Moving away from home is never easy. There is something extremely nostalgic about leaving behind the place where you feel most comfortable and safe. Such a move entails great
changes, and it is often accompanied by feelings of sadness, anxiety, and unnecessary stress. These emotions accompany all of us, no matter our age, or where and why we choose to move. But just imagine for a second how much more difficult it must be for seniors who have no other choice but to leave behind the comforts of their own cozy homes, where they have probably spent most of their adult lives, and be transferred into a nursing home facility.
In fact, it is not just the seniors who are unwilling to make the move, but also their relatives who express great skepticism and doubt with regards to placing their loved ones in nursing homes. Frequently, this hesitation stems from a wrongful opinion that such a decision is synonymous with abandonment and would sentence their loved ones to a life full of sadness and solitude. Nothing of the sort.
St. Joseph Senior Home is more than just a temporary place of accommodation or some random facility that provides basic care to seniors. It is a place where the dedicated nuns and attentive staff put their efforts together to ensure that seniors feel comfortable, secure, and cared for in all respects. Many residents refer to St. Joe’s as their true home and emphasizes that together with the fellow residents, their relatives, the sisters, and the staff, they comprise one, extended family.
“A home away from home” – that is how one of our residents, Geraldine Bader, spoke of St. Joe’s in her testimony:
“It took a while but there is nothing more I can ask for. First of all, God, the nuns, nurses, and the aids, take such good care of me I couldn’t ask for any more; I feel I have a second family. I can pray, laugh, love, and hope to do so for the rest of my life.”
One of the great advantages of st. Joseph Senior Home is that the house itself is quite small, thus it really does resemble a typical home where the residents and the sisters live together
almost like roommates. For sisters, taking care of the residents is as natural as taking care of an elder relative, they always find the time to help the seniors, or simply have a conversation and share a laugh together. That is why at St. Joe’s, there is no such thing as “working hours” and time “off-duty”. This dedication is appreciated by relatives of our residents who do not shy away from sharing their thoughts and gratitude for sisters’ and the staff’s service on various occasions:
“We know, beyond a doubt, that Mom is safe, well cared for, content, and says she is “at home” when referring to St. Joseph’s. The Administration, Nurses and absolutely wonderful staff truly know each resident as well as their families. We never feel like “visitors” when seeing Mom. It’s as if we are “at home” with her when we are at St. Joseph’s. It is truly a miracle that we found St. Joseph’s Senior Home. It has changed all our lives for the better, giving Mom dignity, independence according to her ability, and professional care 24/7. It is a blessing that our family can rest easy knowing that we have found the best place possible for her physical, cognitive, and spiritual needs
– Marcy Mason
about her mother Marcy Dipillo
Inside St. Joe’s there is a warm, pleasant atmosphere, there is no sign of sumptuous riches, but rather modest and tasteful details, often with religious overtones. The sisters devote much of their time to make sure that the decorations are well-suited to the individual preferences of each resident. The same goes for the choice of caretakers with whom many residents have established very deep, personal relationships over the years.
As we have learned from working with seniors, it turns out that they rarely have an appetite and tend to be rather fussy eaters. But here at St. Joe’s, It is difficult to resist the scrumptious scents drifting through the halls of the residence at lunchtime. The kitchen staff go out of their way each day to ensure that the food served to the residents is tasty, healthy, and catered to the tastes and needs of each resident.
Apart from the main house, St. Joe’s Senior Home is enriched with two chapels, where our residents are frequent guests, and a garden where now, during the Covid pandemic, various
events and family visits are held. Family visits play an important role here at St. Joe’s, as many relatives who visit our residents have become part of our community and remain in close contact with us and show constant support for our home even after the passing of their loved ones. In fact, they have even set up a Facebook group where all members of our community can chat and stay up to date with recent news about our facility.
As many of our residents and their relatives often point out, St. Joseph’s Senior Home offers everything there is to wish for. The sisters and the staff provide proper medical care, spiritual and emotional support, entertainment, and most importantly, a sense of safety and belonging. Thanks to the unique, warm atmosphere, the residents feel at home.
“Our sweet, loving mom called St Joseph’s her “home” and lived the most amazingly blessed life there… thank you to all the caring, loving staff & dedicated Sisters who made that possible”
-Marcy Mason
