Neighborhood News - Homewood Retirement Centers

MAGICIAN COMING
TO WOODLANDS
Dave Thomen, a CBS News “Baltimore’s
Best Magician” and National Theater
“Stars of Magic” recipient, is 100% pure
entertainment fun for your guests! He has
a proven track record of success
performing at 300 private and corporate
events each year. Delighted clients
include the Baltimore Ravens, Maryland
State Police and Fox 45 news. He is now
coming to Homewood at Frederick to
perform during the July Woodlands
Assisted Living Birthday Party on July
11, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. in the Gardenview
Room. Be prepared to smile!
Homewood at Frederick
DATE CHANGE…
SUMMER SPLASHIN’
FASHION SHOW
Please mark your calendars! This year’s
Summer Spashin’ Fashion Show on the
Willows will now take place on Saturday,
August 2nd at 10:30am.
Children, up to the age of 10 years old, are
invited to participate, donning their favorite
(and even wild!) summer/beach outfits and
accessories.
Please RSVP to Denise McDonough at 301644-5627 by 6/15/14 if you would like one or
more of your young loved ones to participate.
Please include each child’s gender and age as
well. Details will be provided in an upcoming
invitation.
July 2014
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
A Newsletter For Our Residents and Their Families
Meet Greg Lescalleet, Director of Maintenance
One of the perks of being a reporter for The
CHATTER is getting to meet interesting people.
Greg Lescalleet, our new Director of
Maintenance, is right at the top of the
“interesting” list! His response to my claim
would be that “90% of the people you meet make
up for the 10% you wish you had never met,” and
that is so-o-o true!
Vernon Rippeon
Greg is a busy, busy man, but he took time to chat
with me. His job is to oversee the maintenance of
all the equipment and machinery, the grounds and
the security of the campus. That’s a mighty full
plate! I saw him in action as a take-charge kind of
guy whose motto is “Lead, follow – or get out of
my way.”
7407 WILLOW ROAD
FREDERICK, MD 21702
Contact us at (301) 644-5600
www.Homewood.com
The Homewood management has hired another
pleasant chap who will blend well with the other
outstanding employees who keep Homewood at
Frederick running like a clock. Before coming to Homewood, Greg was Director of Plant
Operations at Diakon Lutheran Social Ministry in Ravenwood Lutheran Village, and the Village of
Robinwood at Hagerstown, Maryland, which were three miles apart.
Greg was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Anne Arundel Senior High School in
Gambrill, Maryland, and later attended community colleges (Anne Arundel, Howard and Pikes
Peak) while he was in the U.S. Air Force maintaining the Titan missiles.
He lives in State Line, Pennsylvania with his wife, Leslie. They have two sons and two
granddaughters, ages four and two, with a third grandchild due on July 1.
Nichols’ Notes
Eric T. Nichols,
Executive Director
The Homewood at Frederick 13th Annual Golf Classic was a big success this year. The weather
going into the day was very questionable. The night before, storms came through Frederick that
gave us a couple of inches of rain. The morning of the tournament was cloudy and threatened rain
at any time. Even the forecast called for thunderstorms that afternoon. The tournament this year
fell on my birthday. One of the best gifts I received was that no rain fell during the day and even
the sun came out at about 3:00 pm for the golfers.
This year’s golfing field was full with 36 foursomes. A delicious lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs
was provided to the golfers after they registered to play. Just before noon, tournament
announcements were made and, then at noon, the golfers headed out for a round of golf. With a full
field of golfers like we had, sometimes the pace of play can be slow, but this year the flow of
golfing was really good. Five hours later the golfers were coming off the golf course to a dinner of
ribs and fried chicken. This has been our signature meal for our tournament for all 13 years. Jeff
Hoffman and the kitchen crew did an outstanding job with the food again this year. Our coworkers,
resident volunteers and auxiliary members who came to Glade Valley also did a tremendous job.
I want to thank this year’s tee sponsors who include the following companies and individuals:
Platinum Tee sponsors: Wagman Construction and Rogers Consulting
Gold Tee sponsors: Noelker and Hull, M&T Bank, Potomac Pharmatech, and Crabapple’s Deli
Silver Tee sponsors: Crawford Advisors, Petersen’s House of Carpet, and Classic Landscaping
Bronze Tee sponsor: Gaver Properties
Practice Range sponsor: Shirley Erdmanis in Memory of Ansis Erdmanis, Larry and Shirley
Sibernagle, and Cole Family Dentistry
Putting Green sponsor: Shirley Erdmanis in Memory of Ansis Erdmanis, and Paul Mellott
Also I want to thank all of you who purchased tee signs and golf cart signs. With everyone’s help
we grossed over $40,000 this year at the tournament, making this one of our most successful
tournaments. Fellowship, food and golf (and no rain) made for a wonderful afternoon that was the
13th Annual Homewood at Frederick’s Golf Classic.
LIBRARY NEWS
When using the 2nd Floor/Cafe and 3rd Floor Libraries, please remember to date and sign the card
in the back of the book, and place the card in the appropriate place. Upon returning books, place
them on the cart (2nd Floor/Café) or window seat (3rd Floor). A member of the Library Committee
will file the cards and return the books to their proper location.
Homewood’s 4th Floor “Book Nook,” (the paperback library), welcomes contributions of fiction
books (if copyrighted since 2004). Please leave them in the tray marked “Return Books.” While
there, feel free to browse the shelves and take out another book. No sign-out card is necessary to
borrow a paperback book. Just return the book when you are finished reading it.
Auxiliary News
Loberta Staley
The Homewood Auxiliary voted to continue to
fund the bingo games for the residents, to
replenish the hospitality carts, to pay for the
harpist for the Gratitude Circle, as well as help to
fund summer decorations for the Willows, and to
provide funds to help support the entertainment
for National Nursing Home Week.
The secretary, Diana Corl, sent a note of
thanks for two donations received in memory of
a former Homewood resident. Loberta Staley
sent a note of thanks to the Homewood Auxiliary
at Martinsburg, PA for hosting the General
Auxiliary meeting on April 10.
Various suggestions for fundraisers in 2014 were
discussed. The Auxiliary plans to host an ice
cream social on June 19, and a "Christmas in
July" event on July 25. Further details will be
posted as they progress. Don't miss these fun
events.
Peggy Chaney and Lauren Burton
continue their plans for the annual Fall Tea in
October. Stay tuned for additional information.
The Auxiliary sold 57 box lunches during the
annual Vision Health Fair in May. They proved to
be quite a hit during lunch time.
Homewood’s
Auxiliary
will host a
“Christmas in July” box lunch on
Friday, July 25, 11:00 am-1:00 pm, in the
Community Center. Mrs. Claus will be
present to help count down to the big day on
December 25…only five months until
Christmas…!
Delicious holiday gourmet box lunches
($8.00) will be available (proceeds benefit
our Auxiliary), as well as special ice cream
treats! Casual seating will be provided in
the MP Room and the Café, or supporters
can take their lunches to a shady spot
outside.
Mrs. Claus will bring her fun-filled
Christmas “treasures” that she has collected
over the years. Homewood’s Harmonizers
will provide live Christmas music.
Did You Know ?

Bocce Ball Court is located in the Green
parking lot. Courts are available anytime.
The balls are in the case under the bench.
The Auxiliary will generate an informational
brochure about the Auxiliary. Cathy Stull, Lauren
Burton and Loberta Staley will work on this
project.

Ping Pong Table and Billiards are
available anytime and are located in the
Mountainview Lounge in Assisted Living
(3rd Floor) .
The Auxiliary is starting to plan for its Annual
Meeting to be held on September 23. We hope to
have an interesting guest speaker. Mark your
calendar now to attend this event.

Horseshoes Pits are located by the
playground near the creek. The shoes are
kept in the Wellness Center. You may use
them anytime.
IPODS NEEDED!!!
If you have old IPod Nanos or IPod Shuffles that you no longer use, please consider donating
them to our new Music and Memories Program. Contact Julie Norris 301-644-5639. More info
to come on this exciting new program in the August issue of Neighborhood News.
JOTTINGS
Walking along Woodlands’ endless hallway, I saw
Martha Thomas leaving her apartment, probably
heading for a walk in the morning sunshine,
because she was wearing a hat—a perky little
white hat with red polka dots. Whoops! Those are
not polka dots. They’re ladybugs. Lots of little
ladybugs sprinkled over her hat. Surely there must
be lots of good luck heading her way!
The Woodlands Gallery has been getting some
attention, with a new selection of work by local
artists now on display. However, a work of art by
residents participating in the Learn-about-theArtist, Try-to-Mimic-a-Technique class, stole the
show for a while. Class members learned about
artist Kim Ellery, and were inspired by her “Birds
on a Wire” at a recent meeting. There was a large
attendance that day—when Beth put ALL the
colors of paint out on the big table, gave each
person five paper birds (pre-cut), and told
everybody to let themselves go—be realistic,
imaginative, whatever! The resulting work was
framed and hung on the wall in the hallway just
outside the Woodlands Activity Room. It attracted
little gatherings of viewers from the time it
appeared. They, no doubt, noticed that some of
the birds escaped being confined to life in a frame.
When we were getting those March winds and
April showers in May, we were sad to see the
beautiful blossoms falling to the ground. We
looked at the sad scene from the tree house
windows, and then, a bright note brought cheer to
all when one of the many viewers, seeing those
little piles of fallen blooms, said: “Oh, we have
puddles of blossoms!” And there they were—all of
those puddles of white—fallen, but still beautiful.
Mary Kay Kidder
Board Games,
as Requested
Board games are making a comeback, my
friends here at Homewood tell me. And that’s
not just here among retired folks, but all over
the map and in various age groups. They say
there is even a board game scholarship being
offered by one college. Well, the Woodlands
Activity Department is in the loop. “Board
Games” is one of the newer activities being
offered here now. It was added to the
program, according to Beth, because
residents requested it. It seems to be off to a
good start.
Board Games sessions are held on the first
Tuesday of each month in the Woodlands
Activities Room. At a recent meeting, they
played Apples to Apples. This game was
chosen for the occasion because Beth and
Michelle, and some of the residents in
attendance that day, knew how to play the
game. “It’s a game for all ages and all for
fun,” they explained, “and when you play it,
you get to express your opinion—and your
opinion really counts!” Doesn’t that sound
good?
They started things with a game called Shut
the Box, which somehow sounds more like
the end than the beginning. But, a beginning
it was, and it seems to have been a good one.
I remember what fun we had playing the
board game, Parcheesi, when I was growing
up during the Great Depression. Do you
remember Parcheesi? That’s one of the games
coming up for this new activity. Remember—
first Tuesday of each month!
Mary Kay Kidder
LUNCH AND LEARN #1
Pat Morgan
What happens if you find yourself in Homewood’s health care system? The Admission Team
members addressed this and other questions on Monday, June 9, at the first program in the Lunch
and Learn series. Chicken salad and peach cobbler were served to a wall-to-wall crowd in the
Multi-Purpose Room. Admissions Coordinator Rhonda Runion, Admissions Nurse Patty Henry,
Director of Nursing Vicki Keriakos, and Social Services Co-workers Linda Proctor and Dore
Ackermann presented an outline of procedures that generally apply to a resident’s stay in the
Health Care Center. Some important points from their presentations bear repeating.
Residents who find themselves defined as patients in Homewood’s health care system need not
gripe, grumble or growl when they encounter seemingly repetitive procedures or senseless rules.
Instead, be grateful, because the Health Care Center is required to observe state and federal
regulations for a patient’s safety and comfort to be eligible as a skilled nursing facility.
During the Q&A portion of the Lunch and Learn #1 program, considerable discussion ensued
about how a patient is admitted to a hospital and how that affects whether a patient qualifies for
Medicare Part A coverage. Residents would be wise to read a quotation from the 2014 Medicare
& You, The Official U.S. Government Medicare Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Section 3, Page 32, under the heading Hospital care (inpatient).
The paragraph begins: “Important! Staying overnight in a hospital doesn’t always mean you’re
an inpatient.” The partial definition for Medicare Part A coverage, “a 3-day minimum medically
necessary inpatient hospital stay for a related illness or injury,” appears on Page 33.
Expect to hear more information on July 14 when Lunch and Learn #2 presents “Medicare Part
A and Preplanning Your Rehab Stay” led by Homewood staff members Tiffany Gregory,
Assessment Coordinator, and Rhonda Runion, Admissions Coordinator. Remember to sign up for
lunch.
Our Homewood Student Volunteer Team for Summer 2014
Cathy Stull
When you spot an energetic young person in the Homewood hallways….chances are it’s a member
of our Student Volunteer Team! These students are ages 14-21 and they are here to make our summer even brighter! Hats Off to the Team!
Caitlin Davis
Tyler Martin
Thomas Morris
Bethany Norris
Jeremy Warrenfeltz
Molly Weber
Daniel Yoon
Edward Yoon
Family Council
Herb Hoffman and Stan Schweinfurth
The Family Council at Homewood at Frederick is a group of friends and family members who
commit time and talent to work together to improve the quality of life for nursing home residents.
All Homewood residents are welcome to participate.
The Family Council has been busy the last few months interacting with the new Director of
Nursing, Vicki Keriakos, to learn about the procedures she has adopted, or is developing, for the
care of residents in and the general operations of the Health Care units.
To be employed by Homewood as a Nurse’s Aide, an applicant must have completed a two-year
course in the vocation. A well-recommended course for nurse’s aides is offered by the Frederick
Public Schools. This course is taken over a two-year period during general schooling. An
internship over a five-month period is also offered. In addition to this training, in order to be able
to work in a retirement health care facility in Maryland, all nurses and aides must have geriatric
certification. Furthermore, Maryland requires all staff to complete eight hours of specialized
dementia training within 90 days of hire when working in a retirement health care facility. When
all of this is accomplished, an aide will have a nametag with CNA or GNA printed on it.
Homewood encourages schools to use Homewood as a real-life training facility. This allows
Health Care unit personnel to observe the performance of students, and enables Homewood to offer
employment to people who have been observed for 40 hours and considered good future
employees.
Chaplains’ Corner
Chaplain Suzanne Morris
The devotional writing featured on the breakfront in the Community Center encourages us to savor
summer. Summer is the season for savoring vine ripened tomatoes, juicy watermelon, ice cream,
baseball games, fireworks, picnics, family reunions, trips to the beach and beyond, lightning
bugs...The list of blessings we receive at this time of year goes on and on. I hope you are well on
your way to savoring the special summer delights you enjoy most.
Each Sunday in our chapel services, we sing of God’s many blessings and give thanks for the life we
share. Throughout July and August, we’ll take the time to sing some of your favorite hymns. Feel
free to add a hymn you would like to have featured during worship to the sign-up sheet in the back
of the Chapel.
The Religious Life Committee is always mindful of children in our community for whom summer
brings added challenges. For several years we have supported the SOWAC (Summer Outreach
Walkersville Area Churches) program which provides lunches, arts and crafts, and games for children at local parks in July and August. The children served are primarily those youngsters who rely
on school lunches for their main source of nutrition throughout the school year. We have also made
contributions to the Religious Coalition’s Family Emergency Shelter program as well as Hospice of
Frederick County recently.
The nursing care unit of Homewood at Frederick employs about 50 registered and licensed
practical nurses, and about 100 certified nurse’s aides.
We remain ever aware that the need for shelter, nutritious meals, nurture, care and comfort never
takes a vacation. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to ensure that others will have something
good to savor this summer as well.
There is a new training plan for all Homewood community new hires. The plan means that all
Homewood unit heads will explain to all new hires what each unit does. This will enable all new
hires to become acquainted with the workings of Homewood at the beginning of their employment
instead of slowly becoming acquainted with their new working environment.
The Meditation Room that is being planned in the main hallway of the Community Center is beginning to take shape. We look forward to having a special space where residents, family members and
co-workers can take some time apart to nurture their spirits and savor the Spirit’s presence.
The new head of training in the Health Care Unit is Barbara Kunkle, a longtime employee of
Homewood. She has worked several jobs in the Health Care Unit, has worked on the floor recently
during the weekends and during the week, and comes to the job with a lot of enthusiasm, good
clinical experience and many ideas for training staff.
How Can Physical Therapy Help YOU?
In addition to the training required of all employees, the Health Care Unit will soon begin
additional training for new nurses and aides. It will consist of a 14-day specific orientation. The
new nurse will have to complete a specific list of items during the 14 days while supervised by an
experienced nurse. This new system will insure that the new nurse is exposed to the most
important things that the job requires. The new nurse will be assigned a mentor who can answer
questions that might come up in the future and someone who can also observe how the new hire is
performing.
A lot of training time will have to be dedicated to learning how to enter medical records into a
digital format, which is required by the Affordable Care Act. It is hoped that dementia training can
be increased this fall after the electronic system training ends.
Family Council will meet again on Sept. 7th at 3:30pm in the Virts Lounge
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise to help
improve cardiovascular health and help extend life expectancy. Walking is a great way to help
keep your heart, lungs, and overall body healthy, however, sometimes aches and pains can limit our
ability to exercise.
Physical therapists are experts in improving mobility and motion, and pain-free movement is
crucial to your quality of daily life, your ability to pursue your favorite leisure activities, and so
much more. Studies show that prolonged sitting can be unhealthy and that walking a little bit more
each day can help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Consistent movement can also
maintain a healthier balance system and reduce the risk for falls which can lead to significant
injury.
So if you feel that your age, endurance, or pain limits your ability to work ask you physician for a
prescription for physical therapy so that we can provide treatments to decrease pain, improve
endurance, and improve your walking performance and tolerance.