Dear Editor:

I would like this opportunity to sincerely thank the Sistersville (Genesis) Center for the wonderful care taken recently of our sister, Jan Boston. We are so fortunate to have this wonderful facility right here in our small city.

Before I retired, I had the ‘opportunity’ to visit multitudes of Nursing Homes and Rehabilitation Centers all over NJ and I was appalled at the conditions I was faced with. Overwhelming Urine smells, Filthy bathrooms and ‘dining rooms’, totally unkempt patients strapped in their wheelchairs, still in their nightclothes, sitting practically comatose, outside their rooms. Call button lights flashing all over and the staff drinking coffee and laughing. – I swore I would never entrust my loved ones to this horror…..and was sick when it had to be the case for my sister.

What a shock when we discovered, what Jan referred to as her “Hotel”! The employees love and care for these ‘guests’ as their own family. What a delight to see a young aide bending over to kiss an elderly’ grandma’ good-night and saying “Sleep Tight”, when no one was watching her. The facility is spotless, the care is fastidious, the staff all smiling, the patients are clean and friendly, they are free to walk to the “Cafe” to play games, Bingo, watch LARGE screen TV, or they can sit in the ‘Library’ with a wall full of books and current magazines. We enjoyed .eating in the dining room with all the sweet residents, chatting and laughing. I miss them now! They have ‘medi/pedi’ days, Hair appointments every week, Therapy, a Resident Kitty named Zoe, weekly visits with a Podiatrist, and Craft workshops. The residents are happy and enjoy having a purpose. Thank you Sistersville Center and Staff, for treating our sister as a person with feelings and for helping our brother-in-law cope with this new plateau in his life. When it was time to go home, Jan said “Why? I love it here!” and that says it all.

Sincerely,

Elaine Burger and Marilyn PuttenVink