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Our Lady of Mercy Life Center in Guilderland is 16 years old. Sister Marianne Kennah, CSJ, has been running its pastoral care program for half of that time.

OLM is a skilled nursing home that serves 160 residents of all faiths. It has four units: two for long-term care, one for short-term care, one for dementia and one for rehabilitation.

Some 200 employees care for the residents, two-thirds of whom are women. Most are senior citizens, but the rehab unit has patients as young as 20.

Sister Marianne was a teacher for many years in area Catholic schools. When she decided she wanted to work with a different age group, she studied clinical pastoral education at Albany Medical Center.

Her latest calling is "not work, but a ministry," she told The Evangelist. "It is wonderful working with the elderly."

Sister Marianne coordinates OLM's spiritual activities, working closely with chaplains from local Catholic and Protestant churches and a rabbi. She brings in clergy from other faiths if there is a need.

Sister Marianne's duties include arranging for religious services for all residents and for Catholics to receive the sacraments. OLM's huge chapel has hosted weddings and baptisms as well as wakes and funerals.

"When people are dying, we are here for them and their families," Sister Marianne said. "We are similar to hospice."

The pastoral program also offers what Sister calls a "complimentary" ministry: a cart filled with items to help residents feel more relaxed. They can have hand and arm massages or try aromatherapy, focused breathing or listening to soothing music while doing guided imagery.

The pastoral care program had a DVD system installed in OLM's common areas to play music and show beautiful scenery to cheer and comfort residents.

In addition, "we work very closely with the activities people; one hand helps the other," said Sister Marianne.

Activities director Deronda Daniels agreed that the connection is important for the residents' quality of life. Ms. Daniels, a recreational therapy specialist, has been at OLM for five years, having previously worked at another nursing home and an inpatient psychiatric unit.

Despite the challenging places she has worked, Ms. Daniels is all about having fun.

"We do at least six activities a day and four or five on the weekends," she said, adding that staff lead programs all day long on the dementia unit.

Ms. Daniels hosts larger programs like concerts in the courtyard on Tuesday evenings during the summer, casino nights, Halloween parties, a Model T car show and holiday activities. This fall, residents baked apple pies and froze them for the center's Thanksgiving dinner, which feeds 450 residents and their families and employees. Residents also rolled up silverware in napkins.

For Christmas, residents and their families and staff contribute to food baskets, many of which go to needy employees, Sister Marianne noted.

"The residents also like to help with the fundraisers by stuffing envelopes," Ms. Daniels said.

The pastoral care and activities programs also connect at the start of each day, when employees gather for 15 minutes of prayer in the chapel. If employees can't attend, they ask others to say a prayer for them.

"Everyone is like family here," said Ms. Daniels.

(12/02/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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