Going Above and Beyond

Whether it’s below freezing temperatures from a Polar vortex or snow and an icy mix brought by a Nor’easter, LSMNJ personnel take seriously bad weather’s threat to those we serve. When the first significant storm of 2015 visited New Jersey at the end of January and the governor declared a state of emergency, management and staff at both Crane’s Mill in West Caldwell and Lutheran Crossings Enhanced Living at Moorestown devised plans to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. Many staff members packed their bags in anticipation of not returning home for the next couple days. Out of care and concern for their residents, these employees did whatever was necessary to maintain the excellent level of care that they are known for.

• While some furnished apartments were available as emergency lodging, staff members chose to be close to the residents and spent their night in skilled nursing beds or recliners.
• One example of how staff responded was Jerry Umali, a lead maintenance technician who joined Lutheran Crossings in 2014. He came in early and then spent many hours salting and shoveling to keep people safe. His supervisor, Ed Marshall, director of maintenance, says “Jerry just knows what to do, you don’t have to ask him.”
• At Crane’s Mill, nurses and marketing personnel enjoyed hosting in the dining rooms. To pass the long ”snowbound” hours,various staff ran activities or entertained by just being themselves and visiting with residents in the town center or other common areas. Some made house calls to residents in their apartments or cottages, while others even gave manicures.

Luckily, the storm never materialized into the “storm of the century” but this first storm of the season proved both staff and residents are well prepared with good humor and a can-do spirit to deal with whatever else the winter of 2015 may bring.