Back to Life

Have you ever broken an arm?  Slipped on some ice, ended up in the hospital and spent day, months or possibly years in rehabilitation to improve your physical self?  Does your age limit your physical capabilities.  Despite the age, young or old, the nurses and staff at Grandview Health Homes are there to ensure you're able to get back on your feet and back to life. This family owned and operated facility, headed by couple Michael and Michele Boone, opened in 1979 and has provided incredible care for many years and countless years to come.

As you stroll upon the main doors, you can be reminded of entering a fancy restaurant.  One that would cause you to give a second glance at the bill.  A tan awning with the name of the business lays on the front.  A tree rests in the center of the lettering.  The Tree of Life possibly?  Two gazebos, one to your left and the other to your right, are noticeable.  Tis the season of love.  A small 'Happy Valentines Day' flag rests on the ground to the right of the walkway.  The snow and gloomy weather causes the home to not appear as vibrant, but during the spring/summer you can see flowers full of every color that splash the eyes of those who enter. (Figure 1)

Figure 1 

As you open the first set of doors you'll take notice of a waiting room, which is a true statement, but residents are observed relaxing in chairs.  Most residents are elderly and aren't able to walk extremely far.  The chairs allow them to rest up before their day continues.  The smell of a hospital enveloped the nose as you enter.  Mostly the scent of latex gloves, which isn't a truly appealing scent.  To the right is the receptionists office with a sliding glass window.  A piano lies just to the left of the office window.  Not a grand piano but a mid-size one with dark wood paneling.  Flowers are placed atop to create more striking look.

"How would you like to go play bingo?"  A conversation broke out between a nurse and resident.  Another nurse accompanied the two, but remained silent.
The resident exclaimed, "No!!"
The one nurse stated, "We know how much you like bingo.  There's other people in there waiting to play."
Once again the elderly lady said, "No."  She broke from grip of the two nurses and scurried to the right of the receptionists office; staring out the window.  The two nurses didn't chase her, but just paced normally to her location.  Tina Ignatavich, the Director of Nursing, approached the waiting room as the two nurses assisted the resident towards the bingo room.  Tina is a middle aged woman, early 40's with dark brown hair down to her shoulders and two silver earrings with hoops on the ends.  She stands an average height, roughly 5'6".

Grandview Health Homes can hold 172 residents.  The home is currently holding 146.  "Most of the residents are here for long-term purposes, but our main goal is to get them [residents] back to society," Tina stated.  Nursing homes are different today.  The purpose is to offer services that give opportunities for residents to be back home with families.  Get back to there home outside of the walls.  Yes, not all residents are able to make it back home.  Severe injuries can require full time stay at the home, and if severe enough, can claim their life.  "Death does occur and we offer comforting services to allow residents that were close with the deceased to understand what happened."  To help comfort residents on a daily basis, therapy dogs and cats roam the many halls.  Magoo, the therapy is one such dog that greets all.  The sounds of residents and employees exclaiming "Hi Magoo" is a common occurrence.  Magoo is completely covered in long, golden yellow hair with a tail that doesn't violently shake, but maintains a slow wave.  He speaks with his eyes, and the words that resonate from them are ones of encouragement. 'Everything will be okay,' are what his eyes tell us.  These animals, along with a structured physical therapy program, ensure maximum recovery to these residents.

A transitional care unit (TCU) lies down the right hallway off of the waiting room.  A big, white lettered sign on the outside wall of the building reads transitional care unit. Physical therapy sessions with trained specialists are accomplished daily to ensure recovery.  A man with a broken will strengthen himself to use that same arm again within weeks.  "We are not able to force our residents to do anything." Tina informed me.  This goes for physical therapy and daily medication.  If the resident says no, then the nurses have to comply.  Slipping medications into their food during meals occurs sometimes, not often.  "Most residents do comply, but we do have a few that give us a hard time," Tina remarked with a slight smile. Each employee and resident, along with you, the reader, has a story of great happiness.  An experience that is embedded in Tina's life involved a 93 year old man who lived by himself for 22 years when his wife passed away.  He showed up to Grandview and was depressed.  Always looking down and never up, but there's something this elderly man didn't know.  His brother and sister lived in a home right next door.  Tina set up a meeting for this gentleman, who still had no knowledge that his family lived next door.  She carefully walked him down to the home and a family reunion unfolded.  His eyes lit up and he thanked Tina for making this happen.  Still to this day he continues to say thank you when he sees her, and still visits with his family members.  The employee perspective is great.  Hearing stories and conversing about how nurses care for residents is uplifting.  Opportunities to generate conversation with residents, is equally as strong.

Leon Boyer (Figure 2), one of the 146 residents, has an addictive personality.  He wore a plaid, long sleeved shirt held up by suspenders, blue jeans and black dress shoes.  The room he lives is set up like a hospital room with beds, in this case there were four, white tile floor, a window on the back wall and a curtain to separate each cubicle.  Each cubicle has a phone, sink, and counter space for personal belongings.  Leon Boyer had no idea why he was there.  He laughed, threw his hands in the air and said "All I do is walk around.  That's it!!  I wake up and walk."  Leon lived for 72 years in Danville, PA and was a farmer.  Leon started at the age of 12 and worked with his father with grain farming.  Living on 110 acres they used horses to cultivate the land.  Leon's wife is also a resident of Grandview and he checks on her regularly, but he still wants to go back to his home.  He arrived at the facility for leg pains, which have ceased.  He strides the room to show walking is no longer a difficult task to achieve.     

Figure 2 

Grandview Health Homes, family owned and operated since 1979, have wonderful nurses that allow residents to live in a stress free environment.  There are struggles, but there are more rewards.  Being able to help a person, who might not be able to walk, get outside so they can sit with the sun warming there smiling face would be a reward.  "This job isn't for everyone.  You have to have a certain mindset to be a nurse," Tina noted.  A sign that says 'Grandview Health Homes, People Caring for People,' stands at the driveway entrance reiterating the fact that we are all people and we need people to ensure these residents get back to their lives.