NC Cover Connection May 2008

By Janice Lane Palko

Part of the mission at St. Barnabas Health System is to make all of its residents feel like they are family. The caring staff, charming residences and myriad of activities and facilities make any one who lives at the area’s premier retirement community feel right at home. But there are a few residents at St. Barnabas whose family ties run a bit deeper.

Anne W. Farrell, 87, and her sister Margaret K. Mittereder, 81, as well as Margaret’s sister-in-law Florence Mittereder, 91, all reside at The Village at St. Barnabas in Gibsonia. The trio grew up in the Bloomfield section of Pittsburgh and led full and active lives.

Until 2003 each had been living in their own home—Peg in West View, Margaret in Brighton Heights and Florence in Bloomfield. Margaret is the mother of six, and it was her daughters, Mary and Judy, who broached the trio with the subject of downsizing and moving into a retirement community.

“It was getting to be too much for them looking after us in three different homes. They took us to look at many facilities,” Anne said.

“At first, I was a bit skeptical. Did I really want to do this?” Florence said, recalling the uncertainty many feel when considering making the transition to a retirement residence.

“They left the decision to us because they wanted us to be happy,” Margaret said. “We chose St. Barnabas because no other place was able to provide meals, had an indoor mall and so many activities.”

Anne moved into The Village in June of 2003, Margaret in September and Florence in October of that same year. Three interconnecting buildings comprise The Village. Margaret and Florence live in Building B, Margaret on the second floor and Florence on the third, while Anne lives in Building A and noted that her floor is very social. “We’re known as the party floor,” she said with a chuckle.

The beauty of living at St. Barnabas is that you can socialize a lot or a little—whatever suits you. And all three stressed that while they do things together, they each have their own social circle.

Anne is an exemplary model of service. She has been honored as Volunteer of the Year at St. Barnabas for two years in a row. Among her many activities are ushering at the Kean Theatre, helping with the Home Show, the 5K Run/Walk and the PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS campaign.

Margaret also stays active as an Ambassador, staffing the desk in the lobby, greeting and assisting residents as they come and go.

Florence enjoys bingo and playing cards. She often plays them with Margaret. They also enjoy attending movies at the in-house theatre located in The Village’s mall.

Among the indoor mall’s many features are a full-service bank, restaurants, convenience store, hair salon, post office, chapel and library. It runs one-third of a mile, and with the luxurious décor, it reminds one of the promenade of cruise ship! There is even a wood shop and sewing and cooking room for those creative types. “I especially like walking the mall during the winter months,” Margaret said.

St. Barnabas Health System offers a spectrum of retirement living options. The spacious, modern carriage homes at The Woodlands provide the benefits of living in a single-family dwelling without the stress of maintenance. The Arbors features four different levels of assisted living care in four residential options. St. Barnabas Nursing Home and Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas offer a host of services from post-hospitalization stays to long-term care.

The Village at St. Barnabas has 252 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and is situated on picturesque grounds suitable for leisurely strolls through the exquisitely manicured landscape complete with pond and gazebo. Across the street is The Washington Place. It offers 23 apartments designed for those individuals requiring additional assistance. The Washington Place is also the home of the Kean Theatre, a state-of-the-art venue, which hosts the finest in entertainment.

Nearby is the St. Barnabas Medical Center, which provides medical and dental care.
With so much at St. Barnabas, it’s a wonder any one ventures out, but St. Barnabas provides shuttle service to local grocery and department stores and organizes outings.
Another way St. Barnabas helps to maintain family ties is by offering on-site motel accommodations. The Village has six motel-type rooms available to be reserved by visiting family members or friends, enabling visitors to stay nearby and avoid wasting precious time on commuting from a hotel room.

While Anne, Margaret and Florence reside at The Village, Cindy Boyd, director of admissions for St .Barnabas Communities, has seen several other family groups make their home at St. Barnabas. “I’ve worked here for 10 years, and I’ve seen siblings, in-laws, and cousins move here to enjoy their golden years together.” Often times, one family member moves to one of the facilities at St. Barnabas, paving the way for others to follow. “People are so happy after moving here, they want their loved ones to have the same experience,” Boyd said.

Boyd says it is heartwarming to see family members enjoying things they did together in their younger days enjoying them once again in their retirement years. “I’ve seen brothers who played billiards in their teen years laughing like they were boys in our billiards room during a game of pool. Movies are another way to rekindle the past. As kids, many of our residents went to the movies. I’ve seen siblings coming out of our movies, reminiscing and sharing stories about movies they’d seen in their younger days,” Boyd said. “It’s as if their lives have come full circle.”

Anne Nelson, admissions coordinator for The Arbors, notes that having different levels of care available to the residents helps to preserve family ties. “We’ve had couples move to St. Barnabas, and then one of them needs more care. With all the options available, we’re able to help couples stay together,” Nelson said. St. Barnabas strives to make the residents happy in their environment. “We even had a lady who brought her grand piano with her to one of our assisted living residences,” Nelson said.

Residents without family ties need not fear moving to St. Barnabas as they will soon feel like one of the family. Margaret perhaps summed it up best: “St. Barnabas has been a good choice for all of us.”

For more information about becoming part of the St. Barnabas family, visit the website at www.stbarnabashealthsystem.com or call 724-443-0700.

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