Schervier Pavilion resident celebrates century of life

Warwick — When Johanna Zoeller Dillon was born just outside of Frankfurt, Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II had recently signed a short-lived offense and defense treaty with Tzar Nicholas II of Russia. In America, a country she would call home after age 16, it was only three years since the Wright Brothers had demonstrated that a machine could fly. And on both continents, automobiles were no longer a passing novelty, but most people still traveled by train or horse and carriage. The year was 1906. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, Johanna Dillon, a longtime Warwick resident now living at Schervier Pavilion on the Bon Secours Warwick Health Care Campus, celebrated her 100th birthday with members of her family. Although Dillon and her late husband Thomas did not have children, she had a sister living here and brothers who remained in Germany. Nieces, grand nieces, nephews and cousins, some of whom traveled from Germany for the occasion, were all on hand. There could be little doubt that Dillon, whose last name was that of her late Irish-American husband Thomas, enjoyed reminiscing about the fatherland and speaking German with her nieces and grand nieces. She also demonstrated that she still loves singing favorite songs from her childhood, like the one about the Loreley Rock on the Rhine. A niece explained that the song Dillon was singing loudly and clearly in German was one that boatmen sang as they passed the rock and the statue of a beautiful lady with long hair that sits high above the famous river. Like many people who reach 100, Dillon admits that other than a history of longevity in her family and a positive attitude, there is no particular reason that she can offer to explain her long life. She never smoked and one possibility, a nephew believes, is that she was a good cook and ate oatmeal every morning. But Dillon also enjoyed her schnapps in moderation. “I wonder what I did that God was so good to me,” she said in English. “I did go to church.” An active resident at Schervier Pavilion, “Joanna has always participated in our social activities and she has demonstrated friendliness to all our residents and staff,” said Kari Call, a certified therapy recreation specialist and director of Recreation. “Everyone is thrilled that she could celebrate this important birthday with her family.” Although it may still seem rare, the fastest growing segment of the population is actually people who have reached the age of 100 and beyond. Providing long term health care is one of the most important services offered by members of the Bon Secours Health Care System. “We provide a lifetime of care for the people in our community,” said Leah Cerkvenik, executive vice president/administrator of the Bon Secours Warwick Health Care Campus, which includes St. Anthony Community Hospital, Schervier Pavilion and Mount Alverno Center. “With our excellent hospital and medical staff and our supported living and skilled nursing facilities, we can offer our community a full range of health care services at one location right here in our hometown.” Schervier Pavilion is a 120-bed skilled nursing facility licensed by the New York State Department of Health and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation. Dedicated to the highest standard of health care excellence, its full range of services, such as its therapeutic recreational program, is designed to respond to each individual’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs. In addition to quality long-term care services, Schervier Pavilion also offers a wide range of short-term care needs, including IV therapy, rehabilitation therapy and wound care. These services afford residents the ability to recuperate for a short time in the sub-acute unit of the facility and then return to the community where they can resume a more independent life. In some cases, they can then enter Schervier Pavilion’s Day-At-A-Time, an innovative medical adult day care program that provides nursing services, medication administration, ongoing evaluations and stimulating activities, tailored to each individual’s needs and abilities.