THE CONNEMARA COURIER - Connemara Senior Living
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THE
CONNEMARA
COURIER
May 2019
3RD EDITION
NEW RESIDENTS
We Welcome: April showers bring May Flowers! Let’s hope so!! April
started out rather chilly and dreary, but hopefully that is all
Carol C. behind us we can look forward to a beautiful month of May. It
is so nice to look out our windows and see the trees with their
Room 201
tiny buds popping out, Springtime is just around the corner!
We had planned to do our courtyard cleanup on Earth Day in
April, but it was a cold rainy day, so that will happen in May.
We cannot wait to plant flowers in the courtyard and start our
BBQs, let’s hope Mother Nature cooperates with us.
Thank you so much to Miriam Johnson for sharing her life story, I know everyone enjoyed reading
about the girl form Moline Illinois! I have another great story for you this month! A conversation
started with a simple question and the next thing you know I had learned about an amazing life that
you will be truly inspired by, I certainly am! This story led me to go back and read about history and
WWII. When I think back to the history lessons I know of WWII, I think about US, Germany, France,
and Japan, but I did not recall learning much about Lithuania. Lithuania was invaded and occupied
by Russia forcing its citizens to become refugees, most fleeing for Germany. I learned about history I
did not know and some good advice for living a happy life; things I want to implement in my own life.
To be an American, growing up in a time of relative peace and prosperity, it is so unbelievable to hear
of the lives of those who did not. Most of the residents that live here lived through WWII, the
depression, the Korean War, Vietnam and the turmoil of the sixties and I am amazed at your strength
and resiliency. I am eternally inspired by all of you, who truly are the greatest generation! If you
would like to share your story, let’s have a cup of tea and chat!
April was a great month here at Connemara. We celebrated the Red Sox Opening Day and watched
the team receive their world series rings……. too bad they did not pick up where they left off last fall,
they have been awful so far this season, lets hope they get back to their winning ways soon!
The State House visit was a huge success! We were so honored to be invited for a private tour and luncheon by The Massachusetts State Auditor, Suzanne Bump, daughter of our own Ruth Bump and by Brockton’s State Rep, Gerry Cassidy. Our residents were treated like royalty as they enjoyed a private tour of the magnificent State house and a delicious luncheon in their honor. It’s good to know people in high places, thanks so much to Ruth and Suzanne Bump, and Gerry Cassidy. ART SHOW UPDATE: Kailey’s art show that was scheduled for April 25th was postponed until May 9 at 2:00. Kailey’s grandmother, Arlene MacNevin worked her for many years and wanted to be here to see her granddaughter’s show but was in Florida in April. We did not want her to miss out, so we rescheduled Kailey’s show. We celebrated Patriots Day and are very grateful to Wendell Presbrey for showing us his movie April Morning. Everyone enjoyed the movie and hearing Wendell’s insights and seeing our friend in the movie as a Red Coat.
We had a Balance and Fall Risk Screening put on by Robin Thomas of Health-Pro Heritage that was well attended and very informative. The following is a good information from Health Pro. If you would like an assessment, stop by the therapy department (Room 105) anytime. Home Safety…Reducing Your Fall Risk Falls are a critical health care problem for elderly people as they are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65. Falls happen for many reasons and age alone does not determine if an older adult is at risk for falls. Environmental factors such as poor lighting, uneven or wet floors, and inconvenient reaching, are also factors in determining fall risk. Finding ways to prevent falls is of paramount importance. Since half of all falls happen in the home, the first step in reducing the risk of falls would be to assess environmental hazards. Lighting, railings and throw rugs are a great example of a starting point for a home assessment. A second step would be to have a physical exam to rule out any medical causes for the falls. Physicians can assist with medication adjustment, pain control, and education. They may also recommend physical therapy. Physical therapists can assist with improving or maintaining strength and balance. In addition, they can perform a thorough home assessment and make recommendations to improve safety. If you or someone you know is having problems with falls or is concerned about their home environment, stop by the therapy department (Apt 105) and talk with one of our skilled therapists today. Considering that every 35 minutes an older adult dies as a result of fall related injuries, it is a call well worth making. And don't forget simple preventative measures such as exercise, proper footwear, and home safety checks.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU……….
Irma Walat was born in Lithuania in 1940. A year later Russia invaded and
occupied her country and her father was recruited and sent off to the war.
Lithuanians were forced to flee their country and so Irma’s mother and two
very young children became refugees traveling by foot, and sometimes cart
and train and set out for Germany. The refuges were without food and a
place to sleep and Irma lived this way from age 2 to 4. They were separated
from her father the entire time, but in Germany with help from the Red
Cross after the War the family was reunited in 1945. From Germany they longed to move to America
but needed to find a sponsor family and have a job waiting for her father. Luckily a family in Iowa
sponsored them and her father was able to find work as he was a carpenter, so they were able to make
the journey to become Americans. They stayed in Iowa for a year or so and then made their way to
South Boston where there was a very large Lithuanian population. The family lived in Southie for
many years. Irma graduated high school and shortly thereafter married and was a Mom of three
before she was 23 years old. Irma has two sons and a daughter, whom you all know as Kathy Harris
our RA Supervisor here at Connemara. In 1967, she moved her family to Brockton where her children
grew up and went to school. Irma was always a hard worker, often working night shifts so she could
be home for her children. At the age of 39, she needed something to help her deal with life and
decided to run around the block and found she loved it. She started running for her mental health
and it turned into a lifelong passion. She joined a running club, and distinctly recalls, running up a
very steep hill in DW Field Park, where she was in last place, but her teammates were cheering her on,
yelling and telling her to keep going and she completed it and never felt so great in her life, and thus
began her passion for running – and she has been running ever since! Irma has run 4 marathons, the
Marines Marathon in DC, the Boston Marathon, a Cape Cod Marathon and another in Montreal. I
saw all her certificates and she ran all these in just about 4 hours which is amazing time! When
running marathons was no longer a challenge, in her fifties, Irma decided she needed more and
started to race in triathlons! In a triathlon you start with a one-mile swim, followed by a bike ride and
finish with a 6-mile run. Irma’s passion for the Boston Marathon was still strong so when she was no
longer running it, she volunteered for it. In April she completed her 31st year as a race volunteer at
Mile 16. Her running group arrives in Newton at 7:30am to set up a water station and they are there
till 4pm, filling and passing out waters to the thousands of runners that pass by and then cleaning up
the mess left behind. She loves being a part of this special day and has been there every year through
the heat, the cold and like last year, the torrential downpours all day – she really felt running it would
have been easier that day! Irma had always found herself in the role as caregiver, from helping her parents in the learning their new language, to being a young mother and then to taking care of her own mother until she was 93 years old and so she decided to do something for herself and go back to school in her forties. She received her Associates degree from Massasoit and then went on to UMass Boston to earn her bachelor’s degree and then in her fifties went to Bridgewater State University to receive her M.Ed. in counseling. Irma had seen the difficult life led by those that suffered from addiction and their families and so she decided that she would dedicate herself to helping others and so she became a licensed drug and alcohol counselor and a certified addiction specialist. She worked many years as a counselor and supervisor at the North Cottage in Norton. When she finally decided to retire many years later, Irma still needed to help others and she volunteered for Old Colony Hospice taking care of people in their final stages for five years. Finally, after a lifetime of caring for others, Irma’s was finally ready to take care of Irma and so began her retirement in earnest, doing what Irma likes to do. After selling her home in Brockton years ago, Irma downsized and moved to a condo in Brockton. She found that even that was too much space for the simple life she yearned for. Irma had been a regular here at what was formerly Emmanuel House as she often brought her grandkids to visit Kathy here at work and one day her grandson said, why don’t you move there? Irma thought about it and decided it was exactly what she wanted, a simple home with no maintenance and little space to take care of. Irma loves her apartment and is very careful to keep it non-cluttered and simple. Her schedule is quite amazing, and I would give anything to be as active as she is. A typical week for Irma is as follows: On Monday, she swims and lifts weights, on Tuesday she runs four to five miles, on Wednesdays, she will swim, take a yoga class and in the good weather, May to September she will run a few miles again in the evening with her running club for fun, Thursdays she will run again and on Friday, she will swim, lift weights and go to a tap dancing class at the Avon Senior Center, and many weekends she participates in local road races; I am seriously exhausted just typing this out!!! Irma enjoys going to the Brockton Council on Aging and the Avon Senior Center. She enjoys movies at the centers and arts and crafts but does not like to bring home projects as she prefers keeping her space as simple as possible. She is in a knitting and crocheting group at the Brockton Council on Aging where she makes scarfs and hats all of which are donated to those in need. Irma enjoys trips with Connemara and loved the recent trip to the State House in Boston. She also enjoys the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, you can see, she loves to keep herself busy with any activity that she finds interesting and fulfilling, the only problem is that there is just not enough time in the day to do it all! Irma loves keeping up with all that’s going on with the grandchildren and is especially enjoying being in contact with her granddaughter Jessica who is studying abroad and traveling all through Europe this semester. Irma feely very happy and at peace at this stage of her life and really feels it is the best time of her life. She was born in a war and had some difficult times throughout her life and just stayed strong and kept going to get to this very happy point. I could not help but think that her life has been a marathon; 26 miles of running strong both on easy stretches and on difficult hills and now she is done racing and is jogging along at the pace she loves and deserves! I can’t thank Irma enough for sharing her remarkable story with us. I am in awe of you!
CONNEMARA DAY – SAVE THE DATE:
We will host the 2nd annual Connemara Day on Saturday, June 22 from 12:00pm to
2:00pm. We will have wonderful entertainment and serve a delicious BBQ lunch.
Invite the clan, we look forward to celebrating Connemara Day with you all! Invitations
will be sent out this month.
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY…….
Bring us your baby, (birth or young childhood) photos!
We will hang up the pictures of both residents and staff
and have a contest to see who can guess who is who!
Please participate in this activity, it will be a lot of fun if we
have lots of photos! (Lary can make a copy of the photo
and return to your right away).
DO YOU HAVE HAPPY NEWS OR PHOTOS TO SHARE?
New baby in the family, wedding, prom, or graduation? Tell us about it and bring your
pictures! We would love to share your good news and events in the monthly
newsletter!!! Bring them by the office, we love to hear your happy news!
RESIDENT REFERALL PROGRAM
Did you know you can receive $100 off of one month’s rent? Do you have an old friend or family
member that you can refer to Connemara Senior Living? See Marni Dunton for full details of the
program.
BUZZ OFF ROBIN!!!!
On June 2, Robin Thomas, of Health-Pro Heritage,
(our in-house physical therapy company on the first
floor) will participate in a fundraiser called One
Mission Buzz Off for Kids. Buzz Off For Kids is a fun
and unforgettable event where passionate people
come together to shave their heads in honor and
support of kids with cancer; kids who don’t have the
choice to lose their hair. Participants raise money by
asking family and friends to sponsor their participation in the event. Since 2010, 6,143
heads have been shaved, $7.7 million dollars has been raised and 9000 patients and
their families have been given support. All the money raised goes to helping children
and their families; to bring joy and make life easier for them while undergoing the pain
and struggles of treatment. I asked Robin why she decided to participate? Robin
answered that she is buzzing off for many reasons, for a little girl neighbor from her
childhood that she fondly remembers who sadly passed away far too young, for a friend
who lost a child ten years ago and for all children who are suffering and in thanks and
gratitude for her own healthy child, six-year-old Lilly. So, on Sunday, June 2, Robin
will head to Gillette Stadium with hundreds of other people (maybe even Gronk who is
usually there) to have her head shaved off in honor of those who don’t have the choice.
On Monday, we will see Robin’s buzz cut with her always beautiful beaming smile!! I
think this is awesome Robin, we are so lucky to have such thoughtful, kind and
generous people like you in our world!
IF YOU LIKE US, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO LET OTHERS
KNOW
Prospective families check out residences on-line and positive feedback from you is a huge help! If you
do not know how to do this, ask a family member or you can see Lary Boyd in Activities and he can
easily set you up to do it! We would be so grateful!EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Congratulations Dale Devonshire! We love your
commitment to all the residents of Connemara especially
the folks on the Galway Unit. You have tremendous ideas,
energy, love and compassion. Everyone appreciates your
enthusiasm especially when you want to dance during
entertainment hour!
Congratulations Dale!
RESIDENT BIRTHDAYS IN MAY
Wow – May is a popular birthday month! Wish all these wonderful folks a happy day!
Gertrude H. May 1
Jean K. May 2
Barbara Y. May 9
Mary D. May 12
Merrilee A. May 13
Gail M. May 14
Kathy K. May 16
Teobaldo D. May 21
James O. May 24WHATS HAPPENING THIS MONTH? Kentucky Derby Party! On Friday, May 3 we will have a pre-party to celebrate the 145th running of the Run for the Roses! Mint Julep anyone? Wear you fancy hat if you have one! We will have an actual “horse race” in the dining room, this you’ve got to see!! All in attendance will be entered for a chance to win a horse for the actual race on Saturday afternoon. The derby will be shown on Saturday at 6pm and whomever holds the lucky ticket of the winning horse will win a $10 Market Basket Gift Card! THE CHILDRENS ARK PRESCHOOL – The adorable kids from the preschool next door will be back on Friday, May 10 and they will have a special surprise for all the ladies in the house! This is not to be missed, gentlemen you are of course invited as well! BEAUTIFICATION DAY: On Thursday, May 30 we will gather in the courtyard to plant our summer flower and vegetable garden. All are welcome, many hands make light work! Refreshments will be served, and we will have tools, gloves and lots and lots of flowers to plant! ENTER TO WIN A $10 MARKET BASKET GIFT CARD BY ANSWERING A TRIVIA QUESTION!!! April trivia question answer: We celebrate Patriot’s Day in Boston on Monday, April 15. What is the significance of the holiday? Answer: In Massachusetts we celebrate Patriots Day to commemorate the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the Revolutionary war. MAY TRIVIA QUESTION: What is May’s birthstone? Tear off the slip below and put in box near the Reception Office: __________________________________________________________________ Name: Answer:
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