Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

Wellspring Lutheran Services' Livonia Woods Campus hosted a Harvest Festival on Friday, October 27. Livonia Woods is a senior care center offering short-term rehabilitation care, respite care, long-term nursing care, and hospice care. Livonia Woods Administrator of Nursing and Rehabilitation Casendra White says both staff and residents worked together to plan the fun-filled afternoon and says, "I think it benefits the residents and their families to see that we put stock in our residents, meaning that just because you come to a long-term care facility or you come for a rehab stay that it can't be pleasant. We try to make it as home-like as possible and we try to incorporate things that you might do outside in your community and we also invited the community in to socialize with the residents."

The festival included a visit from volunteers with the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association in Detroit who brought a horse and offered free horseback rides. Youngsters from a nearby school visited with the residents and enjoyed cider and cookies. Families brought children in Halloween costumes for trick or treating at the residents' doors and a trunk or treat also took place later in the evening. Grilled hot dogs, chili, cider, donuts, and hot cocoa were part of the event along with a deejay, children's games, and a visit from Sunshine the Clown. Livonia Woods staff donated items for a rummage sale table with proceeds being set aside for residents who require financial assistance with group outings.

"We did have a bunch of residents that typically don't even come out of their room to come out and participate; they really love kids, and they came out and socialized with them as well as each other in the dining room," says White. "Hopefully, this breaks the monotony, as a lot of people just sit in front of the TV or just lay in their bed."

Livonia Woods' Santonya Owens and LInda Mitchell get in the Halloween Spirit for the center's Harvest Festival.

This year, Wellspring Lutheran Services is celebrating its 130th year serving Michigan families. Founded in Monroe to serve invalids in 1893, the organization offers senior services, family services including foster care and supportive housing, and behavioral health services including grief support for youth and adults and counseling services for all ages. Wellspring has grown steadily over the years and White explains what sets it apart from other supportive and nursing care centers. "I like it because it's a non-profit organization and they gear themselves towards patient care and patient outcomes more so than focusing on profit," she says. "We try to maintain the resident's individuality as well as try to maintain their independence." Wellspring Lutheran Services has locations throughout the state including Marquette, Sault St. Marie, and Gibraltar.

As administrator, White says she plans to have more activities which involve allowing residents to interact with community members in an engaging way. "I like to try and keep my staff engaged in community activities so we'll be putting forth a little more effort at that because we're here, we have residents that like to participate in things so we'll see how that works out going forward." To find out more about Wellspring Lutheran Services go to http://www.wellspringlutheran.com.