ROGERSONRECORD
Volume XII Issue VI
From The Desk
November 2013
A Life in Words
Of
Of President
President James
James F.
F. Seagle,
Seagle, Jr.
Jr.
“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer,
it sings because it has a song.” — Maya Angelou
A
I s we grew old together,
I became closer and
more comfortable with
my father-in-law. His career
ended with him on top of the
advertising world in New York;
but he came up in poverty like
I did. He had been a Silver Star
marine hero, an All American
swimmer and a champ at the
bridge table. The night before
he died, his friends told us he had danced with every woman at
the club and on the actual day, he collapsed at his third round of
contract bridge. I loved the guy; my best fishing buddy. The last
time I saw him, he told me that the worst part of growing old was
losing confidence. This was a stunning revelation from one of the
most confident human beings I have ever known.
Everyone suffers losses as they age; some small and others of
enormous significance. Physical ability subsides, friends and
loved ones die, that face in the mirror seems a little foreign,
not the familiar ideal. There are deficits of memory, sight and
hearing. Tasks easily accomplished formerly take more time and
seem taxing. One’s personal identification is no longer tied to an
occupation. Little wonder that confidence wanes.
Sadly, for the most part, our society performs poorly at
supporting people in late age; they are not valued. Media
stereotypes are universally negative, elders being the butt of most
jokes. The standard conception of how people perform in later
decades is terribly prejudiced. Elders are perceived to be much
worse off than is the actual case. And when true disability is
evidenced, the phrase, “I would rather be dead than be in a nursing
home” comes out. This quote comes from a person who will never
identify with a nursing home patient; no empathy there. What is
really being said is that people who reside in nursing homes might
as well be dead. The ageism shot through society is the most
virulent form of bigotry.
Continued inside
E
xpressive writing has great cognitive benefits and has
been shown to increase the working memory, decrease
distraction created by physical and emotional pain and
enhance focus on present tasks, according to research from the
Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University.
A number of things happen when we slow down and listen to
the stories elders have to share. Perhaps we find that our struggles,
joys, and process are not as generationally unique as we’d thought.
Maybe we get an age-old solution to a current problem or maybe
we simply get pleasure from sharing an important moment with
another person. Research is increasingly showing that story telling
in its written form — memoir writing or journaling — can assist
aging minds with both long- and short-term recall. Remembering
your past is not only emotionally healing, it can also strengthen
memory.
Rogerson Communities’ adult day health programs have long
Participants in the Rogerson
Roslindale Adult Day
Health Program begin a
journal project by crafting
customized books with
volunteers Randace Rauscher
Moore and Jaymz Purtle.
supported elders writing their way toward better social and mental
health through writing and journaling workshops and groups.
Anna Higgins, who leads much of this work at Rogerson, notes
“The participants very much enjoy writing about themselves,
and they all have stories that are worth knowing and honoring.
At the end of each group we read what has been written and the
level of respect and engagement is beautiful to see. Everyone is
happy to share their thoughts and stories, and they receive each
other’s words with great interest.” Anna has been a passionate
champion for the wellness of elders and believes strongly in the
benefits of writing. She adds, “I think there is something healing
about sharing their lives, and I am not sure whether it is cathartic
or simply good for them to feel taken in and heard and valued.
Continued inside
Story and photo by Islande Icart
Employees Profile:
Lyudmyla Konyk
& Aura Hernandez
B
ecause they work so well together and speak a financial
language mysterious to most staff, Lucy and Aura are
sometimes thought of as twins, if not the same
person. In truth they are two very individual accounts payable
professionals who are great at what they do, in addition to being
great friends with each other. Lucy (a nickname for Lyudmyla)
and Aura have both been at Rogerson for over six years.
Lucy came to Rogerson through an agency and then shortly
after Aura found her position through an ad on Craigslist. Lucy
received a BA while living in the Ukraine and has over 20 years
of accounting experience. Aura has over 17 years of accounts
payable experience in a variety of professional environments. On
a daily basis Lucy and Aura receive, stamp and process invoices for
Rogerson’s various properties and programs which are uniquely
assigned to each of them. Throughout the week they run transaction
reports, process checks and payments, and archive invoices.
For different reasons, both Lucy and Aura are grateful to work
at Rogerson Communities. While they both agree that plugging
in numbers may not be considered fun, they enjoy each other’s
company very much. They share an office and have created a
window garden together – though the plants come from Lucy’s
home garden and she is the green-thumb of the pair.
Lyudmyla Konyk (left) and Aura Hernandez (right) from the Accounts Payable Department
located at Rogerson Communities Administrative Offices in Roslindale.
Lucy lives South of Boston and loves gardening, needle point
and cooking. She is married, has a daughter and a son, and two
grandchildren. Lucy was once featured in a front page Boston Globe
article about the ESL program she attended every morning in the break
room before starting work at Building 19 in Norwood. Aura lives in
Boston. She has been married for many years, has a daughter and a son,
and three grandchildren. She is very committed to her church, and is
remembered fondly in her church community for the time she was doing
a reading and used an obscure (non derogatory) word by mistake. She still
laughs about it today.
Both Lucy and Aura are avid readers. Lucy dreams of going to Paris
someday, while Aura dreams of going to Spain. But while they are here in
their office in Roslindale, there is no question they are the dream team for
the rest of Rogerson’s staff.
A Life in Words (Continued)
We’ve had survivors of German concentration camps speak fairly freely about that experience and elders who grew up in the Jim Crow South
speak about long-forgotten experiences. A prompt like “Dressing Up” can get lively stories going about dressing up for church, or weddings
or funerals, with specific details about the clothing — especially hats.”
Memoir writing and journaling have become well-recognized means of providing an emotional outlet as well as important mechanisms for
capturing vital history that might otherwise be lost. The Boston Elderly Commission has been doing memoir writing with elders in recent
years and has engaged a workshop leader from New York’s Grubstreet Writer’s Workshops. But wherever and however our elders speak their
pasts, there is something powerful that shifts in their present experience. Anna Higgins shares, “These are the lives they have lived, and if
they don’t share the stories, then the stories die when they die. They have lived through amazing times and they all have a part in the shape
and tenor of those times. The sharing of their lives in this way validates that their lives are unique. And I have found that the writing process
provokes some elders to speak more openly with family members about parts of their personal or family history they’re unaware of.”
In line with Rogerson Communities’ mission of providing dignity, longevity, and vitality to all elders, we believe that writing provides a
tangible means for their past to have value in shaping the future.
Rogerson Communities’ Volunteer Receives Statewide Recognition
Congratulations to Ms. June Carter, volunteer at the Rogerson Egleston Adult Day Health
Program, for receiving the 2013 Leading Age Massachusetts Volunteer Service Award.
Ms. Carter was selected from a statewide pool of outstanding volunteers and Rogerson
Communities is honored to have been the recipient of her years of dedication and
committed service to elders.
From the Desk (Continued)
But how can the denial persist? We all have a high
probability of being in late age some time; many will
make 100 and up. We will all suffer losses and many of
the “I would rather be dead” crowd will spend time in an
institution. Isn’t it time to take the blinders off?
If we can just see ourselves in late life, and identify with
elders, they will be less alone and we will be less anxious
and angry. Contempt will wane as respect wells up.
At occasions with music, my father-in-law and I would
often lead off the dancing. The gag got people up on the
floor. Being senior, he insisted on leading — and with
confidence I might add.
Save The Date!
Rogerson Communities invites all staff to attend
Celebrate Rogerson Day
Thursday December 12th from 4-8 PM
at Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain.
Please join us for food, fun, and music.
ROGERSONRECORD
A Rogerson Communities Publication for
Rogerson Communities Employees
Email story ideas, news, or comments to news@rogerson.
Jeff Walker, Managing Editor
GERTRUDE’S JOURNAL
Gertrude Dubrovsky came to Rogerson House in 2007 and
lived there until her passing in October, 2012. She had been
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years previous to her arrival.
This accomplished author, historian, and activist wrestled with
and raged against her Alzheimer’s in a year’s worth of journal
entries that can transport the reader directly into the mind of
this amazing person as she struggled to understand and make
peace with her situation.
Ben Dubrovsky, Gertrude’s son, and Betsy Ross, Executive
Director of Rogerson House, collaborated to present Gertrude’s
Journal at the International Alzheimer’s Association Conference
this past July. Here we will share Gertrude’s first journal entry,
and comments from Betsy and Ben:
oldest question of all – Who am I!? A person who still has dreams.
I know that dreams cannot be relied upon as truth – whatever that
means. Who am I? A sentient person who dreams. Oh! Now I
know what Shakespeare meant when he wrote: “In dreams begin
reality.” Dreams are a fleeting reality. Life is just as fleeting, but
unlike dreams, there is no second chance in life, as far as I know.
So I think we must make the most of what we have now. Count
our blessings, learn from our mistakes, and meet each day with
equanimity. And I still am guided by what I have learned – i.e.
“to thine own self be true…And it must follow, as night follows
day, thou canst not then be false to anyone.” (Actually, Shakespeare
wrote “to any man,” but we are now in a different world. “Man”
no longer means “male” – “female” is often implied.)
July 8, 2007 – Gertrude’s First Journal Entry
“A new book, a new day. Today is the first day of the rest of my
life. I will try to be as honest as I can in recording my thoughts and
my memories. Sometimes I think that I only have memories and
no more original thoughts. Nor are the memories always welcome.
I cannot separate the bad from the good – the painful from the
delightful. Everything gets processed together. The poetry learned
from childhood on, comes up to haunt me. “Life is but a walking
shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage
and is heard no more.” Approaching the end, I do not feel wiser,
nor do I feel at all contented. I am determined not to go gently into
that good night, but to rage, rage against the fading of the light.
I know the limits of my power, aging does not necessarily energize, in
fact it robs me of some needed strength, and I am reminded of how
little control we poor mortals have in the trajectory of our fortunes.
But yet something in me will simply not permit me to give in to that
which I do not approve and cannot condone. It may not be my finest
hour, but I hope to be as honest as I can be, even as I live in a world
which I cannot understand. I know there are no answers, but I will
be wiser if I can, at the least, define the questions. I start with the
Betsy Ross: “…it’s clear that she’s pained by deficits she’s
unwilling to accept, but she knows full well they’re hindering
her ability to stay focused and express everything she needs.
Notably, her inability to process, separate and categorize are
evident here…”
Ben Dubrovsky: “...One of my mom’s favorite poems
was Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night.”
She always told me that one should “rage against the dying
of the light” – though her faulty memory’s substitution of
“fading” for “dying” I think also gives us insight into her
awareness. Dying is quick; fading is slow. She also displays
her characteristic stubbornness when she writes about why
she is so adamant about not admitting to herself that she has
Alzheimer’s – “Something in me will simply not permit me to
give in to that which I do not approve and cannot condone.”
Gertrude’s Journal was selected for presentation at the
2013 Alzheimer’s Association National Conference.
To see the full transcript of comments by Betsy Ross and Ben
Dubrovsky, please visit www.gertrudesjournal.com.
Human Resources Focus
Nancy Kowalski,
Director of Human Resources
W
e are quickly approaching
our annual Open
Enrollment period; in
fact, we have already heard from several
of you who have had questions about benefits for the upcoming
year. Every year, HR spends time working with our insurance
broker and benefit plan providers to review our current plans,
renewal rates and our options for the next year. We do this because
we believe that it is important to offer the best benefits that we can
to our employees.
Once open enrollment begins, you will receive your enrollment
form as well as information about the benefit plans, including
any changes that may be occurring for the New Year. As always,
your enrollment form will be pre-populated with your contact
information, emergency contacts as well as your current benefit
elections. We encourage you to review all of this information and
inform us if there are any changes to be made.
Remember that Open Enrollment is generally the only
opportunity that you have to make sweeping changes to your
benefit elections (though some exceptions may be made for certain
life events, i.e. the birth of a child, marriage or divorce, etc.) which
makes this the best time to reconsider all of your current benefit
elections. Taking advantage of Rogerson’s medical, dental or vision
plans, 403(b) retirement account and pre-tax savings accounts is a
great way to reduce your taxable income and improve your physical
and financial health.
On a similar note, the end of the year is a great time to
review your tax exemptions. You may be eligible for additional
exemptions. You can make changes to your tax withholdings at
any time of the year, so feel free to contact HR if you would like to
review or make changes to your exemptions.
Make sure you are enrolled in the right benefits. Whether you
are enrolling in new benefits, making changes to your elections
or keeping all of your benefits exactly the same, be sure to take
advantage of them. Similarly, if you elect to put money into a
Flexible Spending Account, you must use all of that money by the
end of the year, or else you will lose it. Lastly, take some time to get
to know how your benefits work so that you can make informed
decisions about what works best for your health needs and so you
can feel confident in making use of the plans you choose.
Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, HR is always
here to help. Feel free to stop by our offices, call or email Nancy at
(617) 469-5823 or [email protected], or Natasha at
(617) 469-5812 or [email protected].
Welcome Nancy AKowalski,
Healthy New Focus
New HR Director
N
ancy Kowalski comes to Rogerson Communities from
Washington, DC where she most recently served as Director of
Human Resources at a bilingual educational and community
development organization. Previous to her Human Resources
roles, Nancy worked in education and international
development, as a Faculty Advisor in Domestic and
International programs for youth and collegiate leadership in
addition to supporting communities in India, Rwanda and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nancy is a graduate of Bond University, Australia and George
Mason University where she earned a Masters of International
Relations and a Bachelor of Communications, respectively
and also is currently certified in Human Resources through
HRCI. In addition to her professional work, Nancy has
remained dedicated to her community through volunteering at
a mentorship program supporting at risk girls and also serving
on the board of City Blossoms, a non-profit supporting urban
garden education and arts.
New Hires
Jacqueline Howard – RN – Roslindale ADHP
Martin Kelleher – Food Service Manager – Rogerson House
Nancy Kowalski – Director of Human Resources – Administration
Murat Noel – Driver – Roslindale ADHP
Sophia Rashid – CNA – Rogerson House
Sandra Redish – Assistant Property Manager – Beacon House
Nataly Tzertzivadze – RN – Roslindale ADHP
Alison Whelan – Activities Coordinator – Egleston ADHP
Alzheimer’s Association 2013 Memory Walk
Team Rogerson House had more than 20 walkers, including staff, friends and
families. They raised more than $7,000 and were recognized for being one of the
top fundraising teams! Additionally, their efforts from last year's walk garnered
them further recognition and initiation into the "Elite Feet" club.