Posts Tagged: 2018

The Plymouth Harbor Foundation awards scholarships annually to employees and, in some cases, children of employees who are seeking to further their education. This year we were able to award 16 scholarships to the following individuals, thanks to the more than 100 generous donors who have made gifts over the last few years to support this important program.

Fernando Limon
Bea Davis Memorial Scholarship ($1500)
Fernando is a busser in the dining room, and the son of Nataly Duran in our Housekeeping department. Fernando is a multi-talented man studying at State College of Florida’s nursing program. He aspires to be a Registered Nurse in the future, and wants to make a difference in people’s lives.

Allison Nahrwold
Jane T. Smiley Scholarship ($2000)
Allison is the daughter of Nancy Nahrwold, a Registered Nurse in the Smith Care Center. Allison will be attending the University of South Florida this fall, majoring in Marketing, with a minor in Apparel Merchandising. She aspires to be a fashion marketer, hopefully with Lilly Pulitzer or Vineyard Vines.

Hayden Menzies
Jeanette Gehrie Music Scholarship ($1500)
Hayden is the daughter of Danielle Menzies, operations manager in Dining Services. Hayden is in Junior High and currently plays the trombone at school. She is also a self-taught saxophonist, wishing to learn more about both instruments. Her goal is to help more people, especially girls, get interested in playing these instruments at school. She is taking lessons at Sam Ash Music in Sarasota.

Krystle Harvey
Evelin Corsey Scholarship ($1305)
Krystle is the marketing office coordinator at Plymouth Harbor. She is working toward earning a Certificate in Professional and Technical Communication at USF Sarasota-Manatee. She also holds a BS in Biology from University of Mobile, Alabama. She is adding this credential to her portfolio so that she is able to do more of what she loves in her career–communications.

Gisel (Gigi) Sanchez Jimenez
Charleen Sessions Scholarship ($2000)
Gigi is a Certified Nursing Assistant in our Home Care department. She is studying at Keiser University to earn her degree in Medical Assisting. Gigi also has the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Cuba, her native country. Coming to the United States has helped her discover a passion for the medical field, and she wishes to continue to work with older adults after she earns her degree.

Luis Santiago
Collinsworth Scholarship ($2000)
Luis was recently employed for 6 years as a houseman supervisor in our Dining Services department. He is in his last year toward earning a bachelor’s in Information Technology with a concentration in Systems Administration.

Claudia Cavero
Gaylord Nursing Scholarship ($2000)
Claudia Cavero is a Certified Nursing Assistant in our Home Care department. She is enrolled in the nursing program at Rasmussen College and plans to graduate in December as a registered nurse. Her long-term goals include earning a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing.

Melissa Berthold
Residents Association Scholarship ($2000)
Melissa is a server in Dining Services. She is enrolled in the dental hygiene program at State College of Florida. She hopes to graduate in 2021 and begin her career as a dental hygienist.

Nathan Stotler
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Nathan is a student at State College of Florida studying communications. He is the son of Kay Stotler in our Home Care department, and this is the second year Nathan has received a Foundation scholarship.

Jessica Taylor
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Jessica Taylor, daughter of Cindy Taylor in our Home Care department, is a student at State College of Florida in their pharmacy program. She plans to become a pharmacy technician. This is the second year Jessica has received a Foundation scholarship.

Dayle Cortes
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Dayle Cortes, son of Hernando Cortes (a nurse in our Smith Care Center) has been attending University of Florida Innovation Academy to pursue a marketing degree. He is undecided at this point at what path of business he will pursue with his marketing education. This is the third year Dayle has received support from the Foundation.

Vernicia (Nici) Crenshaw
Foundation Scholarship ($1500)
Nici is a server in our Dining Services department. She is in the final stages of earning her credentials as a Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound technician from Meridian College. She is currently completing her internships and will take her boards sometime this fall.

Devin Vancil
Foundation Scholarship ($1500)
Devin is the son of Fran Vancil in our Maintenance department. He is taking private violin lessons at the Allegro Music Academy. Devin is entering high school this fall, and maintains a 4.0 gpa. He was supported last year through the Gehrie Music Scholarship.

Yaima Comas
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Yaima Comas has been a Certified Nursing Assistant in our Home Care department for 8 years. She is studying Business Administration and Management, majoring in International Business and Trade at the State College of Florida. She is three semesters away from completion. Yaima had been formerly supported through the Jane T. Smiley scholarship.

Lillian Aravena-Rodriguez
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Lillian is an LPN in Smith Care Center. She is studying nursing at Manatee Technical College and plans to finish as an RN in 2019. She loves nursing, especially in the field of geriatrics and wound care.

Waverly Tanner
Foundation Scholarship ($2000)
Waverly Tanner recently worked as a server in the Smith Care Center Chart Room. She is a Pine View High School graduate who has just started at University of South Florida. She is studying Business Administration, and thinks she may pursue a career in our industry eventually.

Congratulations to Cathy Laponius
Cathy was supported last year through the Harry and Nancy Hobson Leadership Development Grant program, pursuing her Certified Dietary Manager credential. Cathy has completed her program six months early, passed the test, and is now officially a Certified Dietary Manager. Congratulations, Cathy!

Plymouth Harbor’s Earth Day Celebration
On Monday, April 23rd, from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. in the Wellness Center, the Conservation Committee invites all residents to its annual event—Celebrate Earth Day!

Light refreshments will be provided in addition to interactive, informative, and fun activities—there will be trivia, videos, prizes, giveaways, featured items from the Fund Shop, local produce vendors, complimentary chair massages, an introduction to Plymouth Harbor’s new Resident Portal, and more! Bring your reusable shopping bags, and be sure to stock up on all things Earth Day.

Earth Day History
Celebrated each year on April 22nd, Earth Day is a global holiday focused on educating the public about environmental issues. The brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI), and inspired by the student anti-Vietnam War protests of the late 1960s, Earth Day was aimed at creating a mass environmental movement. On April 22, 1970, an estimated 20 million Americans took to the streets to protest for a healthy, sustainable environment.

The first Earth Day accomplished a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city dwellers and farmers, tycoons and laborers. At the end of the year, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was formed, and the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts were passed. By 1990, Earth Day was recognized worldwide.

How Plymouth Harbor Contributes
Plymouth Harbor residents and the Conservation Committee do their part to participate in meaningful and effective conservation efforts. The committee promotes conservation of resources at Plymouth Harbor—including recycling, water, and electricity usage, which is regularly tracked and reported (2017 information will be available at this year’s Earth Day celebration.)

Additionally, when getting rid of household items, the committee strives to remind residents to consider the Resident Fund Shop or the donation collection bins located on the Ground Floor of the Tower—these four organizations (All Faiths Food Bank, Resurrection House, Sarasota County Animal Services, and Meals on Wheels) put our reusable items to good use.

We were very sad to recently say goodbye to Jim Gaylord in the Smith Care Center. Mr. Gaylord’s work life centered around the Colonel…yes, that’s Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken. He owned as many as 18 franchises during his lifetime, all in the Midwest, for which he was accustomed to many business operations. This was a big and important part of his life.

Upon his death, Jim’s wife Dee came to us and wished to make a gift to benefit the Smith Care Center, for whom she was eternally grateful for the great care Jim received. Her gift will fund an upgrade of the West Lounge in Smith Care Center to make it a functioning media center, much like the one in the new Northwest Garden Building. Her hope is that more rehab patients, guests, and long term residents will have better and more up to date access to secure internet, a printer/scanner, all in a comfortable and updated environment.

Thank you, Dee and Jim, for your generous and much appreciated vision for the Smith Care Center.

In February of 2015, a new idea was presented by the employee wellness OnBoard team that would help build strong relationships between residents and employees by bringing them together on a more personal level – enter Insights. Insights is a monthly event where a resident shares their story with employees at Plymouth Harbor on the fourth Friday of each month during January–October, from 12:00–12:30, typically in the Private Dining Room. Residents are invited to be the featured speaker, employees sign up to attend, and lunch is provided by the Plymouth Harbor Foundation. Part of the inspiration for the Insights series was the notion that, by residents sharing the paths to their remarkable lives, our employees would perhaps feel invigorated and inspired to achieve some of the things they otherwise felt were unattainable. What we have found is that there are many benefits to the series: connections, inspiration, admiration, and self-fulfillment.

The deepening of relationships that have been cultivated through these monthly connections has been noteworthy. Karen Smith, an employee in Resident Programming, has attended nearly all presentations. She shared, “…The Insights program has been tremendously valuable to me as I seek a more personal connection with our residents.” Paul Pazkowski, an eTech at Plymouth Harbor, says, “When I heard Anne Burroughs speak, I learned that it is important to have a passion in life, but you may or may not make your living at it. From Charles Gehrie’s talk I learned that many people have innovative ideas, but it takes an inventor and a team to make one successful.”

Some of the stories that are shared have deep life lessons and some are riddled with what we might consider strife, yet the storyteller found it to be part of their fulfilling journey. For instance, Sue Johnson’s story began in Manhattan, where she slept in the living room or hallway of their apartment most of her childhood. She wasn’t complaining. This was part of her life and contributed to what has made her the resilient and positive woman she is today. Reina Jay Aavri Troiano was reticent about telling her story, saying that her life was rather unremarkable. However, going through the process of reviewing her life, she found the experience to be uplifting and fulfilling, and she delivered a review of her life that was quite remarkable.

Insights is videotaped by resident Phil Starr every month, who then edits and produces a digital recording that is loaded onto our website at PlymouthHarbor.org/Category/Insights/. DVDs are produced and given to the speakers to share with their families, and a copy is placed in the Resident Library. If you are interested in telling your story through Insights, please contact Becky Pazkowski at Ext. 398.

Current Insights collection:
Charles Gehrie (March 2015)
Don and Peggy Wallace (April 2015)
Beverly and Bill Vernon (May 2015)
Jane Smiley (June 2015)
Senator Marlow Cook (July 2015)
Ted and Fran Rehl (August 2015)
Walt Mattson (September 2015)
Susan Mauntel (October 2015)
Terry and Maureen Aldrich (January 2016)
Phil and Barry Starr (February 2016)
Paul and Macky Groen (March 2016)
Tom and Marie Belcher (April 2016)
Judy Liersch and Al Jennings (May 2016)
John Goodman (June 2016)
Wendy and Jim Underwood (July 2016)
Jerry and Nancy Kaplan (August 2016)
Joe Berkely (September 2016)
Anne Burroughs (October 2016)
Lou Newman (January 2017)
Tom Elliott (February 2017)
Connie Meadows (March 2017)
Reina Jay Aavri Troiano (April 2017)
Sue Johnson (May 2017)
David Beliles (June 2017)
Connie Sanders and
Carl Koenig (July 2017)
Tom Towler and Nancy
Lyon (August 2017)

At the March 2017 Café Chat, Chair of our Board of Trustees, Dr. G. Duncan Finlay, introduced Plymouth Harbor to the Florence A. Rothman Institute (FARI), where he serves as President and CEO, and The Rothman Index.

According to Dr. Finlay, healthcare in the United States is beset by upward spiraling and financially unsustainable costs and quality that is disappointing at best. Early efforts to address this issue have had inconsistent results in terms of quality and cost measurements. These approaches are commonly patient-centered, and thus require a means to accurately measure and follow a patient’s condition at any level of care, from hospital care through skilled nursing, home health care, and assisted and independent living organizations.

The Rothman Index
This is where the Rothman Index (RI), an acuity metric developed at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, comes in. The RI is a score of a patient’s general condition that is calculated automatically from information that is routinely collected in the electronic medical records (EMR) system. The score is displayed in a graphical format that depicts the patient’s condition over time. The RI has been validated with over 30 peer-reviewed articles and is used in over 60 hospitals nation-wide. Preliminary studies in skilled nursing facilities appear to support its accuracy outside the hospital.

Plymouth Harbor’s Involvement
FARI wanted to explore if this same index could be constructed for persons living independently, and as a result, asked Plymouth Harbor residents for their participation in a trial study where patients conduct their own medical self-assessments, answering a series of questions. The study officially began on May 9, 2017, with 46 independent living participants. A total of 30 females and 16 males participated, with an average age of 83. These volunteers answered 14 ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions about possible symptoms pertaining to their own body systems.

The same self-assessment was then repeated on a second occasion separated by more than 24 hours — with an average separation time of 11 days. Then, the volunteers had a Registered Nurse independently perform a standard head-to-toe assessment for comparison.

The Results
The study was able to demonstrate significant inter-rater reliability (agreement) in 11 of the body system questions on the first pass, and in 10 questions on the second. The individual answers were consistent between the first and second answer periods.

Future plans include asking volunteers to use a handheld device, which was demonstrated at the Café Chat, to measure their own vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and oxygen levels) and then answer the same questions on a smart phone. These will be combined to create a Rothman Index score and graph, which will give a picture of each volunteer’s overall wellness during the monitoring period. Please stay tuned for more information on this future study.

In previous issues of the Harbor Light, we have largely featured residents’ involvement within the greater Sarasota community. However, there are so many ways that residents give generously of their time within Plymouth Harbor, particularly in our Smith Care Center (SCC).

Residents lend a hand in the SCC in several ways. Activity Director Judy Sarnowski stresses that she has both official and unofficial volunteers — those who may not consider themselves formal volunteers, but make a point to stop in and check in on their neighbors on a consistent basis, in one way or another. Judy stresses that no matter how big or small their time commitment, both of these types of volunteers play an important role in the lives of SCC residents.

Currently, Judy has 19 Plymouth Harbor residents on her official volunteer roster, along with six community volunteers. Together, they contribute more than 50 hours each month, helping to accomplish a large number of activities and programs that otherwise would not be possible without their time and dedication. Volunteering takes on many different forms — bingo buddies; room visits; arts and crafts; table games; seasonal decorating; distribution of communications like the Harbor Light or Weekly Flyer; and so much more. “We are blessed to have an in-house base of volunteers,” Judy says. “Because of them, we are able to increase our programming, and you can really see first-hand the positive difference in the lives of our residents.”

The most important part of working with a volunteer base is ensuring that the volunteer is doing something they truly enjoy and are passionate about. As an example, resident Jerry Kaplan began volunteering a couple years ago and indicated an interest in offering a type of current events program. Today, he holds a well-attended newspaper reading and current events discussion on Monday mornings in the SCC Living Room.

There is always a need for more volunteers, especially as we come closer to the Grand Opening of our new Assisted Living and Memory Care Residences. If you would like to learn more, or if you are interested in working in the SCC, whether that be on a regular or as-needed basis, please contact Judy at Ext. 260. As a volunteer, you will be given an informative orientation manual and asked to complete a short questionnaire in order to best match your interests and time commitment with resident need.

We thank our resident volunteers for devoting their time to enhancing the lives of their neighbors.

By: Al Balaban

Thirty years of active military duty (Army) around the world, mostly accompanied by his charming wife, Kathleen, and their three children, followed by another thirty years of a more stable civilian existence in Sarasota…and now, Plymouth Harbor. Retired Colonel Jamo Powell and Kathleen are settling comfortably into the Plymouth Harbor way of life and have been impressed (but not surprised) with the warm welcome they have enjoyed from their fellow residents, and the professional manner in which the staff has assisted them during their relocation these past several weeks.

Jamo, and yes, that is his real name, and Kathleen are originally from Texas. They became active in community activities shortly after their arrival in Sarasota almost three decades ago. Jamo became President of the Lakes Estates Homeowners Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the Military Officers Association of Sarasota, and Commodore of the Bird Key Yacht Club. Kathleen plunged into membership and chairmanship of a number of local civic, cultural, and social groups while maintaining interest in her earlier work with military wives.

They are extremely proud of their most important lifelong accomplishment — the successful raising of their three children despite the 20 moves to different cities and countries: Jennie Ellen, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy; Thomas, a graduate of West Point (and now, himself a retired Army Colonel); and Mark, a graduate of Texas A&M University, his father’s alma mater. All three children are well-settled in their careers and marriages, and have produced 14 grandchildren, to the delight of their grandparents.

While in the Army, the Powells lived a total of five years in Germany and took the opportunity to visit most of the countries in Western Europe during those years. Since retirement, they have continued to travel extensively and have visited Eastern Europe, the Far East, the mid-East, Australia, and just recently returned from a South American cruise. Cruise ships are, by far, their favorite means of taking vacations. Some 40+ at last count.

Kathleen and Jamo look forward to meeting more of their neighbors at Plymouth Harbor and participating in the many opportunities and activities that are provided for residents.

Plymouth Harbor is proud to announce Marty Martel as our new Director of Maintenance. Marty joined the Plymouth Harbor team in July 2017.

In his role as Director of Maintenance, Marty is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of Plymouth Harbor’s infrastructure, including the repair of all building functions, grounds, equipment and appliances; implementing an ongoing facility preventive maintenance program; supporting the remodeling/upgrade program; and supporting capital projects.

Prior to joining Plymouth Harbor, Marty served as Director of Engineering for Brookdale Senior Living in Sarasota. There, he was responsible for overseeing maintenance of the entire community; managing its team of technicians; maintaining building-maintenance budgets; and establishing maintenance contracts, policies, safety programs, and training.

Before that, Marty spent nearly 14 years at Post Properties, a developer and operator of multifamily communities. He served as Area Lead Engineer in their Tampa office before moving to Washington, D.C. in 2005 to serve as their Director of Property Services Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region, where he managed 10 residential communities in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and New York. Marty also served as Maintenance Supervisor and Maintenance Technician at two additional companies in Tampa, and attended Northern Virginia Community College in Manassas, Virginia.

In addition to his maintenance expertise, Marty served in the U.S. Army from 1987 until 1996. He spent seven years in Germany, five of which were spent patrolling the borders between East and West Germany. He experienced first-hand the end of the Cold War and the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Marty was also deployed during Desert Storm, and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for Valor during this conflict.

Plymouth Harbor is excited to have Marty on board, and we look forward to the continued enhancement of our maintenance program.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is among the largest public health systems in the state of Florida, offering specialties in heart, vascular, neuroscience, and cancer services, in addition to a far-reaching network of outpatient, long-term care, and rehabilitation centers and programs. That said, it is also one of Sarasota County’s largest employers, with over 5,000 employees, 900 physicians, and 600 volunteers.

There are many facets to Sarasota Memorial, which was founded in 1925 and is governed by a nine-member elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board. This is one of the only politically-elected public boards where members serve on a volunteer basis, at no cost, weighing in on major issues such as overall hospital function, its operations and challenges, real estate acquisitions and expansions, and more. Plymouth Harbor residents have served as members on this board, including John de Jongh and Tom Towler. Tom served on the board for more than nine years and resigned in January 2016. John, who has been actively involved with Sarasota Memorial and Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Inc., for many years, was appointed to fill Tom’s vacant at-large seat and served for one year.

Sarasota Memorial also depends on its hospital volunteers, who are given a variety of assignments, usually once per week on a four-hour shift basis. Resident Nancy Lyon has been a volunteer for nearly 20 years in many different capacities, alongside Tom Towler who volunteered from 1991 up until last year. Additionally, Alida de Jongh became involved several years ago, formerly working in the gift shop and now serving in the dispatch office. “We’re assigned jobs throughout the hospital, so we’re walking a lot,” Alida says. “But we’re so glad to help because it frees up the nurses for the more important jobs they need to be doing.”

Another element, mentioned previously, is the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. Established in 1976 as an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, the Foundation was formed to help raise and distribute funds to improve programs, education, and technological advancements. As such, the Healthcare Foundation may receive gifts, grants, and bequests for restricted or unrestricted funds, and expends those funds for equipment, clinical studies, research, training, education programs, and capital improvements. Resident Bill Stanford has worked with the Healthcare Foundation for close to 20 years. He currently sits on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees as Vice-Chair and formerly served as Treasurer and Chair. John de Jongh now serves on the Healthcare Foundation’s marketing and development committee, and Tom Towler also served on the board of the Foundation for nine years.

Furthermore, Sarasota Memorial’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for the ongoing review of research conducted at the hospital and protecting the rights of those who volunteer to participate in that research. It is guided by the principles set forth in the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research report, and IRB members are appointed by the President/CEO of Sarasota Memorial. Members include physicians, pharmacists, nurses, community members, legal counsel, and hospital employees. Residents Tom Towler and Barbara Balaban have served as community representatives of the IRB.

To learn more about the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, you may visit www.smh.com.

By: David Beliles

If you’re an early riser, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you may have noticed the solitary figure swimming laps in the pool at 7:00 a.m. That would be Barbara Pickrell, new resident of Plymouth Harbor, an interesting new neighbor who you should seek out and meet.

One of the many interesting facts about Barbara is the reason she’s here and how she accomplished getting here. A longtime resident of the Phoenix, Arizona, area, she began having difficulty with the air quality of the region and breathing difficulties began. She searched the internet to find areas of the nation where the quality of the air was better. She discovered that Southwest Florida, the area south of Tampa Bay and down to Fort Myers, enjoyed some of the better air in the nation. That led her to long vacations in Sanibel and Naples, and finally, Sarasota.

Following that major decision to move to Sarasota, Barbara next began research on continuing care communities in the area. She reported that that was the easy part. Plymouth Harbor stood alone as the finest in her opinion.

Born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, Barbara also lived in Boston, Los Angeles, and Paradise Valley, near Phoenix. She and her husband Hank, a successful mortgage broker, had 25 years together before his death in 1999. Barbara found travel the only release from her grief and has visited over 160 countries since Hank’s death. Most of her trips were with bird study groups, since Barbara is an avid “birder.”

Following high school and junior college, Barbara moved to L.A. and completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Cal State, L.A. After more graduate work, she became a psychologist for L.A. County Department of Hospitals and at the Aeton Rehabilitation Center. During the last four years she has also become a Spiritual Director.

Her civic experience is extensive and impressive. While living in the Phoenix area she served on the executive boards of the Arizona Opera and Homeward Bound. She also served on the Foundation for Senior Living board. Currently, she is a chalice bearer and leader of Centered Prayer at her church, All Angels by the Sea, Longboat Key.

Barbara has two stepdaughters, five grandchildren from them, and 11 great grandchildren.

In addition to swimming, Barbara enjoys dancing, adventure travel, and photography. Her apartment looks like an intimate modern art museum, with large, quality pieces lining the walls.

Posts Tagged: 2018

The Spirit of Philanthropy: Supporting Our Employees

Celebrate Earth Day! The Upcoming 49th Annual Earth Day

The Spirit of Philanthropy: Smith Care Center Receives Gaylord Gift

Inside the Insights Program

The Continuum: Rothman Index Results

Community Impact: Smith Care Center Volunteers

Resident Snapshot: Jamo and Kathleen Powell

Introducing Marty Martel, Director of Maintenance

Community Impact: Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

Resident Snapshot: Barbara Pickrell

The New Northwest Garden

Addie H., Resident since 2011

Cynda G., Resident since 2013