It very exciting to see progress continuing this week on “The Cottage,” the new Countryside Barn to be used for indoor, climate-controlled window visits for residents and their families/friends. Power has been run for the separate heating/cooling systems to be hooked up next. Many are anxiously awaiting to schedule a time to visit with their loved ones. Appointments will need to be scheduled in advance to use The Cottage, so watch the link to Calendly on the homepage of the Home’s website: www.achroanoke.org
On Sunday morning, February 28, the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Church services were streamed live on activity channel 2 as well as played over the intercom throughout the Home and Country View apartments for interested residents to see and hear. What a blessing modern technology is for helping those confined to their own homes or in a care facility to still feel connected with their church and ministers with many denominations offering this service.
Monday was filled up with Daily Guideposts, Morning Stretch, a replaying of church, BINGO, and the movie “A Dog’s Way Home” as well as spring poetry reading in the evening. Poems were read from Ideals magazines.
In was a busy Tuesday, too, with activities including Daily Guideposts, writing cards in Goodwill Club, guessing letters and solving puzzles in Wheel of Fortune, watching a Travelogue, and testing participates knowledge during Trivia Night. Phew! Lots of options to do to pass the time.
Wednesday’s activities included Daily Guideposts, BINGO, a Lawrence Welk; Precious Memories DVD shown on activity channel 2, and that evening’s worship service at the Roanoke Apostolic Christian Church Service live streamed and played on the intercom.
Bernice Knapp formerly of Congerville passed away on the 4th after being a resident since August 2019. Deepest sympathy goes to the Knapp Family who also recently lost their father, Willis, a few months ago. Staff and residents certainly miss both Willis and Bernice’s loving smiles and friendly, outgoing personalities.
Residents enjoyed Daily Guideposts, Morning Stretch, a replaying of church, Inspirational Stories, Popcorn Pop-In while watching the movie “Country Remedy” along with an evening game of “What’s in the Bag?” on Thursday. In this activity, those participating guessed how many items there were in the heavy bag. Then feeling the shapes through the bag, each guessed what it was inside. This is hilarious but can be much more challenging than it sounds.
National Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday of March each year and focuses attention on workers in all industries. According to Wikipedia, this day was created for the purpose of strengthening the bond between employer/employee and is a day to thank their employees for their hard work and effort throughout the year. Afterall, employees are one of a company’s greatest assets! Recognition and appreciation are known as some of the key motivational factors in the workplace. It shows how much businesses value their employees, which in turn helps keep morale high.
On March 5, Administrator Nate Hoffman and Maintenance Director Dan Magnuson took to the grill that day and cooked burgers and hotdogs for all the employees on all shifts. Our dietary department provided sides of potato salad and baked beans. Dietary manager Stephanie Axtell baked a variety of cookies for dessert. There were a variety of sodas to drink as well. Nate and Dan even came in on 3rd shift and grilled again to show appreciation for those employees who work through the nights. When third shift employees initially saw Dan in the building, they were worried it was for another fire drill; instead, they were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t and enjoyed a fresh, hot “midnight snack” for their 2:00 a.m. lunch break.
For residents that day it started with Daily Guideposts and Step Back in Time in the morning. Many enjoyed reminiscing on the topic of spring house cleaning. The memories of taking the rugs outside to clean with the wire rug beater were shared. Of course on the topic of spring, the gentlemen remembered that it’s the beginning of field work for the farmers, which was discussed as well. That afternoon a Gaither Gospel DVD “Signing in My Soul” was shown on activity channel 2. Some of their favorite songs were “Redeemed,” “Jesus Loves Me,” and “My Sins are Gone.”
Word Searches were passed out with the fun topics of “Oodles of Noodles” for Noodle Month and “Spring is on its Way!”
On Saturday evening, many played Timeless Trivia with the topic of “People, Places, & Profiles.” This is a DVD game that residents play along with watching it on activity channel 2. Film clips, photos and commentary of business icons like Steve Jobs and people like U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The places were a mix of natural wonders like The Grand Canyon and The Great Salt Lake and those touched by history like Pearl Harbor and Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
NOTE: The Apostolic Christian Home of Roanoke is looking forward to hosting another Drive Thru Fish Fry Fundraiser on Friday, April 16. It will be held in the multi-purpose room, on the back side of the nursing home on Davison Street, from 4:30-7:00 pm or until sold out, whichever comes first. All proceeds will benefit the nursing home.