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T IMES
Volume 5  Issue 2
April  May  June 2015
Coming Home
The Sweet Smell of Spring
Outings Made Easy
The Importance of Staying Social
Making Ebelskivers
Romy G (right) with granddaughter Alaia
CELEBRATING THE SPECIAL BONDS BETWEEN
FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE MAPLEWOOD
SARAH HODGES, Maplewood Activities Assistant
It’s not very often that visitors want to come to a
nursing home. It’s nearly unheard of that these visitors
want to keep coming to a nursing home after their
loved one has passed away. At The Maplewood
though, that’s exactly what happens. Volunteer
Coordinator Stacey Snyder has a large-and-growing
roster of former family members. While the Recreation
Department is thrilled with this trend, we realize it’s
not the norm for every facility. So what keeps people
coming back to The Maplewood? The answer, it
seems, is all about family.
Extended Family
Gail V, whose mother Rita lived at The Maplewood
and passed away about 18 months ago, told me “this is
my extended family,” adding that it was easy to bond
with other residents and their family members while
her mom was here. Romy G, who visited her cousin for
almost three years here, agreed, saying “we all became
close, like family.” This is not a surprise to Administrator
Greg Chambery, who is the third generation in the
family business of overseeing The Maplewood. He
explains, “There is a certain kinship that develops when
people experience certain things together… it nurtures
relationships that can rarely be found in other situations.”
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Ongoing Support
One of the things that members of our Maplewood
family often face together is the passing of a loved one.
Volunteers who have family members who used to live
here often report that being in the building actually
helps them with their grieving process. “This helped me
through my mourning period,” said Gail, who along with
her husband Jim runs the Book Club for the residents.
“My support system was already there.” Romy stated.
“It [volunteering] fills the void that losing George left.”
With emotion, she added that when she returned to
the building two weeks after her cousin’s death “the
emptiness went away. I felt whole again.” Maria S, whose
husband passed away less than a year ago, said she tried
a bereavement group after her husband died, but found
it just wasn’t for
her. “I came here
every day for 15
months. It just
seemed natural
to keep coming.”
She explained.
“It’s not like going
to a strange place. Sarah Hodges, Maria S and their Spanish students
Everybody seemed happy to see me when I came
in.” Maria, who helps teach a Spanish class for the
residents once a month, still receives big hugs and
smiles every time she enters the building. Gail has
the same experience. “This is a warm, safe, and
supportive place. That never stops, even after your
loved one passes away.” She says with conviction.
Youthful Energy
For Romy, volunteering is a family affair. Her
granddaughter Alaia, who used to come to
Maplewood with her grandmother, now volunteers
at The Maplewood as well. At age 12, Alaia became
“fascinated by how everything worked” at a nursing
home and quickly realized that she enjoyed chatting
with the residents. As she became more familiar with
the Recreation Department and saw what she could
do, she was hooked. “I am able to make them [the
residents] happy and smile. It makes me feel good.”
She calls her volunteer work a chance to meet some
“really amazing people” and expresses the pride she
has in her generation when she sees other young
volunteers come in and work as well. There is plenty
of pride right in her own backyard, as Romy beams
when she talks about her granddaughter, who she calls
“my rock.” “Doing this together gives us a special
bond.” She explains, turning to smile at Alaia, who
smiles back.
A Perfect Fit
For Maplewood’s staff, the feeling of a homecoming is
mutual. “We become attached not only to the resident
but the family… when a family member comes back
to visit or volunteer, it is a homecoming of sorts. It is
an affirmation that we did a good job and that the
person feels comfortable in our building no matter
what their formal affiliation is or has become.”
Explains Greg Chambery.
While the volunteers I interviewed agreed that this path
is not for everyone, they highly recommend it for those
who feel it could work for them. And for Volunteer
Coordinator Stacey Snyder, family-member volunteers
are a special find. “They are the perfect volunteer.
They already know the building, residents’ needs, and
can anticipate issues in a way that a newer volunteer
with no previous exposure to the building can’t.”
T IMES
www.VisitMaplewood.com
IN THIS ISSUE
1
Coming Home
3
When a House Becomes a Home
The Sweet Smell of Spring
4
Outings Made Easy
Springtime Happenings
5
Cleveland Rocks – So Do We!
The Importance of Staying Social
6
Welcome Chef Bob
Making Ebelskivers
back cover
Employee Milestones
(Continued on back cover)
2
WHEN A HOUSE BECOMES A HOME
Getting to know Housekeepers Shobha Kapadia and Carmen Perez
Care comes in many forms
at The Maplewood. In
chatting with Housekeepers
Shobha Kapadia and
Carmen Perez, it’s easy to
see where their family-first
orientation makes them
excellent providers of care. In their case it’s helping
make The Maplewood a true home for our residents.
For both Shobha and Carmen, it’s those moments of
personal connection that help make a loving home at
The Maplewood. Indeed, it’s those cherished family
times that turn their own houses into homes. As Carmen
reveals, “It’s my family. My kids. I always say ‘my home
is my kids.’” Carmen opens up more about life with
her three children, sharing, “We laugh together, we cry
together. That’s my home… the most important thing in
my life.”
Walking down the hallways of The Maplewood, it’s
common to hear Shobha singing to herself as she cleans
and provides linen service. Songs from her native India,
from where she moved some 17 years ago, inspire these
soothing sounds. “It makes me feel good,” Shobha
smiles. “I feel like I’m not working.”
Shobha too is open about how extended family
influences her life and provides a sense of home. “We
like to stay together… my kids, my whole family.” Talking
about the joys of living as an extended family, Shobha
shares, “Everyone is happy, it’s a loving family. We live
together and love each other. I’m happy with that.”
As Carmen goes about her day, it’s not unusual to see
her take the hands of a resident and perform a dance.
Carmen shares, “I like being able to spend time with our
residents, and when I can make them laugh.”
It’s not surprising that some of Shobha and Carmen’s
favorite moments during their workday come from those
special times of connecting with our residents.
THE
SMELL OF SPRING
After a long, cold winter we will
welcome a breath of fresh, warm,
spring air. After being cooped
up indoors with dry, stale air
it will be very therapeutic to
breathe in clean, sweet-smelling
air to cleanse our lungs.
When the flowers start to bud and the birds fly back
north you know it’s time to celebrate. The days become
longer on our journey through springtime, which is so
beneficial for those of us that live with seasonal affective
disorder. Our moods brighten as the sun shines on our
faces, and it’s so refreshing to smell the sweet lilacs and
to feel the light breeze. After missing our feathered
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ANN SHANDERS
CPT, Therapy & Wellness Manager
friends for so long, hearing the birds chirp again in
spring can actually come as a surprise, and a pleasant
one at that – our ears become accustomed to not
hearing their sweet songs in the wintertime.
Maplewood’s nature trails are a wonderful way to spend
time with loved ones while benefiting from taking in
the fresh air and observing Mother Nature at work all
around us. Listening to the fountain also provides a Zenlike feeling that has an additional calming and centering
effect. This is the perfect state of mind to enter when
enjoying an outdoor conversation with your loved one.
We welcome spring with open arms! Enjoy this
wonderful time of year with those you love.
springtime
Happenings
OUTINGS MADE EASY
with Transportation Services from Maplewood Home Care
LYNN PIERCE, Director of Social Services
It’s been less than a year since Maplewood Home Care began
providing individualized, resident-focused transportation to
Maplewood Nursing Home residents (see The Maplewood
Times, Autumn, 2014 issue), and the service continues to be
a growing success! We have many residents and their families
utilizing this customized service to meet their transportation
needs. Whether a trip to the doctor and lunch afterwards or
a visit to a favorite place in the community, the service has
been extremely well received and complimented.
As we find ourselves in the spring season, the opportunity to
be in the community is upon us. Here are a few suggested
ways you and your loved one can take advantage of
Maplewood transportation services this season.
• Errands, appointments or visiting friends and family
• Outings to your favorite establishments
• Events, festivals, park, and other outdoor activities
Included in transportation fees are the services of a
companion care worker, provided by Maplewood Home
Care, to not only drive but to accompany your loved one for
the duration of your outing. This unique feature brings an
added level of convenience and peace of mind.
Please let us know your ideas. We’re happy to assist you with
your transportation service request.
MICHAEL FALL
Director of Dining Services
The long winter is behind us and we’re
looking forward to the opening of the
Maple Bay Café, Easter Sunday, Mother’s
Day and Memorial Day. A few other things
are happening behind the scenes, like the
updating of our menus. These updates
will include suggestions that our residents
and their families brought to us during our
January 31 cooking show with Chef Bob.
We’re also planning a wider selection of
desserts, which will be displayed in a new
restaurant-style dessert case that’s coming
to Happenings.
The Easter Sunday menu will consist of
carved Virginia ham, roast leg of lamb and
other traditional spring dishes for just $18.
Reservations are strongly suggested, and
are easily made by calling extension #4035.
Details are being finalized for our Mother’s
Day Brunch in May. Feel free to ask any
member of Dining Services for
more information.
We’re also planning this year’s “Tastes of
Summer” series. You may recall last summer,
when we started with chef-inspired dishes
on a June afternoon. Then in July we hosted
a local beer & wine tasting. The summer
send off was a New England-style clambake,
which had an absolutely wonderful turnout.
These events were a way of re-energizing our
summer dining get-togethers. The feedback
we received all suggests the events were a
great success. We’re in the planning stages
now for the upcoming summer, so if you
have an idea for an event let me or a Dining
Services staff member know and we’ll see
what we can do.
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CLEVELAND ROCKS – WE DO TOO!
CARING AT HOME: A QUARTERLY RESOURCE
FROM MAPLEWOOD HOME CARE
Maplewood’s Imaginary
Music Hall of Fame!
GARY SACCO, Recreation Director
Still trapped in winter’s teeth as of this
writing, my mind wanders... We’ve all heard
of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, located in
Cleveland, Ohio. Our community is richly
blessed with so many great performers – if
we created our own Maplewood Music Hall
of Fame, who would comprise the first class?
Head over to our website to find out!
The Importance of Staying Social
TAMMY NICHOLS, CEO, Director of Patient Services
Stay social! Stay active! Stay connected!
Staying socially active and connected as one ages is easier
said than done. But putting forth the extra effort is worth it.
Staying social can help prevent depression, isolation, memory
loss and even obesity.
Studies also show that people who continue to maintain close
friendships and find other ways to interact socially live longer
than those who become isolated. Relationships and social
interactions even help protect against illness by boosting the
immune system.
Friends, family – especially grandchildren – community center
members, and church peers are just a few examples of people
who will always be happy to connect with your loved one.
Or, maybe try something new with your loved one like
connecting with old friends on Facebook or joining a book
club at your library or local bookstore. Put something new on
your calendar and stick to it. Give yourself that extra push,
and it’s almost guaranteed you will be glad you did it.
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to staying social.
Why not make a connection today?
Source: URMC Health Encyclopedia
Medical Reviewers: Freeborn, Donna, PhD, CNM, FNP (NewMentor board-certified,
academically affiliated clinician)
READ THE FULL ARTICLE
www.VisitMaplewood.com/MusicHOF2015
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chef bob, our new executive chef
It’s been a pleasure to see
Executive Chef Robert F.
Grant, Jr. settle right in at The
Maplewood. “Chef Bob,” as
he is affectionately known
among the Maplewood
community, joined us in
November of 2014. Chef Bob
is a 1994 graduate of the
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, where
he was a member of the Epicures of Wine. He has
since furthered his education through the Institute’s
Mediterranean and Asian Cuisine courses. Bob is also
a holder of several awards.
Before Bob went to culinary school, he was set on
pursuing a teaching career. “I’ve always liked sharing
everything I know,” Bob illuminates: “When my staff
comes in to work I want them smiling, comfortable,
happy and wondering ‘what’s going to be new today,
and what are we going to learn this week?’”
Bob grew up on his family’s farm in York, Livingston
County, where he was always hands-on in food
preparation. Rich earth foods are among Bob’s favorites,
as he shares, “I love having my hands on the food. I’m
inspired by traditional cooking styles, but enjoy tying
them into modern features. Like adding ingredients
together in unique ways – it elicits surprise, it’s fun and
it’s exciting.”
(Continued on back cover)
FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS: MAKE EBELSKIVERS AT HOME
On January 31, we held a cooking demonstration in Danny’s Coffee Bar,
enjoyed by many Maplewood residents and loved ones. We showed the
audience how to make Ebelskivers, which are delicious filled pancakes of
Scandinavian origin, and lots of fun to make.
You will need an Ebelskiver pan
to make this recipe.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted,
plus more for cooking
• Apple butter, Nutella,
preserves as necessary
•Syrup or whipped cream
for serving
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a small
bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and the 4 tbsp.
of melted butter. Whisk the yolk mixture into the flour mixture until well
combined; the batter will be lumpy.
In another bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,
beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff (but before dry peaks form) for
2-3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the whites into the batter in
two additions.
Put 1/4 tsp. butter in each well of the Ebelskiver pan. Set over medium heat
and heat until the butter begins to bubble. Pour 1 tbsp. batter into each well.
Put 1 tsp. of the filling of your choice in the center of each pancake and top
with 1 tbsp. batter. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy,
3-5 minutes. Using 2 wooden skewers flip the pancakes over and cook
until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat
with the remaining batter and filling. Dust with powdered sugar and serve
immediately with syrup or whipped cream. Makes about 40 Ebelskivers.
6
100 Daniel Drive • Webster, NY 14580
www.VisitMaplewood.com
COMING HOME
EMPLOYEE MILESTONES
(Continued from page 1)
Their talents extend beyond the technical as well.
“They have empathy for families who are currently
experiencing what they have been through.”
And our volunteers have nothing but good to say
about the highly successful volunteer program that
Stacey has put into place over the past year. “The
volunteer structure lets you go at your own pace.”
Explains Maria. Stacey’s volunteer structure easily
accommodates vacations, family emergencies, and
those who want to volunteer any number of hours.
Knowing this option of “flexible” volunteering is
available to them is often a big draw for family
members looking for a way to give back to the
Maplewood community. Volunteering here is a way
for former family members to keep in touch with
friends and bring assistance to a group of people
who need it.
Always at Home
For those involved with The Maplewood, the unique
feeling of family that our nursing home provides doesn’t
end when a life does. Family members do not have to
lose that “second family” they have developed. Our
family is always here—and it gives some very special
people a way to make a difference in the lives of others.
Interested in becoming a volunteer?
Go to VisitMaplewood.com/Volunteering or contact
Stacey Snyder at SSnyder@VisitMaplewood.com
Congratulations to:
Rebecca Harrell CNA, 10 years
Thank you Rebecca for your years of dedicated service!
chef bob
(Continued from page 6)
Outside The Maplewood, one of Chef Bob’s favorite
things to share is family time.
In 2000, Bob and wife Katherine moved into his boyhood
home in York, Livingston County. His extended family all
live on the same farmland.
“We’re still close,” Bob shares. “I think that’s what makes
being there the best part.”
It’s ultimately Chef Bob’s positive outlook that connects
him with his team and with those he serves. As Bob
recalls from his days of owning his own restaurant in
early 2000: “My favorite quote from one of my
restaurant customers is ‘you’re here for a good time, not
for a long time.’ That means a lot to me. It’s important to
stay positive.”
Something’s always happening at The Maplewood.
See all our activities on our monthly event calendar available at
VisitMaplewood.com, or at the business office.