Schervier Pavilion residents form Women's Club

WARWICK - Last year, at the suggestion of Schervier Pavilion’s Director of Recreation Kari Call, a group of men from both Mount Alverno Center and Schervier Pavilion decided to form their own “Men’s Club.” And, periodically since then, about a dozen or so men from both facilities can now be found gathering together to shoot the breeze, play cards or watch professional sporting events on a giant screen in the recreation room at Schervier Pavilion. “Getting together with the members of the Men’s Club is a lot better and much more fun than sitting in your room and watching a game by yourself,” said Brady Greer, a charter member. At the same time that the men were organizing their club, the women promised to follow suit. And they did. Schervier Pavilion resident Carol McCoy is the mover and shaker of the new Women’s Club. Her organization, which currently has about nine members, held its first meeting on Feb. 26. And to celebrate that event, the ladies invited Elaine Osterhoudt, an independent sales consultant for the International cosmetics firm, Mary Kay, Inc. The ladies met for about two hours in the lounge in Schervier Pavilion’s Forest Hall, where Osterhoudt treated them to a full Mary Kay party and demonstration. “This was fun,” said McCoy. “Ever since the men formed their club I knew we should do the same thing. I’m looking forward to our next meeting.” Although the meetings of both the “Men’s Club” and the “Women’s Club” are fun-filled and enjoyable social gatherings, they have another important value. “The purpose of all recreational therapy,” said Call, a certified therapy recreation specialist (CTRS), “is to restore, treat or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability.” As director of recreation, her job is to provide recreation resources and opportunities for both the long and short-term residents of the skilled nursing home in order to maintain and improve their health and well being. “Therapeutic recreation,” she added, “is essential to the quality of life and the quality of care of individuals receiving health and human services.” All programs at Schervier Pavilion are designed to meet the psychosocial and physical needs of the residents with activities that are not only enjoyable but are also intended to achieve this goal. And the fun and camaraderie generated by social organizations within Mount Alverno Center and Schervier Pavilion give everybody something to look forward to and then talk about. Additional information about Schervier Pavilion, Mount Alverno Center, Day-At-A-Time and St. Anthony Community Hospital is available on the Web at www.StAnthonyCommunityHosp.org.