The Laurel Spirit - Laurel Health Care Company

The Laurel Spirit
V OLUM E 2 0 • S PR IN G 2015
A LAUREL HEALTH CARE COMPANY ASSOCIATE PUBLICATION
Celebrating Service at The Laurels
At Laurel Health Care, we are blessed to have many long-time Associates who have dedicated their
careers to providing excellent care for our Guests. Several of our facilities have recently honored Associates
who have provided decades of service to The Laurels. Thanks go out to all of our long-time Associates for
their years of service.
The Laurels of Defiance
The Laurels of Defiance recently honored their two most senior employees.
STNA Sandi Skiver and STNA Sue Smith were both recognized in a
ceremony at the facility and featured in the local newspaper.
Sandi Skiver has been an STNA at The Laurels of Defiance for 35 years.
She lives in nearby Continental with her husband, Stan. They have three
married children and eight grandchildren. Sandi says, “It is great to have a job
that I continue to enjoy, even after all of these years. The work is sometimes
challenging, but very rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” When
she’s not taking care of our Guests, Sandi enjoys camping, gardening, and
spending time with her family.
STNAs Sue Smith (left) and Sandi
Skiver (right) have each been with
The Laurels of Defiance for more
than 30 years.
Sue Smith has been an STNA at The Laurels of Defiance for 31 years. Sue
and Mike live in Defiance. Sue has two children, Ben and Katherine, and five grandchildren. She worked on the
floor taking care of Guests for 29 years. She currently works in Central Supply. Sue says, “This job is who I am.
It’s ALL about taking care of our Guests and making sure they are happy.” When she’s not working, Sue enjoys
gardening and rock hunting.
The Laurels of Fulton
The Laurels of Fulton held a celebration for Associates who have been
with The Laurels for 20 years or more. Honored Associates include:
• Tammy Corder, Dietary Manager
• Patty Aldrich, Laundry
• Sheila Smith, CENA
ers
ey
• Carolyn Butcher, Laundry
M
en
re
or Mau
Administrat ldrich and Sheila
• Bonnie Carman, Restorative Aide
A
e.
thanks Patty
es of servic
eir decad
Smith for th
The Laurels of Mt. Vernon
This spring, The Laurels of Mt. Vernon hosted a surprise party
celebrating Deb Amore’s 30 years of service. Laurel Associates from past
and present, corporate Staff, and vendors all gathered to honor Deb and
her 30 years of dedication to The Laurels of Mt. Vernon. Deb started at
the facility in February of 1985 as an STNA. She worked as an STNA for
3 years before she was promoted to the Director of Housekeeping and
Laundry in 1988. She has held that position since.
Deb Am
ore, Dire
cto
keeping
and Laun r of Housed
of Mt. V
ernon, c ry at The Laurels
elebrates
of servic
30 years
e.
A
W O R D F R O M O U R C U S T O M E R S
Words of Thanks
Often, Laurel Health Care Associates go above
and beyond the call of duty, reaching out in the
communities they serve and demonstrating The
Laurel Way of Caring. Here are a few of the letters
of appreciation we have received commending
these Associates for their extra efforts.
The Laurels of Toledo
I would like to personally thank you all for the great care
my mother Jeannine Marx received while at The Laurels. I
would like to thank Rita McBride, Justin Bates, Christina
(Occupational Therapy), Linda (STNA), Shorty (Nurse),
Shalonda (Nurse), and all the others I forgot. We greatly
appreciate the care that my mother received. I regret to
inform you all that she passed away on April 16th, 2015 at
UTMC. She is finally no longer in pain and she can now
walk again and move freely in Heaven with Our Lord and
Savior. I just felt that in the short time that my mother
was in the care of the staff at The Laurels you all became
family to us as well and I wanted to inform you of her
arrangements.
The Lau
rels of H
udsonville
I am writi
for the m ng to express my
ed
sin
parents a ical staff at The La cere appreciation
re reside
u
and grati
rels of Hu
nts of Th
tude
express m
dsonville
e Laurels
.
y heartfe
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oth of m
.
I
a
m
lt
y
the care
gratitude
w
the
and appre riting specifically
to
ciation to
and beyo y have given my
father. Yo
nd to tak
your staff
ur
ec
for
feel com
fortable in are of my father’ staff has gone ab
s needs a
ove
his last d
Vickery,
nd to ma
ays.
Port
ke him
beyond o ia Languendoc, a Nurses Andrea S
tack, Cin
n
utstandin
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g. The so d Penny Tuesink
and Alix,
cial work
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hav
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that I cou e been great as
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highest re ff at The Laurels these specific em u would
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Bryant S
. Domina
Thank you,
Rebecca Miller (daughter)
The Laurels of Blanchester
rrollton 2015. I
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athryn H
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We would like to thank the staff of The Laurels of
Blanchester for the care given to our family member during
his final days. The professionalism and caring not only to Bud
but to all of his family and friends was outstanding. This was
the second time that he had been to The Laurels, that was his
choice, he felt very comfortable there. We also would like to
mention a few staff members that went out of their way
during this time. Thank you to: nurses Jenny, Mallory and
Penny, also to STNA’s Cecelia, Jessica and Kaley; their care
and compassion will not be forgotten.
The family of Bud Mongold
Darle
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T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N
D E M O N S T R A T I N G T H E L A U R E L W A Y
That's the Spirit!
Music for the Mind at The Laurels of Mt. Pleasant
The Laurels of Mt. Pleasant has partnered with
Central Michigan University (CMU) for a “Music
for the Mind” project. CMU Professor Jennifer
Kitchen and her students, along with The Laurels
of Mt. Pleasant Recreation Department, have
been working together to help Guests reconnect
to the world with the help of music. The goal of
the project is not only to provide an enjoyable
experience for Guests, but also to reduce
potential agitation and anxiety and help Guests
become more engaged during the day.
Guests love the iPod
shuffles they received
as part of the “Music
for the Mind” program
at The Laurels of Mt.
Pleasant.
This project was inspired by the movie Alive
Inside. Jennifer showed this movie to her class
and they could not wait to get a similar project
started locally. Jennifer talked to the Central Michigan University
School of Music who loved the idea. To get the project started, the School of Music
donated 26 iPod shuffles and 50 sets of headphones. The Laurels of Mt. Pleasant
Recreation Department then developed a list of 26 Guests whom they felt would
benefit from having a personalized iPod. Each Guest’s age and favorite type or genre
of music was used to create a personalized playlist, with some of the Guests and
their families even naming specific songs that they enjoy. Jennifer and her students
developed iTunes accounts with the personalized playlists for each of the Guests.
On April 10th, Jennifer and her students came in to test out the iPods with the Guests. The result was amazing!
One Guest was happily dancing in the dining room and down the hall, while others were singing along with their
music, smiling and clapping. After the iPods were taken off, some of the Guests were more alert and talkative and
noticeably more relaxed. How amazing to see such dramatic results after just the first session! All involved in this
project are excited to see what the future holds for the Guests.
Creativity is Blooming at The
Laurels of Worthington
On April 8th, Guests at The Laurels of Worthington
enjoyed working on a horticulture project with local
florist Cinder. She makes a trip to The Laurels of
Worthington every other month to help Guests make
flower arrangements for their rooms. The Guests enjoy
seeing what they can accomplish when working with
the flowers, and the arrangements always brighten up
their rooms!
T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N 3
D E M O N S T R A T I N G T H E L A U R E L W A Y
That's the Spirit!
Hide and Seek at The Laurels of Shane Hill
The Laurels of Shane Hill started looking for their Elf on the Shelf (whose name
is Laurel, of course) in December. But the fun didn’t stop there! Guests enjoyed it
so much that Activities Director Kimberly Harter decided they had to do more. So
this February, Guests looked for “Oldenberg”, a special orange hat. In March, it
was Lucky the Bear, and in April, Hippie the Rabbit. Kimberly hides something different each month. At the beginning of the month, she takes the item around in
the lunchroom to show Guests what they will be looking for that particular month.
The rules are simple:
each Tuesday and
Thursday, Kimberly
hides the item. The
Guest who finds it
tells Kimberly, and
his or her name
Associate R
ita
goes into a drawat The Laure McNall clowns aroun
d
ls
ing for a meal with
brings laugh of Shane Hill. Rita
ter and smil
Guests ever
es to our
Kimberly. Guests
y day!
can find the items
more than once
and be in the drawing many
times. At the end of the month, they draw three winners.
The February winners were Jim, Henry and Ernie; March winners were Henry, Sandy and Joyce. Kimberly says, “It's fun to
Guests at The Laurels of Shane Hill have fun
remind them and watch them search the halls for our little
searching for a new mascot each month.
mascot of the month!”
March Madness Sweeps The Laurels
of West Carrollton and The Laurels of
Huber Heights
Guests at The Laurels of West Carrollton and The Laurels of Huber
Heights went head-to-head this spring with their March
Madness competition. Guests at each facility filled out brackets
for the 2015 NCAA Basketball Championships, with ice cream
on the line. Neither team picked Duke to come out on top,
but Guests at The Laurels of West Carrollton won the bracket
with their Kentucky/Oklahoma championship game prediction. Department Heads from The Laurels of Huber Heights will
soon assemble a 10-foot ice cream sundae for the Guests of The
Laurels of West Carrollton.
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T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N
D E M O N S T R A T I N G T H E L A U R E L W A Y
That's the Spirit!
The Laurels of Sandy Creek Hosts Senior Health & Exercise Program
The Laurels of Sandy Creek provided a free exercise program for
people 55+ during the winter months. Community members enjoyed coming to
the facility every Friday morning from 9:30-10:30 to exercise with Rehab Service
Director Keith
Hintz. Keith
leads the large
group exercise
class while
teaching health
awareness,
educating on
proper technique, and training on how to be
independent with a home exercise program.
Traveling the World From The Laurels of Hudsonville
One Guest at The Laurels of Hudsonville has an ambitious goal:
she plans to visit all 257 countries around the world. She wants to see,
learn and experience the
vast diversity of languages,
cultures, customs, architecture,
nature, and fashions around
the globe. And she’s going to
do it without leaving home.
The Laurels
Mission Statement
Colleen Cichon is traveling
the world with the help of
her tablet, a wireless Internet
connection and YouTube. She
Guest Colleen Chichon is visiting all 257
explores countries one by one
countries around the globe with a little
by watching videos. She can
help from technology.
explore as many live videos as
she desires. She has a list of
all the countries printed out and so far has visited about 80! As her virtual tour
continues, she is getting more excited, knowledgeable, and comfortable with the
technology. The last country she visited was a tour of Europe's Eastern Estonia.
Colleen's favorite spot to navigate her world tour is from The Laurels of
Hudsonville’s Coffee Shop, where she can share her computer screen with
others Guests and comment on the marvels and wonders of the world.
Colleen’s travels are truly inspiring and time well spent. She is building
memories and dreams, while leaving all the obstacles behind. She is excited for
the day when she can say, “Yes, I have visited the whole world!”
T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N Creating a Legacy
By
Exceeding the
Needs and Expectations
Of Those We Serve,
While Embracing
The Laurel Way
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A
C L O S E - U P
L O O K
A T
A C T I V I T I E S
Reflections
The Laurels of University Park
Guests at The Laurels of University Park celebrated their Irish side with St. Patrick’s
Day Glamour Shots! Guests loved dressing up with the festive props, and families
loved the beautiful results.
The Laurels of Blanchester
The Laurels of Blanchester
celebrated St. Patrick’s
Day with Lottery Drawings
throughout the day for
Associates. The STEPS
Committee provided the
tickets, and employees
purchased chances to draw
shamrocks from a bucket.
Associates drawing a three-leaf
clover won a lottery ticket,
while four-leaf clovers won
chocolate. The committee
raised $100 to put towards
future endeavors including a
free breakfast that was enjoyed
by all of the Staff.
The Laurels of GreenTree Ridge
The Laurels of GreenTree Ridge celebrated Earth Day by cleaning out a
wildflower bed and
raised beds in their
courtyard in preparation
for their spring garden.
Here, visiting pup
Beannie helps Director
of Marketing Melanie
Morton pull weeds.
The Laurels of DeKalb
Nearly 150 area children came to enjoy The Laurels
of DeKalb’s Easter Egg Hunt on Good Friday. This
year, they added a free breakfast to the event with
pancakes and sausage served an hour before the
egg hunt. There were four age groups participating
in the egg hunt with a prizewinner for each. Prizes
included age-appropriate scooters for ages 1-2, 3-4,
and 5-8, and a bicycle for ages 9-12.
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T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N
The Laurels of Sandy Creek
The Laurels of Sandy Creek partnered with the
National Honor Society from the local high
school to put together a dance for Guests.
The theme was Fun in the Sun. They had
hibiscus hair clips, beach bracelets, leis, and
other fun props. The students helped decorate
and did the Guests’ hair, makeup, and
manicures for the big event. There were light
refreshments and lots of dancing to live music.
The Laurels of
Athens
Guests at The
Laurels of
Athens enjoyed
horsing around
with a very
special visitor.
The Laurels of Hillsboro
GE Volunteer Services came out to plant
flowers in The Laurels of Hillsboro courtyard.
The facility was chosen because of its
outstanding reputation.
Maplewood of Mt. Pleasant
Guests from Maplewood of
Mt. Pleasant enjoyed a lovely
spring trip to the Butterfly
Exhibit at Dow Gardens.
Everyone had a great time.
Maplewood of Marshall
Maplewood of Marshall Guests know how to double down for
fun and “Get their Vegas on.” They don’t have to travel to the
casino; the casino comes
to them! Guests and friends
played blackjack and
poker for several hours for
chances to win numerous
prizes. The tables were full
and fun was flowing.
T H E L A U R E L W A Y O F C A R I N G C O M E S F R O M W I T H I N
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W H O ,
W H A T ,
W H E R E ,
W H E N A N D H O W
Spirit News
Celebrating Deficiency-Free Surveys
The Laurel Way
We are a team of
professionals dedicated to
promoting the highest level of
independence and quality of
life for our Guests by creating
a comfortable living
environment and providing
comprehensive
health care services.
To accomplish this, we have
a responsibility to:
Treat everyone with dignity
and respect
Conduct ourselves with the
highest level of integrity and
ethical behavior
Be uncompromising in our
standards of quality of care
and service
Attract, train and retain
knowledgeable, caring and
compassionate individuals
Challenge ourselves to grow
as people, as professionals
and as a company
Earn a fair and reasonable
profit for our stakeholders
We embrace these
responsibilities, with
commitment and enthusiasm, in
our pursuit of The Laurel Way.
Associates at The Laurels of DeKalb celebrate
their Deficiency-Free Survey.
Congratulations
to The Laurels of
DeKalb, The Laurels
of Salisbury, and
The Laurels of West
Carrollton, who all
received DeficiencyFree State Surveys.
Many thanks to all
of the hard-working
Associates who have
made this possible.
Clinical Appreciation at The Laurels of New London
The Laurels of New London recently hosted a clinical appreciation event
at Paper Moon Vineyard. Attendees sampled various Paper Moon Wines and
indulged in a wide variety of
hors d’oeuvres and desserts. The
Laurels of New London recognized
their Medical Director, Dr. Jeffrey
Harwood, along with Dr. Jennifer
Allsop, Dr. Stephanie Gibson, and
Dr. Shankar Kurra, Medical Director
of the hospitalists at Fisher Titus
Medical Center. Everyone received
a tour of the production room, in
which one of the winemakers discussed the winemaking process. The night was
full of socializing and capped with prize giveaways. Each attendee received a
bottle of Paper Moon Wine to take home in a Laurel Wine Bag.
A Grand Entrance for The Laurels of Coldwater
Guests and visitors entering The Laurels of Coldwater will be greeted with
a warm new welcome. The facility recently created a new entry vestibule with
inner and outer automatic doors,
replacing cumbersome steel doors
that were difficult for wheelchairbound Guests to navigate. They also
created a new lobby area by taking
out a wall and merging the entry
corridor with an existing lounge
area. “Response has been fantastic,” reports Construction Project
The new lobby at The Laurels
Manager Derrick Zajac. “The new
of Coldwater invites Guests and
space is more welcoming and
visitors to sit and stay a while.
social.”
If you have ideas for stories, features or photos for an issue of The Laurel Spirit, let us hear from you!
Please submit your ideas to your Administrator who will pass them on to the editor. Thank you!
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