News From The Bright Side

Bright Side Manor
Autumn, 2014
Written by Residents, for Everyone!
NEWS FROM THE BRIGHT SIDE
Bright Side Manor, a not-for-profit licensed Comprehensive Personal Care Home (CPCH) in
Teaneck, NJ, governed by Geriatric Services Group, provides affordable housing, basic health care
and social services to older adults of all income levels, and is one of the few facilities in Northern
New Jersey to provide essential care to residents with Medicaid.
Celebrate and Give Thanks
An Evening of Jazz & Cocktails
November 20, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn
105 Old New Bridge Road
New Milford, NJ 07646
ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
For more information, call 201-692-1000
And The Reviews Are In!!
The Bright Side Players gave rousing matinee performances of
Guys and Dolls
“Uncle” Bob played Brannigan; Carole, Sarah; Lucy, Sky; Alice, Nathan; Dina, Adelaide; Jack,
Nicely/General; Marion, Harry; Jean, Benny; and Ken, Joey’s Voice/Rev. Abernathy. Conchita
narrated and Joanne O’Neill directed.
Bingo With The Ladies From Ridgefield Park!
By Carol Romano
Every Tuesday dawns bright and sunny in our hearts here at Bright Side Manor because Our Marge has
Bingo at 2 pm. But the fourth Tuesday of every month is even brighter and sunnier, because whether it is
pouring outside or sunny, three friendly, compassionate and giving ladies from Ridgefield Park, Rosemary
Collins, Phyllis McIntyre and Barbara Walton come to run Bingo. With some of the proceeds she makes
running a monthly bus trip to Atlantic City, Rosemary gives each winner $2.00 for each of their first two
wins, and then a choice of toiletries, such as deodorant or toothpaste, for each subsequent win. But every
player is a winner, receiving a consolation prize goody bag of cookies, crackers and candies. We thank you
from the bottom of our hearts, Ridgefield Park Ladies!
Toda, Shabbat Ladies!
By Conchita Collins
The smaller room of the porch has been beautified by the ladies who come to Bright Side on Friday afternoons for
Shabbat. First to appear was the lovely glass curtain, recently followed by the print of Monet’s Water Lilies. All Bright
Side residents are grateful for their generosity, and the exquisite taste with which they decorated this beautiful space.
Geriatric Services Group Widens Caring Circle
The Geriatric Services Group is adding two new affordable senior services to Bright Side Manor, the Group’s
initial and 25-year commitment to affordable housing, basic health care and social services to older adults at all
income levels.
One project is a 62-unit building for independent senior living. The new building will be located at 60 Bergen
Avenue in Teaneck, and is expected to be completed by December, 2015. Geriatric Services Group is partnering
on this exciting project with The Alpert Group, LLC, a company that specializes in bringing quality safe and
sanitary housing to diverse segments of the population.
The other is Portable Assisted Living Services (PALS), an assisted living program that will bring assisted living
services to residents of independent senior apartment buildings to help them age in place safely, affordably and
with dignity. PALS will provide a 24-hour safety net, with supportive services that will help residents live
independently in their own private apartments for as long as possible. It is being launched at Westwood House,
in Westwood, NJ.
Ground Breaking Ceremony – November 12 at 11 am
Construction begins on new 62-unit senior housing building at 60 Bergen Street in Teaneck.
Bright Side Family Barbecue
By Harry Friedland
I went to bed on September 17 with a smile on my face, having just left the warmest and most successful
party I have attended in my three and a half yers at Bright Side Manor. It was a “family” function with
residents and their family and friends, and a number of staff, with an age range from one to ninety. The
mood of the evening was upbeat, and everyone had a terrific time. It couldn’t miss – with the excellent
menu, great service, delicious wine (donated by Josephine’s family), beautiful weather and the warm
camaraderie that existed among the guests. Our thanks to all those who were responsible for such a
successful party, and our wish that this occasion becomes a regular event.
Shop Through Amazon Smile; Support Geriatric Services!
When you buy from Amazon through smile.amazon.com, a portion of your purchase price
will be donated to Geriatric Services Group – just make sure you designate us as your
specified charity, and that you bookmark the Amazon Smile address or download their
button to your desktop so your purchase counts – you must buy through the Amazon Smile
address.
How Do You Mend a Broken Jack-o-Lantern?
With a Pumpkin Patch!!!
Bright Side Manor Celebrates Halloween
See You In December!
Ho, Ho, Ho…
News From The Bright Side, Autumn, 2014 – Editor: Susan Jelcich
The Bright Side Muse – The Art & Literary
Supplement to News From The Bright Side -- Autumn, 2014
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd; Reviewed by Carol Romano
If you enjoyed reading Sue Monk Kidd’s best-selling novel The Secret
Life of Bees, you are sure to really like her latest book of fiction, The
Invention of Wings, based on true life people, The Grimke family and
their slaves of Charleston, South Carolina. It is totally different from
Kidd’s first novel, but as well-written.
The Invention of Wings is set in the early 1800s to the mid-1800s in South Carolina,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. John Grimke is a judge on South Carolina’s highest court,
and at the top of the plantation class, the group Charleston claimed as its elite. John’s
wife Mary (“Missy”) was just plain mean. Her list of slave sins included stealing,
disobedience, laziness and making noise. She dispensed her punishment with her everpresent cane, and orders to a faithful slave to enact a torturous punishment on the erring
slave.
Two of the many Grimke children were Sarah and Nina. As adults, they ultimately
moved away to Pennsylvania where they became Quakers, abolitionists and pioneers for
women’s rights. We also learn about Hetty (“Handful”), Sarah’s very own waiting maid
(euphemism for slave), who was presented to Sarah on Sarah’s eleventh birthday. It was
against the law in South Carolina to teach a slave how to read. Sarah did this on the sly
for Hetty. I highly recommend this novel. I learned that there had been slavery in
northern states, including our own New Jersey. The Invention of Wings has many
interesting characters. More important, it imparts the immorality and injustice of slavery.
It is a real page turner!
If you order The Invention of Wings or anything from Amazon, go through amazon.smile.com and
choose Geriatric Services, Inc. as your charity; Amazon will donate a portion of the proceeds from your
sale!
Here We Are At Bright Side Manor
If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.
We’ve all cut our losses and come to Bright Side.
We’re not what we once were,
and that is for sure, though we’d prefer
to think we’ve got marbles galore,
watch your step, kids; they’re all over the floor.
All things considered, we’re glad that we’re here
with good food served by folks of good cheer.
And we have our amusements, by jingo.
Believe it or not, our week’s highlight is bingo!
--- Conchita Collins
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Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn, A New Milford Favorite
by Lucille Moran
Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn is highly regarded and recommended as New Milford’s favorite place in which
to venture. Also considered as a family restaurant, their menu delights all with delicious cuisine from
soup to dessert. Chicken Sanzari and Chocolate Lava Cake are a couple of customer favorites. Want to
book a special event? Sanzari’s to the rescue!
As a topper to your visits on Friday and Saturday nights, the featured entertainers are Liza and Josh Baty.
Their singing prowess will be recognized immediately, as they perform standards, oldies, country and
popular music. Your requests are welcome.
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Don’t Forget, Cocktails & Jazz to Benefit Bright Side Manor at Sanzari’s New Bridge Inn,
Thursday, November 20, from 6 to 10 pm.