"Vic Made Me Do It"

 

One of the privileges of living at Kendal at Granville is getting to know  the wonderful talented people who live here.  This blog is about just two of my fellow residents, Vic and Ed. They are notable for a variety of reasons however here I am only going to write about how they shared their talents with the rest of us through two of their projects in the woodworking shop – namely Vic’s bluebird houses and Ed’s lazy susans.  Both of these projects have added beauty to our community.

The bluebird houses  were one of the early projects made in the shop.  Residents who had discovered the presence of bluebirds on our campus readily responded when Vic brought a model of the birdhouse to a Residents’ Association meeting offering to make them for a reasonable price.  (The money received for woodworking shop projects goes to shop improvement.  No one personally receives any money for work done in the shop.)   Soon bluebird houses were perched here and there to encourage bluebirds to take up residence here at Kendal.  Bits of conversation overheard at dinner and at other times tell me that the houses have been successful and that residents can now watch bluebirds close up because Vic shared his talent with the community.  Since the bird houses look pretty much as you expect a bird house to look I have not included any photos of them.   Nor have I been lucky enough to get a photo of one of the bluebirds to share.

 

I have included photos of the lazy susans Ed made because he  created an original design for each one.    I had heard bits of the story about them but before writing this blog I went to the originator so I could fill in the details and be sure the ones I had were correct.  When I approached Ed, the first thing he told me was, “Vic made me do it.”  Then he explained to me what he meant.

In the beginning there were small lazy susans on our larger round dining room tables. Tightly clustered in their centers were a salt and pepper shaker, packets of sweetener, along with blank comment cards and a small pencil. Due to the diameter of the tables it took someone with  an exceptionally long arm to reach those items without a struggle.    On top of that problem the one on the table where Vic and Ed sat with their wives didn’t really spin as it should.  So one night (possibly several nights) Vic said to Ed, “You really ought to take that thing down to the shop and fix it.”  Ed, being the helpful person that he is did just that..

 

When Ed returned it, as an observant engineer who enjoys nothing better than solving problems, he very carefully placed each of the items normally kept on the lazy susan at the outer edge hoping to thus slightly increase their accessibility.  But the forces were against him.  When he returned for dinner that evening , he discovered everything huddled back in  the middle.  So Ed put his thinking cap on and designed larger lazy susans. To insure that things stayed on the perimeter he built into the design spaces designed to hold each of the items.  These were so specifically shaped  that no one would dare think of putting anything back in the center.   He did provide a space in the center for a small candle which no one needs to reach during the meal.

Vic and Ed are but two examples of the kind of people I encounter daily living at Kendal.

 

Three of the lazy susans created by Ed.  This project is ongoing as Ed's goal is to make one for each of our large tables.  Needless to say we are grateful to Ed because they make reaching things easier and they are lovely to look at as well.

 Ed even included the checkers on the one below so people could entertain themselves at this table.  They are especially popular with families who have visiting grandchildren.

Being Thankful

Those of us fortunate enough to live at Kendal have many things to be thankful for every day.  Celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday last week made me think more about what it is that I have to be grateful for,  For one thing there's the security of knowing that they will take care of me through all of the stages of care which I may need.  That's the benefit of having chosen a continuing care community and not just an assisted living one where I would need to move to another institution if I needed skilled nursing.

I know that Kendal has led the way in freeing patients from restraint and as a retired nurse who once taught geriatric nursing I know how important that is.  They have worked to eliminate not only physical restraints but also chemical restraints.  Freeing patients from restraints makes for much more humane treatment and also recognizes the dignity of each being.  It means a lot to know I won't find myself tied to a chair and forgotten.

Also, as a retired nursing education administrator I know what the accreditation of schools of nursing has done to improve the quality of nursing education.  Thus I appreciate the efforts that Kendal Corporation has put into working towards the improvement of the care of the aging through accreditation which sets standards for care.  I've lived long enough to see the results of these efforts.  Knowing that Kendal strives to go beyond high standards of caring means I have a lot less stress in my life. 

Another thing I appreciate here at Kendal at Granville is not only the big things that make our life easier but the little things that occur.  For example last Friday, I didn't sign up for the bus trip provided for those of us who don't drive and have errands we need to make.  When I asked Amy, our facilities secretary if the bus was going to run, she said, "No one signed up."  When she learned that two of us had something we needed to take care of, she arranged for a driver to take us.

This morning I needed to find out about the results of a lab test for which the blood was drawn last week in anticipation of a followup visit to my endocrinologist.  I had received a copy of part of the results, but part were missing.  I needed to know if it was missing because it wasn't done or I just didn't get a copy of it. I called the wellness clinic and told Marie my story explaining that if it hadn't been done I would need to make arrangements to get it done.   By lunchtime she had tracked down the report which had been done but no copy sent.  She had a copy for me by the time I finished lunch.

It's these kinds of response to needs that make life more pleasant here and makes me be thankful for my life at Kendal every day not just on Thanksgiving.

Helping the Young to Read

Again this fall several Kendal residents traveled to the Newark Public Library to appear before groups of second-graders as volunteers in Call to College, a program designed to foster a love of reading in the kids, many of whom come from economically disadvantaged homes. Our participation last year seemed to have been constructive – and that was certainly the judgment of those who manage the program and who invited us back. Moreover, everyone at the Kendal end got a big kick out of it, with lovely, amusing, and startling stories to share. And so, when we were invited to step up again in 2012, there was no trouble finding interested volunteers. No surprise there: a community of seniors has a full complement of persons who want to be useful to the world they live in. That's why Kendal offers many sorts of opportunities for community volunteering. But this is the one I know most about, and so it's the one I'll comment on.

First, let me introduce our volunteers: Dave Skeen, Harriett Stone, Jack Condon, and Ted Barclay. (That's a smaller number than last year only because the public library asked that some slots be reserved for their own personnel.) The volunteers' assignment was to talk about their lives with groups of seven-year-olds at the Newark Public Library, focusing on how their lifelong engagement with books had made their careers possible. The school kids arrived with questions prepared, and they were of course bubbling with the excitement that comes from the feeling of novelty and freedom that is triggered by any school field trip.

The quartet of volunteers brought an array of life experiences to these conversations – from reflections on induction into the armed forces to thoughts about the challenges of managing a small business.  Within their ranks the cast of volunteers provided administrators, a swimming coach, a psychologist, and a physician.

The residents reported having had a great time, and by all accounts the school kids had a blast. The lesson driven home again and again – and not all that subtly – was that an ability to read opened doors, brought all sorts of joy, made navigating the world far easier, and was a prerequisite to a successful, happy life.

In thinking over what they may have contributed, last years' volunteers sometimes wondered whether these moments of engagement were really too brief to make much of a difference in the lives of children. While it's hard to be confident that there will be a payoff for all the kids, it's easy to believe that Kendal's participation may be affecting the lives of some proportion of them. Much depends on the reinforcing effect of the various follow-ups that the Call to College program has, on family support of course, and on sheer luck. But without the Kendal contribution the odds against many of these children would be even longer. That's the hope that energizes the volunteers who live in our midst.

OUR BOOK GROUP

One of my favorite times here at Kendal is at 3:00 PM on the fourth Thursday of the month.  That's when sixteen to twenty of us, men and women, meet to discuss the book chosen for that month.  This started in March of 2006 which means we are in our sixth year and going strong!  I have a list of all the books we have read and it is rather impressive, I think.  We have no leader.  I convene the meeting at exactly 3:00 PM and we have only two rules:  we may only talk about the book and only one person may talk at a time.  We pass around the microphone and give each person a chance to talk at least once.  At 3:50 we end the discussion and decide together what we want to read next. We usually have a backlog of suggestions and then we vote.  Not all books appeal to all members at the same time.  However, everyone is a good sport and reads the chosen book and often says," I'm glad we chose this book because I really enjoyed it and never would have chosen it on my own."

Last month we read Turn Right at Machu Picchu.  Several members had traveled there and brought with them photographs of  their trip which of course made this book all the more interesting.  This month we  read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which tells the story of a poor woman in the 1950's whose cells were used for research without her permission.  These cells turned out to be extremely important for research in curing many diseases and made alot of money for some people but not for her family.  We knew we needed help for this discussion and a retired Denison Biology Professor was willing to meet with us.  The professor talked about the importance of the cells and because he had also taught Bioethics, told us about the complicated consent forms we now have to sign before having procedures.

Next month we will read Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev.  This time the discussion will be led by the daughter of one of our members who is a Professor of Russian Literature at Duke University. I will tell you about that next month.

The membership is certainly diverse.  Our youngest member is seventy and our oldest is ninety.  We have nurses and teachers and engineers and people of various other backgrounds.  Everyone is welcome!

Construction Blues

Very recently I've detected what might be called a touch of construction blues.  Although it was a very hot day back in July 2011 when ground breaking was held for the beginning of Phase II here there was considerable enthusiasm for the project.  Residents were  eagerly looking forward to the expansion which would add 24 apartments, 32 skilled nursing beds, 11 additional accomodations for assisted living, more space for the crowded physical therapy department, enhancement of the dining and kitchen facilities, and a gathering room which promises more space as well as eagerly awaited  more comfortable chairs. 

As work began we realized we would encounter inconveniences along the way in addition to the appearance of a lot of changes.  Throughout it all we have adapted to changed traffic patterns, backup beepers, temporary utility shut offs, alternate plagues of mud and dust,  strange loud noises, and more. 

There have been some compensations such as new topics of conversation and new activities to entertain us.  Daily conversations frequently have to do with what new equpment has been seen, where fences have appeared, changes that have occurred in the landscaping, etc., etc.  It's been fascinating to watch the huge cranes first at one end of the campus where the work on the Health Center is going forward and then at the opposite end where the apartment building is going up.  Watching those dare devils put up the roofing enthralled some of us as we observed their agility.  Our monthly Resident Association meetings.have become more interesting with the addition of regular construction updates. 

But  now it's well over a year since it all began and it's becoming "old hat."  Also, the sprawl of work sites over the campus has had its effect as Phase II has spread from its initial areas at opposite ends of our community building to smack dab in the middle.  One of these, the Gathering Room hasn't been as disruptive  as that of the kitchen and dining facilities where everything has been literally knocked out of kilter.  The food serving area has been moved into one of our dining rooms - that dining room has been moved into our main lobby - lobby furniture has disappeared and reappeared scattered hither, thither, and yon - part of the Bistro has vanished behind temporary walls - hidden away behind temporary walls is the kitchen area. 

 Goodness only knows how the kitchen staff still manages to prepare the same quality of food as in the past.  As the kitchen, dining and maintenace staff gallantly managed these transformations we adjusted to finding our food in unfamiliar spots.  Many thanks have to go to those staff people who patiently dealt with our grumbling as we searched.  To their credit none of us missed a meal 

Our kitchen and dining staff has done a remarkable job of keeping things going smoothly.  I'm sure they are walking extra miles daily due to the new configuration.  My hat is off to them for the way they keep smiling on as they cope daily with the total discombobulation of their working area.  I think if I were one of them I would be singing the blues loudly and probably off key.

 I'm noticing that the questions being asked more frequently have to do with the finishing date of Phase II. e.g.  "Will the kitchen and dining room be ready for the holidays?  When will we be able to use the Gathering Room for our programs?  How soon will they open the skilled nursing beds? and "What's the date for people to move into the new apartments?" 

I suspect one thing that is contributing to the "blues" is the fact that as the finishing date has come closer our ability to see what's happening is decreasing.  With the skeletal stages  completed everything is enclosed and the workmen are no longer visible.  But we still hear the noises behind the walls.  Guided tours of the Health Center the last week in September helped to satisfy a lot of our curiosity by answering a number of our questions and giving us a chance to get answers to the ones that came up as we toured. 

I'm sure the blues won't last. As I think about it just now we're rather like youngsters looking forward to Christmas when they get to open their gifts.  So I'm confident as we see more and more of the outside finishing touches appearing our blues will turn to carols of joy.  I believe that the staff and residents will come together as they have for the holidays in the past and our spirits will be lifted as the New Year brings the culmination of all of our Phase II projects.

Graffiti Art at Kendal

Kendal residents often respond to surprises in inventive ways. We experienced a demonstration of this happy truth recently when the community suddenly proved itself the home of an imaginative swarm of graffiti artists.

Here's the background. Our construction project finally reached the dining area last month, and as a consequence a make-shift partition unexpectedly appeared in the servery, separating the Bistro from whatever sort of remodeling work was taking place, out of sight, behind it. The bleak partition was ugly and off-putting. But it was also an opportunity. So it was soon white-washed. And we all know what happens to a broad expanse of inviting and empty white space. Yes, very quickly residents, staff members, and visiting children arrived on the scene and, encouraged by a conveniently-placed quiver of diversely-colored markers, began to transform the white wall into a message board that captured the sparkling spirits of the community. The effect was vibrant.

Some artists cheered their teams on – the Buckeyes, of course, but also the Steelers, the Denison football squad, and Michigan (???).

Others penned love notes.

The physical therapy staff left advice that gives pause: "Complaining only encourages us."

Color abounded, especially in a lovely rainbow and a striking sunrise.

At one edge of the wall, half of a face glared around the corner at the spectators observing him.

Aphoristic advice was common. "Live, Laugh, Love" seems like ever-relevant counsel. "Love makes the world go round" recalls the hopeful prescription afforded us by a popular song.

And speaking of songs, one artist contributed some measures of music to the board.

The lowest reaches of the board seemed to have been the domain of children, some of whom left lovely and occasionally perplexing scrawls. And although no ladder was visible, some artists had managed to reach the highest reaches of the wall too.

Some artists displayed an impressive talent for drawing, with complicated figures and skilled use of shadowing.

Other messages reminded the viewer that Kendal is a community of persons with a long acquaintance with American life. When, for example, was the last time you saw the once-ubiquitous "Kilroy was here"?

Everyone will have a favorite entry. Mine – because it reflects a not-uncommon experience – was the simple declaration that "Kendal is full of angels."

Art has many functions. One is lifting the soul. Our graffiti art board certainly achieved that goal.

What Others Think of Kendal

Recently as I was checking in with the nurse for my quarterly follow up visit with my physician in the hematology/oncology clinic at the hospital she asked me if my blood work had been drawn at Kendal the previous day as ordered.  When I replied in the affirmative, she responded that she really didn't have to ask because she knew that clients/patients coming to them from Kendal always had everything done as it should be.  She said that was one thing they could count on.  I see this as a very positive reflection on the way that Kendal at Granville strives to maintain the quality of our life here.

This response told me that there is a close collaboration of Kendal with the local hospital which insures the quality of our health care.  It frees us to concentrate on other matters if we don't have to worry about the many details they take care of for us. 

For example one of the things I find most helpful is that arrangements have been made between Kendal and the hospital for a laboratory technician to come here every Tuesday and Thursday morning to draw blood.  Since I have a medical condition that requires frequent blood draws I am really thankful that I don't have to make a trip to the hospital laboratory for each test.  Since there are others also waiting for the technician, I know that I'm not the only one that benefits from this plan.

The incident occurring at the hospital clinic is typical of the kind of remarks I hear from outsiders when I mention that I live at Kendal.  It all adds up to reinforcing my sense of the rightness of having made a good choice when I chose Kendal as my home.