Join us for the Dodge Park Summer 4th of July BBQ!

Please join us on July 4, 2013 at 12:00 pm for our traditional Dodge Park Rest Home 4th of July Family Cook-Out party with our residents and enjoy great food (Micha Shalev and Ben Herlinger on the BBQ), entertainment with the famous Wesley Thouin and a great desert.

Contact Kete Griesel at k.griesel@dodgepark.com.

RSVP Required by 6/28/2013

Live entertainment 12:00 – 1:30

Please join us for an afternoon of fun, music and good spirit to celebrate and welcome 4th of July 2013.

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 James J. Pagonis, Sr., 88, of Worcester died peacefully Monday, April 22nd surrounded by his loving family.

His wife of 62 years, Anna Z. (Zahara) Pagonis died in 2010. He leaves a son, James J. Pagonis, Jr. and his wife Joyce of North Tewksbury; two daughters, Mary J. wife of Ronald S. Kramek and Helen J. Pagonis-Figueroa all of Worcester; four granddaughters, Catharine M. Mysliwiec, Teresa A. Kramek, Jessica L. Pagonis and Anna M. Figueroa, a great-granddaughter, Sarah C. O’Donnell; and a great-great-granddaughter, Avery C. Coakley and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three brothers, George, John and Stanley Pagonis and a sister, Aristea Mironda.
He was born in Worcester the son of James J. and Maria (Barbaresou) Pagonis. James was a veteran of the United States Navy serving during World War II. He worked at Westborough State Hospital as the principal store keeper. Mr. Pagonis was a long time member of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, a founding member and past president of its Senior Parishioners, the Order of AHEPA, a member and a past State Executive Committeeman of the DAV #4, a member and past Chef de Guerre of the 40/8 and a member and past commander of American Legion Post 424.
The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Dodge Park Rest Home for the care and friendship extended to James during his stay there.
His funeral is Thursday, April 25th from O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue with a service at 11:00 AM in St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 102 Russell Street. Burial will follow in Hope Cemetery. Calling hours are Wednesday, April 24th from 5:00 until 8:00 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 102 Russell Street, Worcester, MA 01609.
oconnorbrothers.com

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Four Season Porch Premier a Dodge Park Rest Home Event

Join us for a Dodge Park Rest Home Event Thursday, May 2nd from 5:30 to 7:00p.m.

Entertainment by Joe Sarasin

Wine and Cheese will be served.

Please RSVP to Kate Griesel 508-853-8180 by Thursday, April 25th. Event will be at Dodge Park Rest Home, 101 Randolph Road, Worcester, MA 10160

See more Dodge Park Rest Home Events on our activity calendar.

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Born in Heath, MA, he was the son of the late Alfred H. & Jennie Marion (Rea) Martin. Alfred grew up in Newton, MA. He was trained and licensed as a Masters Electronic Technician and was self employed for many years. Alfred was the sole proprietor of Martin’s TV & Appliance formerly in Tewksbury. He resided in Ipswich, MA, for over 40 years and enjoyed fishing and boating. Alfred was a member of the Wamesit Masonic Lodge in Tewksbury, member of the Tewksbury Lions Club and was a member of the Tewksbury-Wilmington Elks Lodge.

Alfred was the devoted father of Ronald L. Martin & his wife Barbara of Nashua, NH and Deborah E. Martin of Springfield, MA; loving grandfather of Shawn, Joyce and Melody; great-grandfather of Sarah, Seth, Mackenzie and Julianna; great great-grandfather of Genevieve; dear brother of Catherine Price of Mashpee, MA and Ralph Martin of Plymouth, MA. He is also survived by his former wife, Doris M. Lalicata of West Dennis, MA.

A visitation period will be held at the Shepherd Funeral Home, 216 Main Street, (Route 106), Kingston, on Thursday, April 11, 2013, from 10:00-11:00 AM, followed by his funeral service at Shepherd Funeral Home at 11:00AM.

Interment will follow at the Hillcrest Cemetery, Route 58, Plympton.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Alfred’s memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

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It is a year today at 3 PM that my mother Nora Lajoie died at Dodge Park. As you might imagine, this is a very sad day for me as I continue to miss my mother so very much.

At the same time, I have been reflecting on so many wonderful memories and how proud I am of who my mother was and the strength and determination she exhibited in facing challenges. My reason for writing is to tell you how grateful I am for everything you and your staff did to care for and support her. I am thankful that she was in your care at the end of her life. Please give my regards to Carrie and the staff members who took such good care of my mother.

Sincerely,

Susan

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Description of Experience:
In November 2011, my Dad was age 91 with some dementia and COPD. He had been living independently in a senior citizen’s apartment complex. Some breathing difficulties led to a hospitalization. The hospital doctors determined that it would not be safe for Dad to return to his apartment. They recommended 24-hour supervision for his dementia. His COPD was still at a level that could be managed without skilled nursing.
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I toured MANY assisted living facilities with “memory units” over a large area of Massachusetts. I mean really … I considered places from Chelmsford to Leominster and out to Springfield. Even left a deposit at one place. I was still uneasy with the decision, and talked to a social worker at the hospital. She mentioned Dodge Park Rest Home and Day Club in Worcester.
I didn’t even know what a Rest Home was or how it differed from other levels of care. Yet, once I got there … to Dodge Park Rest Home … and found out everything about it, I knew it was PERFECT. It’s that feeling that comes from the gut. This is the one, I looked no further.
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My very first experience, when I inspected the property, was totally different from the other places I’d seen. There was no “Sales” or “Marketing” person. There was a NURSE. Yes, an actual nurse named Carrie, with loads of credentials and experience. Carrie is the Director of Nursing at Dodge Park Rest Home. Yet, she is not one to sit in her office. It was Carrie that walked me around the building and explained how things operate. She knows every resident and what is going on with them, she knows family members of residents, and she is hands-on involved in every situation that arises. That’s not to say the the other nurses at Dodge Park aren’t capable. Every one is professional, compassionate, highly qualified and committed to excellence. It’s just that there is constant communication at every level of care-giving. This goes from the behind-the-scenes people all the way up to the owners. I don’t mean the corporate conglomerates that own some facilities, I mean the actual 2 guys that own Dodge Park Rest Home and Day Club.
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This part still amazes me. Ben and Micah are the 2 owners of Dodge Park. The have been business partners in the health care industry for maybe 20 years. It seems that at least one of them is on-site just about all the time. And, like Carrie, they know about everything that is going on. That’s because Ben and Micah are both health care professionals in their own right. They are trained and experienced in elder care. They know about dementia. They know about COPD. They have life experiences of caring for elderly members in their own families. They’ve walked in my shoes. When Ben and Micah see the residents at Dodge Park, they see people like their own parents. They step right in and help with whatever needs doing. It is a sense of having a common purpose that is the cement bonding all the workers at Dodge Park.
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With folks like these in charge, it would make little difference to me what the building looked like. Yet the building itself at Dodge Park Rest Home is exceptionally clean and home-like. There is no “nursing home odor” whatsoever. There is no mass-produced shopping mall feeling. Instead, the resident’s rooms are cozy and comfortable. The lounging areas have wide screen TV’s and leather-like chairs and couches. The dining room is spacious and modern. There are large windows in every possible area. Every holiday brings decorations worth photographing. Art projects done by the residents are on display. And, for a patient with dementia this is very important: the residents are not confined to a “memory unit” . They can roam the entire building safely, because ALL doors are secured and monitored.
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In my research I discovered that Dodge Park Rest Home and Day Club is one of the few facilities that was “deficiency free” in a recent inspection by the state of Massachusetts. In other words, they scored 100 %. Bravo!
Member Comments:
My Dad is still living at Dodge Park Rest Home. He has been there for 16 months. I’m grateful that I didn’t opt for an assisted living facility. Dementia and COPD are progressive diseases. I have friends that put a parent in an assisted living situation only to have to move them 6 months later to skilled nursing. When Dodge Park accepts a patient into their care, it is their intention to provide care until end of life, if that’s what you wish. They can provide whatever is needed for that resident.
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I’m going to share as many details as I can, while still being respectful of my Dad’s privacy. There have been times right from the beginning when Dad’s behavior has gone well beyond what would be tolerated at any other place. Yet, at Dodge Park he is seen as no trouble whatsoever. When his dementia causes him to lash out either verbally or physically, they try new ways to approach him without agitating him. When his breathing troubles flare up, they provide instant treatment and monitor his response. When his legs get weak they provide him with a walker, then a wheelchair. All of these things are done under the supervision of their team of professionals. They have a primary care doctor, a nurse practitioner, a psychiatrist, a podiatrist and a social worker. All of these experts make regular visits to Dodge Park, and can also be summoned on an emergency basis. In addition, they have a pharmacy that sends over medicines, an x-ray technician with portable equipment to take x-rays right in the patient’s bed, a physical therapist for fitting walking aids, and I can’t leave out Lucy the hairdresser! One time my Dad broke his eyeglasses, they escorted him to Lenscrafters that same day and stayed with him for an eye exam and for new glasses to be made up. I would say that was out of the ordinary, but I’m so grateful to Dodge Park for helping to this extreme.
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One thing I find amazing about Dodge Park, and the psychiatrist they work with, is their philosophy of avoiding the use of psychiatric medications. I’m certain that Dad would be much easier to deal with if he had some major tranquilizers in his system! But they have ways of resolving the most difficult situations through human interactions. It’s not that psych meds are prohibited, just they don’t go that route unless it is very clearly necessary. If Dad puts up a fight about taking a shower, they start by visiting him an hour beforehand, talking with him in a friendly manner about other things, and then approaching the shower issue. If I hadn’t witnessed this with my own eyes, I would have said it wasn’t possible. I suspect other places might say “we can’t use up a worker’s valuable time when there is a pill that will get the same result”. Yet, my Dad and I both benefit from the Dodge Park philosophy. When I visit him he is “himself”. He’s not groggy from drugs. He’s not at risk of falling because a pill made him drowsy. They follow this principle even if it means that a resident needs one-on-one attention during every waking hour. I’m not joking! They have an army of compassionate caregivers that work as a team to accomplish this mission.
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These are the real folks that deserve my applause. I’m talking about the caregivers that help Dad throughout the day and night. They are extraordinary professional people that love their work. They provide “routine” tasks, like helping him select what to wear and getting him dressed. Or accompanying him to the bathroom. Or searching for his lost hearing aid. Or changing his soiled bedding during the night. They also do things like trim his fingernails, “fix” his electric shaver, coax him into attending whatever party is about to start, offer him beverages and snacks, and sit with him for a while. They do all of these things with a smile, sometimes while being verbally assaulted. And they do it with total respect for Dad’s own personality and dignity. Dad does have a favorite. It’s Patty. She’s the floor manager. He goes to her with some pretty wild stories and she listens to every one. She has a way of knowing just what to say, assuring him that she will take care of it. Patty is the secret weapon that the others call in when Dad refuses to cooperate. If Patty tells him it’s okay, then he’ll go along with anything. These are the kinds of skills that only come with patience and experience. Dodge Park has an atmosphere of nurturing these skills in all of their people. Even the ones that handle the laundry and clean the floors. They know my Dad by name and greet him with a smile. They greet me with a smile.
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And for me, I am at Dodge Park regularly. My visits with Dad are relaxed and friendly. I can take him out to Wendy’s for lunch or just sit and look at old photographs with him. We enjoy each other’s company in a way that could never happen if I had to coordinate his care. Perhaps this is what makes me the most grateful of all.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Consumer Reviews on Caring.com Used to Determine Best Assisted Living and Alzheimer’s Care Communities in the United States

Worcester, MA January 16, 2013 – Dodge park Rest Home is pleased to announce that it’s been named a “Caring Star” of 2013, an annual nationwide designation recognizing service excellence based on consumer ratings and reviews posted on Caring.com, the leading website for those caring for aging loved ones, with nearly two million visitors per month. In reviews from families, seniors and others concerned about assisted living and Alzheimer’s care, Dodge Park Rest Home has captured the highest possible rating of five stars on Caring.com, while also meeting other qualifying criteria for the honor.

“We appreciate that we’ve received this positive feedback from families about the services we offer, and thank Caring.com for recognizing our community as a Caring Star,” said Micha Shalev MHA, CDP, administrator/owner of Dodge Park Rest Home. “Our mission is to deliver high quality care for our residents, and this award helps demonstrate how well we’re delivering on that promise.”

Consumers across the Web increasingly use reviews to guide their selection of products and services of all kinds, and this online word-of-mouth is growing in importance in the senior care industry as well. In fact, according to May-June 2012 research by Caring.com, the web’s #1 source of senior care reviews:

• Half of family caregivers search online for senior care service providers,

• A combined 94% consider reviews trustworthy information (45%) and helpful to their search (49%); only a small minority (6%) tend not to believe them

There are currently more than 31,000 assisted living communities in the United States, according to the Assisted Living Federation of America. Only 383 assisted living and Alzheimer’s care communities nationally – representing the top 1.2% in the nation — attained the Caring Stars of 2013 status.

“We congratulate Dodge Park Rest Home for receiving this high praise from members of the Caring.com community about their service offering,” said Andy Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Caring.com “The Caring Star status is very meaningful and helpful to those seeking a local assisted living and/or an Alzheimer’s care community. In our research, we’ve found that prospective residents and their families consider word-of-mouth recommendations in online reviews among the most important factors in their search and selection process.”

The Caring Stars of 2013 list is based on consumer ratings and reviews that were posted on Caring.com between December 15, 2011 and December 1, 2012. To qualify, the community had to receive three or more reviews during this timeframe, at least one of which being a 5-star rating, an overall average rating (across all reviews) equaling greater than 4 stars, and no unresolved negative reviews. To help these exceptional Caring Stars communities stand out to families searching for care in their area, a special badge is featured on their listing in Caring.com’s assisted living or Alzheimer’s care directories, as well as in search results.

The Dodge Park Rest Home community is located at 101 Randolph Road, Worcester, MA and can be found and reviewed on Caring.com or the facility web site at www.DodgePark.com

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About Dodge Park Rest Home
Dodge Park Rest Home is a sixty (60) bed Rest Home (residential care home) providing a unique dementia care model in Worcester, MA licensed by the Department of Public Health (DPH) and it’s residents all the amenities of a modern facility combined with the quaintness of the original mansion.

Licensed nursing staff and a medical director, who are available 24-hours a day / 7-days a week, allow Dodge Park to provide a very unique level of care – more than that ordinarily found in the average assisted living facility – for those who need more care but who are not yet ready for a nursing home.

Why Choose Dodge Park Rest Home? Since Dodge Park is a Licensed Rest Home, our ability to provide care goes beyond that of area Assisted Living Facilities. Dodge Park offers: A Medical Model verses Residential Model and specialized in caring for individual’s diagnosed with memory impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

• 24-hour care with hourly checks
• Oxygen dependent residents welcomed
• DPH Licensed to insure quality care
• Medication Administration-NOT just monitoring of medication
• Special diets and food consistency needs
• Physician services 24-hours a day, 7 days a week
• Privately owned and operated
• The all-inclusive rate which does NOT increase with the level of care provided and allow people to remain at the facility when personal fund depleated.
• Many special activities including floral arrangement, exercise group, and outings to local restaurants
• Private rooms available

About Caring.com
Caring.com is the leading website for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. Caring.com offers helpful content, guidance from leading experts, a supportive online caregiving community, and the most comprehensive Senior Care Directory in the United States, with more than 31,000 consumer ratings and reviews, and a toll-free Family Advisor referral line (1-866-824-8174). In October 2010, Caring.com launched Steps & Stages, the web’s first, customizable care resource for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving, and includes a free Custom Care Guide, a stage-based weekly e-newsletter, and online support groups. Based in San Mateo, California, Caring.com is a private company funded by DCM, Intel Capital, Shasta Ventures, and Split Rock Partners.

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