Alzheimer’s Memory Walk and Arthritis Walk

   Odd Fellows Home is very passionate about supporting the research for the cure of  inflictions ailing many elders. Join us and show your support to the Alzheimer’s Cure and the Arthritis Cure by participating in the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk and the Arthritis Walk. Both these events take place  in Worcester on the 12th of September. Some of our staff , board members and members from the Grand Lodge will be participating in the Arthritis Walk. Other staff will be participating in the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk .

   If you wish to support the Alzheimer’s cure, you can join the Odd Fellows Home Team  in the Central Massachusetts Walk starting at the Worcester Senior Center, Worcester MA  on 9/12/2010 from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm, or you can help us raise money which would go to the Alzheimer’s Association.

   Please follow the link to walk or donate:  http://memorywalk2010.kintera.org/manh/oddfellowshomema

Planting Trees

We at Odd Fellows Home of Massachusetts, Inc. are very excited about the “Tree planting projects” that we have undertaken along with Worcester Tree Initiative and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to plant trees in our grounds surrounding our main building.  Evergreen and ornamental trees like Japanese Cherry and Crab apple and shade trees like Oaks are being planted at various spots.

Inside Worcester, August 2010

Did you get a chance to see the article printed about us in the August 2010 issue of Inside Worcester Magazine?  We’re very proud to be featured inside Rod Lee’s premier publication, and offer gratitude for being given a spotlight! 

Of course, it is a distinct pleasure to have Rosemary back on the team and we’re very excited to have her with us once again. 

 Rosemary Carlson of Grafton brings a lot of experience in health care, a competitive spirit and a “tough but fair” managerial approach to her position as new administrator at the Odd Fellows Home on Randolph Road. She also brings a prior association with the skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, from 1992 to 2003-serving first as day supervisor of nursing and then as director of nursing.

  Fashionable, businesslike, focused and positive-minded, Carlson heads up a freshly minted leadership team that has Clarence Plant-Secretary of Trustees of the Odd Fellows Home-and others bursting with delight at the prospects that lie ahead. “It’s amazing. I can see changes already,” the ever-buoyant Plant said recently. 

  Carlson, whose previous stints as an administrator had been in Newton, Shrewsbury and Sterling, began her job at the Odd Fellows Home on May 26. She has quickly surrounded herself with lieutenants, some of whom she has personally hired, who are certain to strengthen her hand. These include Director of Nursing Charmaine Smith, Staff Development Director Penny Slayton, Human Resources Director Cara Philbin, Director of Admissions Sherry Mitchell and Director of Social Services, Michael Paika. 

  Jyothsna “Jo” Ramani, who handles marketing and communications for the Odd Fellows Home, is also a relatively recent addition to what is shaping up as an all-star-cast. 

  The new hierarchy, which involves several “old friends” of the home like herself came together almost by accident, Carlson says “It’s not anything that was planned in advance.  It all just fell into place.  In health care in Worcester, you never burn your bridges.”

  Carlson’s first order of business will be upping the home’s census.  “The census is too low and needs to be raised,” she said on July 12.  “It’s gone up over the past several weeks.  It was 82 (capacity is 100).  We are budgeted for 94% occupancy.  Our most important mission is to fill beds and build bridges.  There is a huge competition in Worcester County (for residents).  To be in the race, you have to be competitive and you have to have contracts.” 

  Upgrading the physical plant and instituting “culture change” to foster a more “home-like setting” are also on her to-do list.  In terms of the latter- and ongoing revolution in the health-care field – she said that the Odd Fellows Home will take “baby steps” toward achieving that goal so that it is done right. 

  With a wonderful in-house rehabilitation arm consisting of personnel who provide physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, a second floor that is dedicated to caring for people with some form of dementia and a commitment to keeping the home deficiency-free, Carlson is glad to be back at the Odd Fellows Home. 

 ”Clarence always told me when I was here, ‘you are the lifeblood of this building,’ but it’s him,” Carlson said, in humbly passing along credit for past- and future- successes.

Residents’ Van Trip – Herbert’s Candy Mansion

Some of our residents were taken to the Cruise Night event at the  Herbert’s Candy Mansion in Shrewsbury last evening. They enjoyed dinner and ice cream while taking a tour to see  some beautifully restored antique cars. Read more

Residents’ Van Trip – Worcester Tornadoes

Some of our residents were taken to watch the Worcester Tornadoes Ball game on 30th of June. It was a beautiful evening for a baseball game and our residents enjoyed the trip immensely. Here are some pictures from that evening. Read more

Meet Our New Administrator

Rosemary L. Carlson, Administrator

The Board of Trustees and the Staff of the Odd Fellows Home of MA, Inc., are delighted to welcome back Ms. Rosemary Carlson as our new Administrator. Read more