Glennon Place Social Service Director Cheryl Powell, seated, and Director of Clinical Evaluations Malinda Langford say the staff and residents at the nursing home are like family. Emily Randall

Northeast News
Feb. 3, 2010

Over the past year, Glennon Place Nursing Home has worked to become a more integral and active partner in the Northeast community.

Malinda Langford, Glennon Place director of clinical evaluations, said the center wants to keep as many Northeast people in Northeast when they need rehabilitative and long-term care.

“Rather than most people focusing on the negative aspects happening in Northeast, we are wanting to focus on the positive,” Langford said.

The nursing home has partnered with Northeast health nonprofit NEighbor to NEighbor and with Children’s Choice Too Daycare Center, which provides children’s artwork for the seniors’ enjoyment in exchange for supplies and support.

Cheryl Powell, Glennon Place social service director and Northeast resident, said she has worked for a long time in long-term care facilities, and this is one of the best.

“I feel we’re really fortunate to have this facility in this area,” Powell said, adding although her own grandparents are no longer living, she has many adopted grandparents through the nursing center. “We’re pretty close knitted here.”

Glennon Place has been in the midst of a major renovation in recent years. Recently, five of the center’s private pay/Medicare patient rooms saw a complete upgrade with new fixtures, fresh paint and new sinks. The nursing home also recently renovated a portion of the kitchen, which Langford said hadn’t been upgraded since 1970.

“Now we are tackling our semi-private [rooms],” she said.

The center has also seen a recent decline in the turnover of staff members. Due to the economy, Langford said, there is now a waiting list for nursing aides, which means the center can pick and choose the best people.

“Our No. 1 goal is to provide the highest care,” Langford said. “Second is security. That’s one of the things I’ve been working with [the Community Action Network police officers] on.”

Ongoing special events that Glennon Place has going on include twice-monthly field trips to Walmart, an event for which they include residents from Kensington and Nolan Hall, and a visit from a beautician and Northeast’s Joe the barber every other Wednesday.

An upcoming event at the nursing home will be a Valentine’s Day party from 4-5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Seniors from the Don Bosco Center, Lawndale Heights, Kensington and Nolan Hall are invited.