Summer Fun!

With the beautiful summer weather here, there have been lots of fun events happening at Bear Hill Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. Our Bear Hill family has been reveling in the fresh air and sunshine! We took time outdoors to enjoy the warmth and admire the beauty of the season, taking in all of the beautiful flowers and the chirping of the birds.

Our residents have gotten their creative juices flowing, spending some time drawing and painting to create some beautiful pieces of art. Who knew the Bear Hill family had such a range of creative talents?

In honor of CNA week, we took the time to express our gratitude and appreciation for all of our hardworking, kind, outstanding Certified Nursing Assistants. Bear Hill wouldn’t be what it is without your help and smiles, and we’re proud to have you on our team!

We also took to the grill to celebrate the Fourth of July, with an awesome red, white, and blue BBQ that left everybody smiling and feeling proud of this great nation.

Happy Fourth of July from us to you!

Recent Celebrations 

MOTHER’S DAY

At Bear Hill we celebrated Mother’s Day in style, showing special appreciation to all of our amazing moms. Each special mom received a flower as a token of our love, and even Elvis came by to entertain our residents! We enjoyed the beautiful weather, great music, fantastic food, and the wonderful people and families.

MEMORIAL DAY

In honor of Memorial Day, we arranged a Drive-By Parade and Concert for our residents. We’re proud to be the home of active-duty veterans from WW2, Korea, and Vietnam wars. Thank you for your bravery and all that you’ve sacrificed to keep our great country the “land of the free”.

NURSING HOME WEEK

We featured a series of fun events to celebrate Nursing Home Week this year. All of us at Bear Hill enjoyed some delicious and refreshing ice cream from Sweet 16 Ice Cream, to thank our residents for making our little family so wonderful!

Our staff enjoyed a beautiful lunch together in appreciation of all that they do each day to make Bear Hill #1. Our residents were treated to another amazing concert by 99-year-old Tony, this time coming to perform a beautiful rendition of “Young at Heart.”

We had a super sweet day filled with delicious popcorn, cotton candy, and s’mores around the bonfire. Our talented residents played guitar and we all had a blast. We wrapped up Nursing Home Week with Casino Day, a Bear Hill Tradition . . . Congratulations to all of the lucky winners!

• Outdoor exercises

• Happy Hour

• Live entertainment

• Family visits

• Garden club

• Religious services

 

Once the weather changed, we once again had to adjust to the New Normal. We started having:

• Communal dining

• Bingo using social distancing.

• Family visits indoors using social distancing and infection control guidelines.

• Having religious services weekly.

• Order in day

• Happy hour carts

• Cotton candy and popcorn day

• Facetimes and zoom calls are made daily.

 

And now we are once again learning to adjust during this pandemic:

• Hallway karaoke

• Facetimes and zoom calls are made daily.

• Nourishment carts are distributed twice a day to ensure hydration.

• In-room nail care

• Hallway bingo

• One to one room visits

 

To boost morale with the staff:

• Flash mob dancing on units

• Bagel day

• Pizza day

• Raffle giveaways

Staff Behind the Mask Spotlight! MARIANNE HALAS Nurse Manager

Our beloved Nurse Manager, Marianne Halas, RN, FNP, joined Bear Hill in March 2018. Marianne has always loved and fostered an interest in science and medicine and was drawn to nursing in particular because it allows her to develop meaningful relationships and make a difference in other people’s lives. Marianne has been working diligently in her off-hours to earn her Master’s Degree and was recently credentialed as a Nurse Practitioner. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Emmanuel College and a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Simmons University School of Nursing.

Marianne has always been drawn to geriatrics. “Older people have wonderful stories to tell,” she says. “It’s nice to get to know who our residents really are, to discover the person behind the diagnosis.”

Marianne loves the folks at Bear Hill and has developed strong relationships with both staff and residents. In fact, a former resident who moved on to an assisted living facility is still in touch with her, and they recently FaceTimed.

Who is this friendly person behind the mask, anyway? Marianne grew up in nearby Lynn MA, and now lives in Beverly. She enjoys staying fit, playing tennis, rowing, and working out. She played division 3 level softball in college, and still loves to play. In fact, that’s how she met her fiancé! Engaged in July and with a wedding planned for June 2022, Marianne, who got COVID back in April, is hopeful that the pandemic will be a thing of the past by the time she’s ready to get married.

“These times are tough for residents and their families, and the nursing staff here is stepping in as a second family,” she says. “Being a nurse during such trying times makes us all stronger, as we see we can handle anything!”

GETTING INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT 

Holiday cheer is in the air here at Bear Hill! Our residents had a great time decorating our tree with Sara Rao, our Activities Director. We enjoyed music, snacks, and a visit from our pet therapy dog Georgia. 

We’d like to give a special shout-out to our pet therapy dogs Georgia (pictured to the right) and Dexter, who have always been helpful to our residents, and this year more than ever their presence has been crucial. Georgia, a local rescue who belongs to our Administrator, Stephen Buckley, visits residents two to three times a week. Dexter is another furry visitor who you’ll find in the rehab gym working with patients and residents five days a week. Thank you, Georgia and Dexter! You’re well-loved here at Bear Hill!

STONEHAM, MA — Bear Hill Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has been recognized with the Post-acute Collaborative Participation Award from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The award recognizes post-acute facilities that participate in the Collaborative and have shown dedication in improving the care stroke patients receive in the post-hospital setting.

Collaborative participants have been collecting data on stroke patients, participating in regional meetings and learning session, and participating in quality improvement activities in their facilities.

“At Bear Hill we strive to provide exceptional care to all our patients. We are proud to be working on improving the post-acute care of stroke patients. Being honored by this award emphasizes the importance of our work,” said Peg Archidiacono, RN, Director of Nursing at Bear Hill.

Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the Commonwealth, and a leading cause of adult disability. Immediate assessment and treatment is critical to help improve outcomes.

Knowing the key signs and symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately can save a life. The F.A.S.T. acronym is an easy way to remember:

• Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask the person to smile

• Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms

• Speech: Does the speech sound strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase

• Time: Time is vital: If you observe these symptoms, call 9-1-1

For more information about the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry, or about FAST and the DPH stroke awareness campaign, please visit: www.mass.gov/dph/heartstroke.

Bear Hill Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has been providing outstanding health care in the Boston area since 1983. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health designated Bear Hill as a Coverdell Post-Hospital QI Collaborative member in 2014. For more information, please contact Peg Archidiacono, RN, Director of Nursing at 781-438-8515 or via email at pega@bearhillrehab.com.

She arranged a speedy transfer with Peg Archidiacono, the facility director of nursing services. She called Archidiacono on a Monday afternoon at 4:30-4:45 p.m.

“They had one bed open,” Odian said. “I asked to look at it. I said I would be there at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. She called the other facility said ‘I would like to transfer her. Her daughter is going to bring her.'”

The move took place at 1:00 p.m. that afternoon. Since that time, Odian has nothing but praise for the facility.

“She has not cried nor asked once to go home,” said Odian, a medical secretary for North Suburban Orthopedics in Malden.

With her daughter getting married in two months, Odian took a moment to reflect on the time her mother has been at Bear Hill and the difference the staff has made in the lives of their family.

“A nurse offered to take her to the wedding,” Odian said. “I can’t say enough good things.”

Dudley lives on the first floor of the facility in the long-term care unit. She will turn 82 in September. She used to work in a school cafeteria. Her roommate is actually someone she knew years before from their hometown of Everett. The roommates each have their own TV, and Dudley has been placed by a window. Odian decorated her room with flowers. Odian and her husband, Jim Odian, take Dudley out once or twice a week.

“Part of our policy is to embrace family involvement,” said Director of Nursing Peg Archidiacono. “The families know more about patients in residency than we’ll ever know. We welcome family involvement. At a lot of functions, we invite families in.”

Doreen Odian has gotten invited to Thanksgiving dinner at Bear Hill.

“They try to do a lot of activities,” she said.

That includes group activities once a month, a New Year’s singalong and a Christmas trip to a shrine.

At Bear Hill itself, there is a dining room with a pub and grill, featuring entertainment such as accordionists, country line dancing and bingo and movie nights. The Stoneham Coin Club makes monthly visits.

The facility straddles the Stoneham-Wakefield line and, Archidiacono said, “if you have a good arm and you throw a golf ball north, it’ll land in Reading.”

She also said, “We try to prioritize the needs of folks from local communities, Stoneham, Wakefield.”

The privately-owned facility is not part of a chain. Management admits about 500 people a year and sends about 80 percent of people home after short-term stays.

“We have a very friendly, upbeat, kind and compassionate staff,” Archidiacono said. “They’re the ones that make it happen.”

Odian agrees.

“(From) the janitorial staff, the CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants), the food people, everybody, they’re so pleasant, so sweet,” she said. “They always say hello, ‘Hi, Bette.’… They have gone above and beyond for her.”

She also said, “Every single person in the place is unbelievable.”

Odian said that while her mother cannot remember something that happened five minutes ago, she can remember events that took place years ago.

“We talk about the old days, the good times,” Odian said.

Odian is her mother’s health-care proxy and has power of attorney. She applied for MassHealth to help with caring for her moth. She has one brother, who lives in Ohio. Her father died at age 56.

She said that her children and husband have been “wonderful, and also praised her niece and nephew.

“My family is there to visit her,” she said.

She also gave Bear Hill the ultimate compliment, through her mother.

“It’s like my mother called it ‘my home,'” Odian said. “Her home.”

The event featured a facility tour, a full breakfast and a program with comments by Senator Lewis, host Mr. Ring, and Tara Gregorio, Mass Senior Care Director of Government Relations.

Representative Lewis, a frequent visitor to Mass Senior Care facilities in his district, shared his views on Massachusetts health care and his belief that health care is a basic human right.  Ms. Gregorio outlined the Commonwealth’s plan to create Accountable Care Organizations and the need for a cooperative effort to reduce costs and improve quality of care by reducing unnecessary hospitalizations. She also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality nursing home care in Massachusetts.  The breakfast is one of many events hosted by Mass Senior Care members with a goal of educating and informing the public about critical senior care issues.