Mount Alverno celebrates national ‘Assisted Living Week'

WARWICK-The residents of Warwick's Mount Alverno Center Adult Home always enjoy a cheerful atmosphere but during the week of Sept. 11-17 the facility's decorations were especially bright and colorful. Mount Alverno, which shares the Warwick Healthcare Campus with St. Anthony Community Hospital and Schervier Pavilion Skilled Nursing Facility, was celebrating National Assisted Living Week. And the theme of this year's annual celebration, which called for special decorations, was "A Fair to Remember." According to the National Center For Assisted Living, the week long celebration provides a unique opportunity to bring together residents, families, staff, volunteers, and the community to celebrate our elders and the services provided within assisted living and residential care communities. The organization's literature states that it selected this year's theme, A Fair to Remember, because "World state, and local fairs take us back to a better time, an easier time, a different time. A world where there were no worries - just laughter and giggles for both young and old alike." This year the staff and volunteers at Mount Alverno Center created that fair environment with colorful streamers, pennants and other party decorations. Although the official celebration didn't begin until Sunday, Sept. 11, the decorations were completed in time for the Center's annual resident/family picnic on Saturday, Sept. 10. Each day during National Assisted Living Week, residents headed to the activities room to enjoy events planned by Mount Alverno Activities Coordinator Amy Steinberg and her staff. They included Karaoke, a magic show, a spelling bee, a reading of short stories and a showing of the popular musical, "State Fair." And during a monthly meeting of the resident council which took place during the week, guests of honor included state Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt; Leah Cerkvenik, executive vice president/administrator of Warwick Health Care Campus and Kathie Deak, administrator of Mount Alverno Center. "We are grateful to everyone who helped us celebrate National Assisted Living Week," said Deak. "I'm proud of the fact that our staff makes every effort to insure that the residents enjoy an excellent quality of life and have an opportunity to participate in a variety of activities every day throughout the year. " Community involvement in both Mount Alverno Center and other facilities at the Warwick Campus has become a tradition. Other organizations like the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts and various clubs and school groups are frequent visitors. An adjacent day care center provides an opportunity for inter generational programs. And the senior citizens are always welcome at school plays and other community or church events. Mount Alverno Center, a state-approved adult home with an assisted living program, is part of the Bon Secours Charity Health System and shares a campus with St. Anthony Community Hospital and the Schervier Pavilion Skilled Nursing facility in Warwick. Additional information is available on the Web at www.StAnthonyCommunityHosp.org.