About eight months ago, my dear friend Joyce Brown had a horrible fall.

She was going down her basement steps, but instead fell down the 13 steps and then the bottom on a concrete floor. Joyce doesn’t remember anything about the fall, or the transport to Pittsburgh to a Trauma Unit. There was brain damage and several fractures.

Joyce’s daughter, Pam Shockley, called me from the hospital that evening. The news did not sound good to me.

She spent about a week in the trauma unit.

Pam was kind enough to keep me up dated on Joyce’s condition regularly.

A call came one evening with joyous news, my friend Joyce was recovered enough to be moved to an extended care facility.

Since Joyce and I had volunteered at our local center, New Martinsville Care and Rehabilitation. I knew at least one thing, Joyce would not have to be concerned about where she was being transferred to. What a relief that had to have been to her.

We had been to the center so many times to visit with residents, attend their Red Hat Club meetings, and other things, but Joyce became a full time resident.

Joyce has nothing but good things to say about her care. She remained about three months in the facility.

So many times nursing care facilities get such bad things said about them. Joyce has the following things to say about her care at New Martinsville Care and Rehabilitation.

Joyce says the thing that most impressed her was the care she received during her stay. She says the aids did so much of the care-and with loving and gentle hands.

All of the employees had their assignments. The nurses, the housekeeping, dietitians, and Physical Therapy (one of the departments Joyce loved the most).

And of course, the Activities Director, Sherry Hill (Ms. Peachy Keen), does her job with lots of loving care. She has to be one of the best, if not the best, director in the world. The cleanliness of the facility was tops in this field.

As Joyce’s health conditions progressed, she moved around in a wheel chair. She met so many wonderful friends, and had long visits with them. These, I am sure, will be lasting friendships. It was more like a loving family than a health care facility.

So many activities were scheduled that the resident could have been busy all the time as their health permitted. Everything from crafts, Bingo, quilting, marbles, church, singing, entertainment, holiday parties, Red Hat club, and visiting with other residents in dining room. There was a smaller room with a large television where families could go to spent time together, even have meals with their own families.

There were special bathing facilities for those residents who could not bathe themselves. Even patients, who were paralyzed could be taken to this bathing facility.

It was obvious the staff had made it as “homey” as possible; table clothes, flowers, and holiday decorations adorned the dinning room.

Joyce feels it was a very memorable experience and if she ever had to go back, she would go back with no doubts at all. It would be like going home again.

No words can express what wonderful care that was given to my friend, Joyce Brown. I too know this because I visited her almost daily. I too would have no qualms about going to the New Martinsville Care and Rehabilitation.

I too, thank you all for taking such wonderful care of my friend.