Marian Home & Village | In The Loop | November 2023

VOL. 3 | NOVEMBER 2023

A Community of Compassionate Care

Marian Home campus grows in Fort Dodge Assisted living apartments to be offered for first time Faith-based senior living options in Webster County are set to grow exponentially with the acquisition of a large nearby property by the Marian Home and Village in Fort Dodge.

Administrator Tracy Trotter recently announced the purchase of the former Villa Care Center and Cottages.

The purchase will enable the Marian Home to fasttrack plans to provide assisted living for the first time and additional independent living choices in the future. The Marian Home, directly across the street from the new Holy Trinity Catholic Church, is currently licensed for 90 nursing home beds and has 28 independent apartments.

Inside This Edition: Director of Nursing 3 Business Office Manager 3 Housekeeping 3 Maintenance/Transportation 4 Social Worker 4 From Our Kitchen 4 Activities 5

November Anniversaries: Pam Hotz 35 years Jen Castro 13 years Audra Sherman 8 years Kim Candiano 5 years Olivia Bell 3 years

“We’re just very excited about it,” Trotter said. “I think there’s a need for it and it’s going to be a lovely project.”

By Lori Berglund Special to The Lumen “We are going to demolish the Villa nursing home and reserve that area for future independent living,” Trotter said, noting the work is set to begin quickly. “We hope to have it demolished and tightened up by the end of the year.”

Eventually she expects that site to include new condominiums for senior citizens in an age appropriate setting. They would be able to tap into certain services from the Marian Home, such as transportation.

“They will be totally independent, but they will be part of our campus,” Trotter explained.

More immediately, the Village Cottages — which is actually a single building referred to as ‘the cottages’ — will undergo a transformation worthy of the high-end finishes the Marian Home utilized when it expanded its own nursing home facility and built a new chapel several years ago.

The Villa Care Center and Cottages closed earlier this year. It had been placed in receivership and was facing more than $600,000 in fines for inappropriate care. By contrast, the Marian Home has received excellent reviews regarding quality of care provided for residents. The location of the villa property made it a natural fit for expansion that has long been in the works at the Marian Home.

Located immediately east of Fort Dodge Senior High, the seven-plus acre site of the villa properties is around the corner from both Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the Marian Home.

Future plans

Plans for the site are two-fold, with a major renovation planned for the cottage property, while the troubled Villa Care Center will be torn down and the land set aside for the time being. “reprinted with permission of the Lumen”

-continued on next page

“We are going to completely redo the inside,” Trotter said of the former Villa Cottages building.

“We have to bring it up to code and we are going to refurbish everything.”

While the Villa Cottages operated with 20 units, Trotter said the renovations will take it down to 12 units.

“We are still planning to have assisted and independent living there,” Trotter said. “When we do build over there it will accommodate both levels of care. I envision certifying the whole building for assisted living, but we may have an area that is just independent living.”

As for the nursing home itself, expansion is not an option at the current time. The nursing home industry is heavily regulated and seeks to manage growth.

“Iowa has issued a moratorium on issuing nursing home bed licenses and that started July 1,” Trotter explained. “There are two waivers you can get, but it’s very hard to get either one.”

Copy

? years

As per the moratorium, if all the nursing homes in a county are at 85 percent or greater regarding occupancy and all the nursing homes in adjacent counties are at 85 percent, a waiver might be available. Nursing homes in Webster County would not qualify under this option.

While the current Marian Home apartments usually have a long waiting list for new residents, the nursing home itself operates close to capacity, but usually has a bed for someone in need.

“The rooms over there are very small,” she said.

“We want to make it more of an apartment-like setting. The rooms are going to be very spacious.”

The 12 new units will range from a single room, studio, to two rooms with a bedroom and separate bathroom, along with a kitchenette. All of the units will be classified as assisted living, meaning greater resources from the staff at the Marian Home.

“We have seen some preliminary sketches of what it’s going to look like and I think it’s going to be a great addition to the Marian Home as a whole,” Trotter said.

Marian Home officials hope to move quickly on the renovations.

“In a perfect world, the way we have it planned out, we would open sometime in 2025 to have residents move in and occupy those units,” Trotter said. “The demand out there for assisted living is pretty great.”

More growth

At the Marian Home’s current campus, there is also planned growth in the future. The facility owns a full block of residential homes immediately to its north and this year took ownership of the street that separates the homes from the current nursing home. While there is no timeline for future development on this property, it is part of the longterm plan for expansion.

2 | In the Loop

Founded by the Diocese of Sioux City in 1960, with Sister Mary Leopoldine, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Help, as its first administrator, the Marian Home has grown and extended its breath of services in its more than 60 years. Today, there are still three nuns — Sisters of the Holy Spirit from India — who work as nurses and aides, and distribute Communion to Catholic residents.

“We would love to have more sisters; they are just wonderful,” Trotter said.

The facility serves all people, regardless of faith or background. Retired priests offer the Mass in the Marian Home chapel, which also hosts regular protestant services for residents of any faith.

“We have a robust faith community here,” Trotter said.

Employees at every level seek to honor the facility’s mission: “Christ’s love for us was demonstrated by His healing of the sick; so, we must serve all men and women in charity; regardless of race, creed or ethnic background.

Safe and comprehensive care includes ministering to the physical, social, psychological, and spiritual needs of our residents, their families and their friends.”

A tall order, which the planned development seeks to fulfill for families in need.

Lori Berglund is a freelance writer from Dayton and is a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Webster County.

November is a month of gratitude and time to reflect on what we are thankful for. Science shows that expressing gratitude can boost serotonin and cause the brain to produce dopamine. Benefits include: reduced symptoms of depression; more energy; better sleep; increased sense of happiness; stronger immune system; improved selfesteem. Training our brains to see the good in our lives, creates more good in our lives

Jody Lennon | Director of Nursing

Create a habit of gratitude: Recognize something good that happened each day. Write a thank you note to someone.

Gratitude journal. Make a game of acknowledging different blessings in your lives.

As we reflect on what we are thankful for we need to reflect on an important day in November, All Saints’ Day on November 1 is holy in the Western Christian tradition,

celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church, and more. It is designed to show honor and reverence to saints both canonized and unknown, and in some faiths also to give thanks to those who have guided others to Christ, like a friend or relative. Around the world, there are many traditions woven into All Saints’ Day, from the laying of flowers on graves on November 1 to the Mexican Day of the Dead — which honors children who have passed on, on the holiday’s first day. Take time on Nov 1st to say a special prayer in honor of our Saints.

I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the time you spend with your families.

Jody Lennon

Jody Lennon, RN DON

Tracey Brownfield

Bailey Beebe

Tracey Brownfield | Housekeeping

Bailey Beebe | Business Office Manager “If your loved one is needing Notary services, we have three Notary Publics in the building! Mary Lundberg (Social Worker), Bailey Beebe (Office Manager), and Joan Meyer (Human Resources/Payroll) would love to assist in any Notary services needed. Here is how to contact them to set up an appointment Monday-Friday.

November is the last of the four months with 30 days, the other

Mary Lundberg – 515-574-5908 (mlundberg@marianhome.com)

moon.

Bailey Beebe – 515-574-5901 (bbeebe@marianhome.com) Joan Meyer – 515-574-5903 (jmeyer@marianhome.com)”

NOTARY SERVICES

months being September, April and June.

November is called the wind month because of the colder winds coming in.

The full moon this month is on the 27th, it is called the Beaver

November weather folklore: 1. If trees show buds in November, winter will last until May 2. Ice in November will bring mud in December 3. A heavy snow in November, the snow will last until April 4. November 1st is National cook for your pets day 5. November 6th is Zero Tasking Day

3 | In the Loop

Maintenance & Transportation | Travis Filloon

From the Kitchen | Rachel Pederson Nutrition and Immune System

The Maintenance & Transportation Department has been busy working on cleaning and salvaging items out the Villa Care and Villa Cottages that were recently purchased.

While the intent is to demolish the former Villa Care Center, hopefully by the first part of January, there is much work that must be done before the wrecking ball starts to swing.

Unfortunately, flooring and mastic (floor adhesive containing asbestos) was found throughout about 60% of the building.

Asbestos is required to be inspected for and removed in all commercial buildings prior to demolition. The Villa Care closed abruptly with only the very valuable or desirable items being taken before the doors were chained shut. The scene upon our arrival was almost surreal with all resident rooms intact with beds & recliners but only the people gone, dining hall tables and chairs in place ready to serve, and the offices/nurse station stocked with enough office and medical supplies/equipment in the desks to last for months!

Thus, maintenance department has had to spend dozens of hours, to remove or relocate all those nearly 100 beds, dressers, beside tables, recliners, chairs, wheelchairs, walkers, and miscellaneous personal belongings (even a carburetor and alternator in one room) so the asbestos abatement contract workers can remove the asbestos.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle at the Villa we have kept our eyes open and found several items that were worth salvaging.

We have improved the quality and quantity of our wheelchair inventory, found shelving and racks to keep our supplies better organized, and secured a few large ticket items that look to save us thousands of dollars throughout the coming years in the Maintenance and Dietary areas!

I am pleased to share that even with this extra workload, the maintenance staff (with frequent transportation driver assistance) have remained focused on keeping up with all our general maintenance repairs throughout the Marian Home and Village.

The ceiling in the Dining Hall of the Marian Village was finally completed and looks great! Though a few wall sconce lights still need fixed/replaced.

The new wheelchair lift on the Shuttle Bus has enhanced the function and safety when loading/unloading passengers.

We take pride in maintaining the condition of our facilities and always welcome your input.

On behalf of the Maintenance & Transportation Departments at the Marian Home and Village, stay safe and healthy and see you soon!

Travis

4 | In the Loop

Do you ever wonder why illness is less prevalent during the summer months? I feel there are a couple reasons for this.

When we move our activities indoors and start layering up with extra clothing, our skin is exposed to less sunlight, and we produce less Vitamin D. Vitamin D has a role beyond those of calcium and bone density. Vitamin D helps the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses, thus keeping you healthier.

The other factor that I see as the seasons change is in the foods we eat. We go from a summer diet of fresh fruits and vegetables to one of more comfort foods and sweets that are associated with the holidays. Increased sugar is a prefect environment for illness and infections to grow. The immune system is weakened when we consume foods that are more inflammatory and cause the PH of the body to become more acidic. The body will naturally try to correct this PH balance by taking calcium, potassium, magnesium and other nutrients from your bones and organs. This in turn weakens the body and the immune system, and we become more susceptible to illness.

So, what to do? As I dietitian I recommend lots of sleep, good hydration and a diet with lots of vegetables and fruits. A highquality multi-vitamin with extra Vitamin C and D is also a good plan during the winter months. Stay healthy for your loved ones this season. Don't forget your vegetables as you celebrate the holidays with your families!

Social Worker | Mary Lundberg November brings up thoughts of Thanksgiving and being thankful for what we have. Many times, I wish and would like to have this or that, however I am thankful for what I do have. As Reba McEntire says, "I have a lot to be thankful for.

I am Healthy, happy and I am loved." All though my Thanksgiving day table is going to look different this year, I am thankful for the memories that I have of the special people that are no longer with us. I hope that you each enjoy your holiday and spending time with those you love.

Christmas is also right around the corner for those that are thinking ahead and wondering about gifts to get your loved ones, I would suggest things like gift certificates to the Beauty Shop, lotion, body soap and shampoo. If you do get new clothing, please make sure that it gets marked so that we can get it back to the right person.

M A R I A N

H O M E

A N D

V I L L A G E

Please feel free to contact us in the Activity Department at any time. Our direct line is 515-574-5906 or email either of us with questions or suggestions.

Email: photz@marianhome.com or lstein@marianhome.com

From Your Activity Directors

Pam Hotz Co-Actvity Director

Happy November! How the time has flown by, I use every day I have to be Thankful. in November we have Veterans Day, we are thankful for our Veterans and what they have sacrificed for us every day. We will have Thanksgiving as families gather and reminisce while eating a big meal and watching football. Here at the Marian Home, Activities is where we can express ourselves with craft projects, socials, and many new things to keep us busy and happy throughout the week. We listen to your loved ones when they want to experience new things and we are always looking for new ways to stay busy and of course have fun while learning. We will be practicing Christmas songs for our Christmas concert in December. Watch for that upcoming concert date to be announced. As always, if there is anything we can do better please let us know anytime. Have a great November.

Pam and Laura Direct # 1-515-574-5906 photz@marianhome.com lstein@marianhome.com

A Community of Compassionate Care

Laura Stein Co-Actvity Director