Fifteen years ago health care choices for seniors who were in need of care were somewhat limited to either a hospital stay or going to a nursing home.
Kathy Rode, a nurse at the Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, saw that many of them could stay at home with just a little assistance.
"We wanted to offer a third option in the way of home health services, where nurses would make visits in people's homes to help them recoup after surgeries or if they needed further assistance," said Rode, founding Director of Mennonite Home Health.
Note: This story was written before the 2010 football season ended.
Playing college football, keeping tabs on 40-plus male university students, teaching high school classes, planning a wedding - all of these things are stressful by themselves. Imagine doing them all at once. Seem crazy? That's just a normal day in the life of Aaron Wladischkin.
Beckie Fish is the employee of the month at Mennonite Memorial Home. She has been employed at the Mennonite Memorial Home for five years and works as a STNA.
Beckie is a competent and caring person who attends to the needs of the elders she serves. Her supervisor has commented that she is a team player and helps other staff when needed.
Beckie has a good sense of humor and engages the elders in conversation and other activities. She is from Beaverdam.
Where are you from, what's your major at Bluffton and what year are you?
My hometown is Botkins. I graduated Anna High School in 2009 and am a junior at Bluffton University. I am majoring in communications with a minor in pre-law.
Who was the first person from Bluffton who you met?
The first person I met was Melissa Mesojec who was the Resident Advisor for Ramseyer Hall.
Photo and story by Joshua D. Stallings, Icon intern
As you walk outside with a cup of coffee, a frosty breeze hits your face and chills go down your spine as the trek for the morning paper begins. The rising sun sits on the fence slowly melting the frost off the dying grass.
For some, the morning started long before the sun was up. And instead of slippers and a robe, these people are wearing blaze orange and camouflage. Fall in northwest Ohio brings another season with it: Whitetail deer season.
