Hear what clients, caregivers and volunteers have to say about the wonderful services offered at St. Ann Center!

 

"What can I possibly say to express the refuge that I have found at St. Ann’s over the past weekends. I even think that I could do a commercial testifying to the personal care and concern that you and your staff have shown to my dad.  Checking once and sometimes twice for accuracy of the meds dispensed,  to the gentle care in the respite center only confirms all the wonderful things I had heard prior to his stays.  Thank you and St. Ann's for an outstanding center."  ~Kathy A.
 

 

Raymond N. is Senior Wellness unit client. He stayed in Respite while his wife was out of town.  When speaking to his wife on the phone he said, "The bed isreally comfortabl, the food is good, the service is phenomenal and I don't want to leave!"

 

 St. Ann’s was a great environment for my daughter.   It was amazing to watch her grow as she moved through the rooms.  She learned respect for herself, other children and people with various talents and challenges.  We were lucky to have a place like St. Ann’s so close to home!  ~Jeanne S.

 
“Our family has been extremely pleased with St. Ann Childcare!  The facilities are beautiful and the caregivers are high quality, loving individuals.  St. Ann Center provides children with activities that you can't find elsewhere such as swimming, music, and intergenerational activities.  Having our children exposed to people of different ages and disabilities has made them more outgoing and accepting of differences!” ~Laura M.
 
St Ann Center has been a wonderful place to send my son.  He has attended St. Ann’s for over 2 years and loves going every morning.  The staff has been very caring and understanding.  He comes home singing new songs and talking about all of the fun he had.  I could not imagine a better place to send my child each day.  Thank you to all of the amazing teachers that have touched his life!  ~Suzanne K.
 

 My son has Down syndrome and we really wanted him to learn to swim.  We really wanted him to be safe when he was around water.  Then we found one-on-one swim lessons at St. Ann Center!  After about 4 lessons he was swimming like a fish and going underwater.  He used to be so afriad to put his face in the water.  St. Ann Center was an answer to our prayers.  ~Mark J.


Our daughters have attended St. Anns Center and we could not be happier.  St. Ann's offers the unique opportunity for children to learn from and respect the elderly and disabled.  Our daughters are not fearful of others that may look at as different from themselves.  Our younger daughter was able to spend quality time with her great grandmother who attends adult day care at Shepherd House.  I can't say enough about how wonderful the St. Ann's family is. The care providers, volunteers, therapists, hair stylists, life guards, and ancillary staff all care deeply for the children (and adults) they serve.  ~ Peter and Lisa G.

 

 

 

Daycare directors/caregivers are interested in a parent's concerns, and they work hard to accommodate you and your child. They are responsive to your suggestions, and open to parent participation at meetings and feedback in general. The center closely monitors who comes in and who goes out of the child day care area. They provide a lot of activities and intergenerational time, which is important for both child and adult. ~JANE A.

 
Benevolent Touch
One of the most frustrating aspects of Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia is the impact that they have on the person’s ability to communicate including language, hearing, reading and writing. As verbal abilities are lost, the person finds it increasingly difficult to make his or her physical and emotional needs known to the person/persons providing their care. The results can vary from depression and withdrawal to agitation and aggressive behavior.

At Hospice at Home, our staff is comprised of a variety of disciplines, enabling our patients to receive the best physical, spiritual and emotional care possible. One of the ways we accomplish this is by providing the option of a Massage Therapist as part of the patient’s care team. This story is about one of our Massage Therapists and her interactions with her patient.
 
Over the course of many visits with her patient, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the Massage Therapist had grown accustomed to the only two words that were ever spoken by her patient – “chicken livers.”  She accepted them as communication and continued to provide the best comfort she could through massage therapy.
 
A Benevolent Touch workshop was provided to massage therapists at Hospice at Home so they could utilize the various techniques on some of their patients if they felt it would help. Benevolent Touch is not a form of massage, but a different technique entirely.  It provides a way to communicate with individuals who are non-verbal due to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, sensory loss or severe disabilities.  This techniquecan be used to decrease agitation and anxiety and promote relaxation.  Our Massage Therapists embraced the chance to learn another technique that could ultimately enhance the quality of life for their patients.
 
After taking the workshop, the Massage Therapist thought she would try it on this patient to see if it would help.  She arrived at the facility and was greeted by the patient with her usual “chicken livers.”  She acknowledged the greeting and proceeded to work through the different Benevolent Touch techniques she had learned.  At the end of the treatment, she was amazed to see her patient turn to her and say “thank you.”
 
“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”
~Barbara De Angelis