewed residents, families, and staff, reviewed numerous medical records, observed medication and treatment administration, and toured the facility.

Read the full story...

Summertime on the Patio at Maristhill

Residents Ellen O’Neill and Lucila Cohen relax on the patio during an outdoor ice cream social at Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

The patio is an ideal place for residents and their guests to enjoy the sunshine and warm summer weather. 

It seems like there's always something happening at Maristhill. In addition to our ice cream socials, cookouts, birthday celebrations, and gardening activities are also conducted on the patio. Movies, concerts, sporting events, bingo, family birthday celebrations and parties are among the many social and educational activities that Maristhill's active community of patients and residents regularly enjoy.

July 4th Celebration at Maristhill

Maristhill's engaged community will enjoy a patio cookout this weekend, as our residents, their families, and members of our staff join together to celebrate the holiday.

Our patio is an ideal spot for enjoying the glorious summer weather, and for enjoying the company of family and friends. In addition, medical studies have consistently indicated that seniors who maintain more active social lives are happier and healthier...

Which is part of our mission here at Maristhill.

Camerata Vocal Group Performs at Maristhill

Maintaining high-levels of engagement and well-being among our residents and patients is important to all of us at Maristhill.

Among the any activities and events we were thrilled to welcome the Camerata Vocal Group, who performed here on May 16^th.

Camerata is regarded as one of world’s best a Capella groups. They represent the best of the great Russian choir tradition. Their experiments with new forms and sounds make them totally different from other groups, and has brought Camerata admiration of audiences all over the world and at festivals of all music traditions.

“Their compositions are very special,” said one attendee. “Heavenly and human!”

An Engaged Community at Maristhill

In addition to celebrating "National Nursing Home Week," Maristhill's engaged community is enjoying another busy month, enriched by music, art and social interaction all geared to promote the well-being of our residents and patients.

May activities include:

• Exercise Classes
• Stations of the Cross
• Bingo w/St. Jude's Students
• Monthly Luncheon
• Mothers Day w/Tony Funches
• Ice Cream Social
• Camerata Vocal Group
• Geography Lessons

An Intergenerational Earth Day at Maristhill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Children and elders collaborated to make Earth Day and Boston Marathon posters at Maristhill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center during an intergenerational program with St. Jude School.

 

Research has consistently shown that intergenerational activities are important to both the development of children and the quality of life of the elders.

 

Children bring noise—laughter, screams and giggles—and their physical presence completely changes the atmosphere, injecting enthusiasm, energy and youthful excitement. At the same time, residents are teaching the children about respect, understanding and celebrating other cultures.

Maristhill's Monthly Luncheon is a Resident Favorite!

Residents at Maristhill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center truly enjoy our Activity Department’s monthly luncheons. 

The luncheons, which are sponsored by Maristhill’s Resident Council Fund, give residents an opportunity to socialize, which research has shown helps promote both good physical and emotional health as well as cognitive function in elders. 

In addition, these luncheon's are a great opportunity for members of our community to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal – without the drive! 

A Busy St. Patrick's Day at Maristhill

While the Maristhill community is consistently engaged in a wide range of activities,  holiday celebrations are a favorite.

St. Patrick's Day is a good example. In addition to enjoying a round of March 17th trivia, a number of our residents also participated in St. Patrick's Day-related crafts. Then the day was capped off with an energizing and uplifting musical performance by Down East Revival.

It seems there is always something happening at Maristhill!

Games Can Be Good Exercise and Good Fun

Numerous sources in the medical community have said that elderly games are excellent ways to exercise the “mental muscles," and to have fun at the same time.

This has certainly been our experience here at Maristhill.

Consider that we use different different skills to perform different physical tasks, and our brains "exercise" in similar fashion when we play different games, such as card games, board games, word games and, more recently, computer games. The special value of certain video games is that they can stimulate or "exercise" components of both mental and physical muscle groups. In fact, one study indicated that certain computer games can improve mental agility and even slow the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Either way, games have a definite place in our ongoing effort to engage our community and continually improve their well being.

Happy Valentines Day at Maristhill

Holidays can boost our spirits and it was another happy Valentines Day here at Maristhill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

In addition to various activities, which included a very popular afternoon of lollipop making, the residents enjoyed a festive Valentine's Day party, complete with refreshments and a rousing performance by singer Tony Funches, former lead singer for Herb Reed's Platters.

It seems there's always something happening here at Maristhill!