The Laurel SpiritA L A U R E L H E A L T H C A R E C O M P A N Y A S S O C I A T E P U B L I C A T I O N

VOLUME 26 • AUTUMN 2016

With the advent of the many changes in Medicare for the upcoming year, Jane Bailey, Director of Clinical Reimbursement Programs, and Carol Hofbauer, Vice President of Rehab Services, “hit the road” to provide education to our facilities. Facility attendees included the Administrator, Director of Nursing, Rehab Services Director, and MDS Coordinator from each Laurel facility. The regional team for each region also attended these training sessions.

To add a little fun to the training, each session had a competition to earn stars by answering questions. The groups were broken up into teams of two to four people. If a question was answered incorrectly, another team could “steal” and earn extra stars. The true spirit of competition was evident and lots of learning took place!

Pictured are the winners at each of the five regional Medicare Road Shows. Congratulations to all of our winners!

Scenes From the Medicare Road Show

North Carolina: Carol Hofbauer, Victoria Hope, Nancy Wallace, Mary Beth Coulman, Cathy Blythe, Jane Bailey

Ohio: Carol Hofbauer, Lori Byrom, John Noland, Jane Bailey, Mandi Hill

Ohio: Deborah Shempp, Eric Fields, Jane

Bailey, Carol Hofbauer

Michigan: Don Macleay, Jane Bailey, Tiffany Amaro, Annette Hatfield, Carol Hofbauer

Virginia: Carol Hofbauer, Mariah Farmer, Tara Davis, Allison Garcia, Jane Bailey

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Words of ThanksA W O R D F R O M O U R C U S T O M E R S

Maplewood of Mt. Pleasant I want to tell you what a good experience we had

last week involving your Nurse, Jenny. My husband and I took my mom to her doctor's appointment and to lunch on Wednesday. Jenny wrote a note for me that Mom was coughing a lot and asked that we talk to the doctor about it. The doctor recommended OTC allergy medications. At lunch, Mom started choking and coughing. We disrupted our lunch and got her into the car, where she continued to cough. On the way back to Maplewood I called and told Jenny what was happening and asked Jenny if she could meet us in Mom's room. Jenny met us at the car and immediately helped me get Mom to her room, as Mom continued to cough and choke. Jenny ordered hot tea and got Mom into her chair where she continued to cough excessively. Jenny stayed with us, instructing Mom to take sips of tea as she thought she could swallow it. Gradually Mom started to cough less. The incident ended after 45 long minutes. I am very thankful for the help Jenny gave my mom and me at that time. Jenny was beyond wonderful, acting with professionalism and grace. You're very fortunate to have her on your staff.

Nancy Dumon

The Laurels of DeKalbExcerpted from testimonial submitted by Emily

Nelson of the Laurels of DeKalb:Lucile came to The Laurels of DeKalb for a short

stay following hospitalization; she was here for

only 14 days before returning to her apartment at

Wesley Park. She enjoyed her stay with The Laurels

and was able to continue working with the same

therapists, on an outpatient basis, in the comfort

of her own apartment. Lucile had balance issues

and our Physical Therapist was able to perform

Vestibular Training with Lucile during her visits.

Her balance has improved and she is safer and has

gained confidence in doing all the activities of daily

living, allowing her to remain in her apartment

independently.

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.

Maplewood of Marshall

There are no words for the peace

and love we feel for all the genuine

love and care our mom, Jane, received

from everyone at Maplewood. We will be forever grateful for

the home you gave her at Maplewood.

The Family of Jane Morell

The Laurels of New LondonExcerpted from a recent newspaper article: “I’ve had a lot of heath problems since 1998

and have visited a lot of different nursing homes. There was one nursing home that I really fell in love with. It was just an awesome place…It’s an hour away from my house, which is just perfect. Just the way the staff treats the patients. My friend came in and said ‘that’s not like a nursing home.’ It starts at the top. If you’re a good leader, and you lead by example, you accomplish a lot more than if you are running around telling people what to do.”

Antonio Samaniego (See related story on page 8)

Words of Thanks

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That's the Spirit!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!A Calling to Care at Maplewood of Marshall

One of the most important characteristics of someone in the human services field is caring. That characteristic is definitely at the core of Dietary Manager Shirley Cable. While Shirley has only had the opportunity to demonstrate this caring heart at Maplewood Assisted Living of Marshall for the past 16 years, her spirit of caring goes back much further, and has served both the young and the old.

Shirley began her “caring” career as a daycare provider for 18 years. Her goal was primarily to help others and provide playmates for her two sons. She says, “I loved it!” However, she was forced to care for a different person at that point—herself—when she was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, she has been cancer-free for 19 years now.

After dealing with her personal bout with cancer, her mother-in-law began to struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and Shirley’s ‘caring’ focus shifted to her mother-in-law. “It was the toughest thing I ever went through, watching a loving, vibrant, caring person go to someone who needed to be taken care of, down to bathing, eating, and everything.” Shirley reports that she tended to the needs of her home, got dinner cleaned up every night and would spend the remainder of the evening at the nursing home caring for her mother-in-law. While she experienced a very tough time through this struggle and the eventual passing of her mother-in-law, Shirley realized “this is what I want to do—it is definitely my calling.” When she saw an ad for a Patient Service Aid (PSA) for Maplewood, she applied. She says, “It was the first job I had ever applied for (since high school), and I got it!” She started as a PSA and in a short time, the (now former) Community Manager, Jane Johnson, asked if she would help with Activities. Shirley split her time working as a PSA, Activities Director, and even driving the bus for transportation for approximately eight years. Then, she was asked to take the position of Dietary Manager. She eventually gave up the other responsibilities and has served as the Dietary Manager for the last eight years.

Shirley continues to demonstrate a compassionate, caring heart toward the Guests at Maplewood of Marshall through interactions and conversations with them, maintaining a sensitivity to their specific dietary requests and recognizing many special occasions for them. In addition, Shirley cares for her staff through mentoring and training them in this caring style—a special touch for many at Maplewood. We are very thankful that she realized her “calling to care” that motivated her to apply for her first job ever!

Hillsboro Guest Has One Last Wish Come True National Cooperative Bank (NCB) and the Senior Housing Crime

Prevention Foundation awarded a special Guest at The Laurels of Hillsboro with $250.00 to make a wish come true. Bobby Collins, a Guest in the Hospice Program, was chosen as the recipient to spend the day as he wished. He chose to spend it on the lake with his family. While he sadly passed away shortly after this photo was taken, the award allowed him to make one last wish come true and spend some special time with those he loved.

Mr. Collins’ wish has turned into a gift that keeps on giving. The photo shown here was entered into a contest sponsored by the Ohio Health Care Association, where it won Third Place and a $100 award that will be used for programs for Guests at The Laurels of Hillsboro. After his funeral, Mr. Collins’ family donated the $250 back to the facility so another Guest can make a wish come true.

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That's the Spirit!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!Honoring Our Veterans We are honored to have many veterans among our Guests and Associates. Each year, many of our facilities go out of their way to recognize those who have served. Thank you to all those pictured here and to the many other veter-ans in the Laurel Health Care family!

The Laurels of University Park The Laurels of University Park celebrated Associates and Guests who have served. The honored veterans included Social Services Director Nichelle Daniel (U.S. Army), ADON Wanda Winfield (U.S. Army), Guest Ronald Kimler, and Guest Joe Kulivan (U.S. Navy Air).

The Laurels of Norworth At The Laurels of Norworth, all veterans were honored by name and branch and given American flags with a flag for their branch as well. Guests also named their family members who served. They ended by singing “God Bless America” and enjoyed a dessert social. Front Row: Frances Romeo, Joe Betts, Sally Wendt. Back Row: Karl Webster, Richard Burkhardt, Randall Mays, Bill Brown, Charles Cordle.

The Laurels of Forest Glenn The Laurels of Forest Glenn is honored to have twenty-one veterans among their Guests, along with two Associates. An Associate sang the National Anthem before lunch. All of the veterans were individually recognized and given a chance to tell about their duties in the military. They were also gifted with Veterans Day pins to wear on their shirts. Many Associates came by to show their appreciation. Honorees included Guests Ernest Parker, David Evans, George Alderman, Martin Sansalone, Randall Johnson, and Garland Stretch, along with Director of Environmental Services Gerald Parker (Marines) and Housekeeper Robert Merritt (Army).

Nichelle Daniel (U.S. Army)

Wanda Winfield (U.S. Army)

Veterans from left to right: Garland Stretch, William Anderson, Ernest Parker, Randall Johnson, and Lawrence Jeffries.

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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!That's the Spirit!A Happy Halloween Was Had By All!

The Laurels of Hillsboro Associates at The Laurels of Hillsboro had tons of fun dressing up and handing out candy to the Kindergartners from Hillsboro Elemen-tary. The Therapy Team picked “Cowboys and Indians” as their Halloween theme.

The Laurels of Sandy Creek The management team at The Laurels of Sandy Creek went out to spread some Halloween cheer to 50 local businesses in Wayland. They organized a Halloween Blitz in an

effort to reach out to local businesses and simply say hello. Director of Marketing

Shannon Schram says, “Everyone thought the gesture was so nice and we enjoyed working together as a team!”

The Laurels of GreenTree Ridge The Laurels of GreenTree Ridge really gets into the spirit on Halloween! Their annual Haunted Trail and Carnival is one of the biggest events of the year. Pictured: Director of Marketing Ashley Lyle puts on her best black cat scowl, and the whole Haunted House Crew gets ready for the fun.

The Laurels of Defiance The Laurels of Defiance was voted “Safest Place to Trick-or-Treat in Defiance”—

and more than 400 children visited the facility! Guests and Associates had a great time passing out candy and visiting with the local goblins.

The Laurels of Forest Glenn The Halloween party at The

Laurels of Forest Glenn was a smash! Guests loved seeing all of the children dressed up in their costumes and enjoying them-selves. Passing out candy in the hallways was a highlight as well.

The Laurels of University Park Guests at The Laurels of University Park always have a blast with their annual Halloween Photo Shoot. Elvira Brizendine enjoyed dressing up as a witch, while 100-year-old Helen Weatherford loved

the giant spider. Guests also passed out candy at the trick-or-treat parade and party. Guest Barbara Raymondo is pictured below with Abel Blanche, son of Activity Director Catherine Blanche.

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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

ReflectionsReflections

The Laurels of Hillsboro The Guests at The Laurels of Hillsboro had a little paintball fun this fall. Guests loved the opportunity to hone their sharpshooting skills.

The Laurels of Forest Glenn Guests at The Laurels of Forest Glenn had two chances to visit the North Carolina State Fair this fall! Both trips were nothing short of fantastic. Guests ate a little bit of everything, checked out the agriculture exhibit, strolled through the flower and garden area and even got to go to the Village of Yesteryear.

The Laurels of DeKalb Social Services Director Lakan Shippy and LPN Cindy Warstler from The Laurels of DeKalb participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The annual event takes place in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Each year Associates from The Laurels of DeKalb attend to honor and in memory of those they have cared for in the Memory Care Unit.

The Laurels of Worthington The Laurels of Worthington recently opened a new therapy gym. The new, larger facility is much appreciated by the Therapy Team and the Guests with whom they work.

The Laurels of University Park Seventy-three Guests at The Laurels of University Park cast absentee ballots for this year’s Presidential

Election. Pictured: Dillon Hamlett shows off his patriotic spirit on

Election Day 2016. Dillon was one of the first to get his absentee ballot, with help from the Activity Department.

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The Laurels of Norworth Guests from The Laurels of Norworth enjoyed an afternoon at Huntington Park in Downtown Columbus cheering on the Columbus Clippers.

The Laurels of University Park Guest Michelle "Mitzy" Peaco picked up a new hobby when she came to The Laurels of University Park. Mitzy has really gotten on the adult coloring book bandwagon. Mitzy's sister told her that she would frame and hang every picture that Mitzy colors. Mitzy enjoys coloring these very intricate pictures, and she does a beautiful job with them.

The Laurels of Fulton This is the second year that The Laurels of Fulton has voted for a Senior King and Queen for the Fulton High School Homecoming. This year Mary Ann Wellwood and C.F Vandemark did a wonderful job of representing The Laurels of Fulton.

The Laurels of Hillsboro Guests from The Laurels of Hillsboro attended the Senior Olympics in Lucasville,

Ohio in September. Each year, a group from the facility gathers to compete in a variety of events, play Bingo, and enjoy music and Belgian wagon rides. This year they selected Ghostbusters as their theme and wore matching

tee shirts. A few went a bit further with some spooky green slime! Guest Robert Monroe especially enjoyed competing in the basketball event.

The Laurels of Sandy Creek Because October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Laurels of Sandy Creek thought it would be a great idea to help support the cause by collecting money for a “PINK OUT” day. Associates had the opportunity to make a donation to wear pink and participate in a party with pizza, pink lemonade, and pink cake. It was a fun-filled day for a great cause.

The Laurels of Coldwater The Laurels of Coldwater held their Annual Classic Car Show on August 31. Over a dozen cars lined the parking lot as Guests and their families took a walk down nostalgia lane and enjoyed a hot dog fresh off of the grill and a root beer float.

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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 NewsSpirit NewsThe 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

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.

The LaurelsMission Statement

Creating a legacy by exceeding the needs and expectations of those we serve, while embracing

The Laurel Way.

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!

Congratulations to our Deficiency-Free Facilities!

Congratulations to The Laurels of Worthington, The Laurels of New London, and The Laurels of Massillon for their Deficiency-Free Surveys. The Ohio Department of Health makes unannounced annual visits to healthcare facilities every nine to fifteen months to evaluate the facility’s compliance with state and federal regulations. Associates at these facilities have worked rigorously to provide quality, personalized, and compas-sionate healthcare services that promote independence for short-term, extend-ed-stay, and assisted living Guests. These perfect surveys confirm a job well done. Thank you to all of our hard-working Associates at these facilities!

The New London Team

Maplewood of Mount Pleasant Wins Excellence Award

Congratulations to Sharie Barringer and the Associates at Maplewood of Mount Pleasant! They received the Excellence Award from Great Lakes Caring during Home Health and Hospice Month 2016. They were recognized for their efforts in partnering with GLC Home Health and Hospice to provide superior quality care to our Guests.

Amy Donaldson Honored by Rotary Club at The Laurels of New London

Administrator Amy Donaldson of The Laurels of New London goes above and beyond in her volunteer life as well as on the job. She was recently honored by the New London Rotary Club, where she is a member, for her commitment to exemplary service and to the guiding principles of the Rotary. She was recognized by the Rotary District Governor, Do Nguyen, after providing extraordinary service to a Rotary Club member from the Huron Rotary Club, Antonio Samaniego, who has been a Guest at The Laurels of New London three times. During his time there, Antonio observed that Donaldson always leads by example and goes the extra mile for her Guests and staff—even taking the time to personally bring him coffee. Rotary District Governor Nguyen said, “This is a great story—that we have Rotarians like Amy and Antonio. This is the real meaning of service before self. I am so happy to be here…I told everyone that this would make our Rotary district a legacy.”