Ave Maria Home, in conjunction with our sister facility, St. Clare Health and Rehab continues to monitor the always changing situation with COVID-19.  We continue to follow the recommendations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as well as the CDC.  We are continuing to provide the love and concern for our residents.  Our entire staff has been working diligently to ensure our resident’s safety and to keep the virus out.  Though no plan is full proof, we have taken extreme measures to ensure our staff and residents are as safe as possible.

April 16, 2020 is National Health Care Decisions Day.  As part of our planning, Ave Maria was going to hold another workshop on “Having the Conversation” in May. Due to COVID-19, we have had to postpone our workshop until later in the year.   Our goal is to educate our residents, family members, and friends on preparing Advance Directives. <a href="https://avemariahome.org/2020/04/13/tuesday-newsday-natl-healthcare-decision-day/">Click for more info.</a>

February is Heart Month and when many of us celebrate Valentine’s Day. Give your heart something to smile about this month. Hearts are one of the most important organs in one’s body. The heart circulates an enormous amount of blood every minute. Some people say it pumps almost 2 gallons of blood throughout the body every ...

As the New Year rolls around, we all make resolutions in hopes of breathing new life into our own lives as well as those around us.  It helps us be more productive and to re-focus on those things which we believe will make us better people.

I would like to offer a few suggestions of some ways to continue the Christmas season into the New Year:

1. Get Involved! Plan time to volunteer with one of your favorite organizations. Mark it on your calendar and it will get done.
2. Get a friend to join you. There is nothing better than volunteering with an organization and having your friends involved with you.
3. Inform your friends that there is a worthwhile organization that needs their help.
4. Develop an interest within the organization where your talents can best be utilized. Don’t wait for an invitation. Everyone has skills which can help a non-profit.

Being a part of a non-profit gives a sense of well-being both mentally and physically.  Assisting a group with their mission, no matter which group, will help you build a better place in the lives of others.  There are many different organizations with many varying needs.  We all have a bit of expertise we can share with others.

5. Meet new people. When you meet new people, you improve your mental health and possibly learn and do things which may be very fun.

We hope that this brief list of resolutions is helpful.  Most importantly, do not be afraid.  Reach out to others and your life could easily be filled with joy.

Happy New Year!!!

Volunteering for an organization is a great way to help others, especially during the holidays. There are many groups throughout our community which rely on volunteers. For Ave Maria, volunteers are an integral part of our operation. Our staff and, particularly our residents, see volunteers as a benefit.

Volunteering also has been recognized as having health benefits as well as assisting those who are out of work find a job which they may enjoy. Being a volunteer can give someone job skills which they may not have had and it allows you to see an organization in a different light. You begin to know if the employees enjoy their work and how they view the organization. You get an inside look which may entice you to want to work for that group or organization.

Ave Maria needs volunteers and appreciates their value. Over the last year, Ave Maria had over 2,000 hours of volunteerism. We encourage you to be a part of our volunteer program. You will make a real difference in the lives of those we serve and care for everyday. Make it your New Years resolution. Our elders would love to see you and get to know you.

For more information about volunteering at Ave Maria, please contact Julie Trayal at 901-336-4656.

Join us for the Family Caregiver Support Group at Ave Maria Home. Learn More.

Ave Maria is pleased to welcome Brandi Calatayud, R.N., orthopedic nurse practitioner, who will be working with Ave Maria residents in need of orthopedic rehabilitation. Read more.