Miss Orene and her passion for our residents

On Christmas Day, one of our long time servers, Miss Orene, came to work looking like Santa Claus.  No, she wasn't wearing a red suit or a beard, but she did have a sack of wrapped gifts!  She had asked the supervisor to let her work in one of our Memory Care areas that day, and made pillows for all of the residents who live in our 'Gardens' area.  Being a senior herself, she understands how lonely the holidays can be for some who don't have family in the area, so she wanted to make sure the day was special for them all. 

Cheryl Naftel, CDM| Director Dining Services | Morrison Community Living| The Fountains at Franklin

Wellness Session with Holiday Flavor

This month the RDs at EHM Senior Solutions – Saline embraced the holiday season with a Christmas-themed wellness session for our residents in LTC.  Rebecca created a Gingerbread Cake for the residents to enjoy.  Follow this link for the recipe: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/gingerbread-cake.html

In addition to the delicious cake, she presented “Christmas Around the World”, discussing foods from around the world.  Residents reminisced about past Christmas celebrations with their loved ones such as making peanut butter fudge and rock cookies. 

To top it off, Rebecca prepared Egg Nog for the residents, using this recipe:

Egg nog

Most agree eggnog originated from the early medieval Britain “posset,” a hot, milky, ale-like drink. By the 13th century, monks were known to drink a posset with eggs and figs. Milk, eggs, and sherry were foods of the wealthy, so eggnog was often used in toasts to prosperity and good health.

The name remains a mystery. Some say “nog” comes from “noggin,” meaning a wooden cup, or “grog,” a strong beer. By the late 18th century, the combined term “eggnog” stuck.

Eggnog is technically stirred custard—a mixture of dairy and eggs.

Recipe

12 large chicken eggs (see note)
1 pound sugar
1 pint half n half (see the other note)
1 pint whole milk
1 pint heavy cream   
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (plus more for serving)
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Diversity and Inclusion: Banket!

Every year we create dozens of sticks of "Banket", a traditional Dutch pastry treat treasured by the members of our community.  Within the department, even our newest hires look forward to the arrival of delicious almond filled goodness from the oven, because the first batch is always meant to be shared!

Christina Bodanza CDM CDP | Morrison Community Living| Christian Rest Home

Masonic Pathways in Alma, Michigan recently celebrated Oktoberfest!

The meal highlighted traditional German fare including:

                                                                               Beef Roast

                                        (Topped with mustard, onion, bacon, and pickle)

                                                                    Roasted Red Potatoes

                                                    Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash

                                                                               Pretzel Roll

                                                            German Apple Streusel Cake

All 10 dining rooms were decorated to resemble Oktoberfest to complete the experience for residents. We had centerpieces, fun facts, and “Learn to Speak German” cards for the residents to read at each table. Overall, the meal was successful and fully enjoyed by the residents.

Danielle Cataline, RD | Director of Dining Services

Arabian Nights Reserve Dinner

Residents at Villa St. Benedict enjoyed a beautiful evening at our Arabian Nights themed reserve dinner. They enjoyed a 4 course meal  and wine pairing featuring a shrimp, tomato, and cucumber salad, chicken shawarma, spiced grilled lamb, and qataef.  

Residents were in awe looking at the beautifully decorated table with colored glass and hanging lanterns. Everyone left happy and full after this night to remember.

  

Liz Blume  |  Assistant Director

Villa St. Benedict

Celebrating the Success of Our Teams

Jacobetti

Congratulations to the Morrison Payroll accounts of the Young Region RDOs Ken Lundin, Debbie Hanchett, and Kevin McLaughlin.  

Masonic

We achieved 100% implementation of The Hospitality Experience, bringing Associate engagement and recognition to a whole new level. 

Botsford

Thanks to Jacobetti Home for Veterans, Masonic Pathways, Botsford Commons, Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Christian Rest Home, for sharing their Recognition Stations.  

IHM

 Morrison Community Living celebrates their associates!

Christian Rest Home

Christina Bodanza, Director of Dining Services

Meet the Staff at Hoosier VIllage

We have recently began highlighting one associate every week with our Meet the Staff  sign in our main dining rooms. Meet the Staff  is something new and fun for residents, guests and staff to look at in order to know a few things about who is serving them and/or creating their dish. So far, the residents and their guests have enjoyed it! 

Danielle Parks| Health Center Supervisor | Morrison Community Living | Hoosier Village Health Center

September Diversity Activity

 A big thank you and happy Labor Day to all of those at MCL for working to enrich the lives of seniors every day!

 Here at CBV staff put together thank you messages to co-workers and residents for their hard work and dedication. These messages were incorporated into a bouquet of handmade flowers and put on display in the independent living dining room for all to see!

StacyKosmen, RD, LDN| Nutrition Care Manager | Central Baptist Village

Celebration Tuesday pays back to Compass in the Community

When the team won the Celebration Tuesday competition in April, they chose to use the award money to pay-it-forward, and commissioned TeamCRH t-shirts.  We are selling these to raise money toward our annual "Walk To End Alzheimer's", sponsored by the Alzheimer's Research Association (#ENDALZ); as part of our commitment to Compass in the Community.

Way to go team!
Christina Bodanza, Director of Dining Services

French Cafe at Oakwood Common

In May a new concept was put in place in the main dining room at Oakwood Common. We sectioned off a portion of the dining room and converted it to a French themed restaurant with a French menu. The room was decorated and the food was authentic, serving French Onion Soup, Nicoise Salad, Cordon Bleu, Beef Bourgignon, Duchess Potatoes, and Strawberry filled Crepes. 

The program was a major success serving 349 meals in 17 days. Work has already begun on our next stop, China in June.

Steve Berry, Community Director of Dining Services
Morrison Senior Living
Oakwood Common

Honoring Memorial Day

In honor of all the men and women who have served this country server Sue Sarkesian created a POW-MIA-KIA table in recognition of Memorial Day.

The table is round-to show our everlasting concern for our POW's, MIA's and KIA's

The tablecloth is white-symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty

The single red rose displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the POW's, MIA's KIA's and the loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers

The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to account for our POW's, MIA's and KIA's

A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those captured, killed or missing in a foreign land

A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those captured, killed or missing and their families who seek answers

The Bible represents the strength gained though faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God

The glass is inverted to symbolize their inability to share this evening's drink

The chairs are empty to symbolize that our loved one cannot join us now

REMEMBER the true meaning of Memorial Day, Monday May 29, 2017

 Lisa Baumgartner

Assistant Director of Dining Services

Moorings of Arlington Heights

Memorial Day Snacks

 On memorial day residents, family members, and staff gathered to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Some sweet treats were made for the occasion. Patriotic cupcakes, fresh strawberries dipped in white chocolate with blue sanding sugar, and pretzels dipped in white chocolate as well. Everyone enjoyed the remembrance gathering and reflected in their own way.

“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” – President Harry S. Truman

Amy Armstrong | Assistant Director of Dining Services | Morrison Community Living |­ Evangelical Homes Sterling Heights

May’s Heirloom Resident Charlene Hickman at Huron County Medical Care Facility

HCMCF’s featured resident “chef” for the month of May was Charlene Hickman. Charlene is native to Oklahoma but recently moved to Michigan to be closer to her daughter, Andra Shier, who is the Assistant Dining Services Director at HCMCF.

With the help of her daughter, Charlene shared two of the recipes that she was famous for within her family, Apple Pandowdy and her Broccoli Cheesy Rice Casserole. The Pandowdy happens to be Andra’s favorite dessert. Charlene taught her daughter, Andra, all her cooking skills. She also shared the love and passion for creating in the kitchen, just as Charlene’s mother, Stella Hickman taught her. All the women in the Hickman family have shared many recipes in local cookbooks. Stella even cooked for “the seniors” at her local meal site up until the age of 85. It is because of this shared heritage that Andra enjoys working in the kitchen today and creating delicious desserts and decorated cakes.

 

While the residents sampled her recipes, Andra and Charlene shared family stories and keepsakes. A picture board filled with photos of Charlene was also shared. The keepsakes that Charlene brought included two Quilts handmade by Charlene’s mother, Stella and a family ring. Creative homemaking skills were passed down thru the family. Charlene’s mother, Stella was known for her quilting and knitting talent and she made many of the grandbabies and great grandbabies quilts and blankets. Charlene’s sewing skills were so impressive that most couldn’t tell whether it was designer or handmade.  Charlene sewed many outfits for her daughters including several prom and banquet dresses, FHA sweetheart gowns and Andra’s wedding dress. She could look at several different dress designs and create the dress that her girls dreamed of without any patterns needed. She had a knack for procrastination however, and was often finishing many outfits just in the nick of time. Andra even shared a wedding picture of her mother still sewing her bridal veil just before Andra walked down the aisle.

 The story behind the family heirloom ring was also shared. Charlene’s grandmother, Bessie, was given the ring in 1918 when she was 17 years old as a gift for tending to the family and farm while her parents were gone for a period of time. When Bessie had a daughter, Stella, she gave the ring to her when Stella turned 17. Stella had one daughter, Charlene to whom the ring was passed down to. Charlene ended up having two daughters and decided to have the ring split in two and gave half to each daughter when they turned 17. When it was time for Andra to pass the ring to her daughter she added birthstones of each of the women who have owned the ring, along with a handwritten story of the family ring.

The residents enjoyed hearing Charlene’s stories and seeing her keepsakes but the one who enjoyed walking down memory lane the most was Charlene herself!

Andra Shier| Assistant Director of Dining Services | Huron County Medical Care Facility

Bay County Medical Care Facility Celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

For the month of May, residents of the facility decided to have “A Meal in the Life” of Asian Pacific Islanders. We chose to make Hawaiian Fried Rice as our featured dish with fresh ingredients including ginger, garlic, onion, and peas in rice with Teriyaki chicken! We also provided a fresh ginger and lemon water as our Catch the Wave theme. Residents loved the new recipes!

Heather Gillespie | Danielle Bolzman | Rebecca Pitman | Morrison Community Living | Bay County Medical Care Facility