After yesterday’s rout, the Scrabble gods have apparently realigned! Resident Anne D (220 points) easily defeated peer Jo R (145 points) and your humble reporter (126 points). OK ask me: how does it feel when someone is creamed at Scrabble by a hundred-year-old? Well, my only possible reply is Anne was pleased and felt vindicated! There is more to this saga.
In order to keep ahead of upcoming Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) requirements of the Affordable Care Act, we’ve been participating in a University of Rochester project funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program teaches Lean Six Sigma practices originally designed for the manufacturing and production fields and shows how they can be applied to healthcare issues.
Credit this homerun to Administrator Greg Chambery! Greg challenged us to create a handful of "anchor events" – larger, more dynamic affairs to get us through winter's dog days. He offered the example of hosting a Maplewood version of "Chopped," the culinary competition shown on Food Network. Dining Services Director Mike Fall initiated the effort. We needed staff or family member contestants, and a basket of five ingredients for them to work their magic. The event would take place at Happenings Restaurant on the afternoon of Friday, February 1. An eclectic panel of judges would decide the winner.
Mike handpicked interesting ingredients including quinoa blend couscous, beef short ribs and taco shells. Four brave contestants stepped up: Dining Room Captain Brandon Pensgen, Diet Tech Carol McCarthy, MDS Nurse Bonnie Berretta and Director of Social Services Lynn Pierce. In my opinion, all of them were winners on this day!
The Webster Willink Middle School students have been making quite a connection with residents of The Maplewood over the past few months. What started out as a Lego Robotics team project has turned into an amazing bond between the students and our residents.
In this edition of Adil's Home Cooking, we offer up a delicious recipe for butternut squash soup. It’s so nice to have a meal that’s simple to prepare but still fulfilling. This butternut squash soup is an easy recipe for a chilly winter night in Rochester.
January’s icy, distressing personality was in frigid form on a recent Friday, with temperatures in the teens joined by a hazy gray sky. We had a plan to break through the gloom by visiting the Genesee Brew House again! Friends and volunteers joined residents Jane S and Sarah S. Interested in the Genesee Brewery’s new centerpiece facility, Activities Assistant Sarah Hodges’ mother joined us as well.
We’ve run a “read a book to an audience” activity for a long time. I don’t remember its title but I’m certain it wasn’t called “Book Club” as today’s version is known. The most memorable work I read aloud shocked me. I can’t be blamed for suggesting a seemingly syrupy love story, “Bend in the Road,” by Nicholas Sparks. The book was intriguing. As the reader I hung on every sentence along with my audience. It was a tragedy, love story and mystery expertly woven into a great story.
Diet and nutrition is a topic that’s on all our minds. And for many of us it’s an especially important topic as we help plan nutrition for our elderly loved ones. Knowing this, we set about to provide some useful information about diet and nutrition by featuring Registered Dietitian Joan Keenan in our series of helpful audio podcasts. You can hear our chat by visiting the Podcast page in our Media Room. In the podcast Joan provides an overview of diet and nutrition at Maplewood Nursing & Rehabilitation, dispels some old myths, and even provides some surprises.
Joan is a Registered Dietitian and provides Consulting Dietitian services at long-term care facilities. Joan has served the residents at The Maplewood since 1986. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Dietetics from Oneonta State College, and has completed her three-year work experience training at University of Rochester Medical Center. By working closely with the dining services team Joan assesses nutritional adequacy for each resident. From her assessments Joan creates the nutritional plan of care. This resident-focused approach to meal planning features variety, which is key to good nutrition.
Representatives from the Webster Hope House and Webster Comfort Care Home graciously arrived at Danny’s Grill on Thursday, January 10. The Bazaar Committee plus a very important former member waited for them. Finally, I thought to myself, our reward. This is what all that hard work was for – to help people! Margaret F, Connie B and Ruth G handed each a check for $894. The grateful pair thanked us and shared a little bit about their organizations.
Residents Mary G and Sarah S had a small entourage join them on Thursday, January 17 at Rochester NY's Strasenburgh Planetarium. Mary’s nieces, Sarah’s friend, long time volunteer Diane Herbst, Sarah Hodges and myself joined the two for a therapeutic showing of “Coral Reef Adventure.”
The Planetarium’s domed theater and surround screen enabled viewers to experience sensations that were nearly three-dimensional at times. There were a number of wheelchair slots so slipping Mary and Sarah into place was easy.
“Coral Reef” projected a soothing, tropical ambience thanks to incredibly bright cinematography, exotic locations and pleasant tunes courtesy of Crosby, Stills & Nash. On this blustery January afternoon in Rochester, we might as well have been on vacation, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef.
Credit this homerun to 
The Webster Willink Middle School students have been making quite a connection with residents of The Maplewood over the past few months. What started out as a Lego Robotics team project has turned into an amazing bond between the students and our residents.
Diet and nutrition is a topic that’s on all our minds. And for many of us it’s an especially important topic as we help plan nutrition for our elderly loved ones. Knowing this, we set about to provide some useful information about diet and nutrition by featuring Registered Dietitian Joan Keenan in our series of helpful audio podcasts. You can hear our chat by visiting the 
Residents Mary G and Sarah S had a small entourage join them on Thursday, January 17 at Rochester NY's Strasenburgh Planetarium. Mary’s nieces, Sarah’s friend, long time volunteer Diane Herbst, Sarah Hodges and myself joined the two for a therapeutic showing of “Coral Reef Adventure.”