By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
September 7, 2011

Marian Conklin, 87, has only lived at Glennon Place Nursing Center for four months, but she already feels at home.

I like all the people and they’re all real nice, Conklin said.

Conklin, who grew up in the small town of Gallatin, Mo., kept busy in high school, playing softball, volleyball and riding bikes.

Following high school graduation, she married her high school sweetheart and surpassed the 50th wedding anniversary mark.

When her four children grew older, she worked for 10 years at Sears department store as a baker and waitress in the attached restaurant.

Her hands toiled over fruit-filled pies, cinnamon rolls and bread on a daily basis in the stifling heat of the kitchen. But, she didn’t mind.

I think you can ignore the heat if you really like to do something, she said.

Later, she moved to Historic Northeast and said, I guess when you come from a small town and you come to the city, you just like it.

Sitting beside Conklin was her 50-year-old grandson Stephen Ballew, who boasted of his grandmother’s baking skills and sweet demeanor.

She’s a good grandmother, he said. She’s just the best. Everybody loves my grandmother.

Asked for his first impression of Glennon Place, Ballew said, The people are friendly and they treat everybody well and take good care of them. It’s nice and clean.

They take good care of her and we’re glad she’s here and we want her to stay here.

For nearly 40 years, Glennon Place, 128 N. Hardesty, has served Northeast and is licensed for 120 beds. In addition to private and semi private rooms, Glennon Place also offers fast track rehab to home rooms, which is a program designed to help residents return to their own homes as soon as possible.

Tara Brown, director of clinical evaluations for Glennon Place, said the fast track rehab to home boasts a high success rate. Available therapy to residents includes physical, occupational and speech therapy.

Our therapy department is wonderful, Brown said.

In addition to offering medical care for their residents, the nursing home also offers a variety of social activities.

Activities have included outings to Wal-Mart, the City Market, Don Bosco Senior Centers, the area casino and other attractions.

There’s always something going on, Glennon Place Activities Director Theresa Saler said.

Three times a week, residents can participate in an exercise class and there’s always a party for the holidays, Saler said.

Several musicians perform at the nursing home on a regular basis and other activities include bingo, cards, morning coffee and news, church services and the newly added Nintendo Wii.

They (residents) just love it, Saler said of the Wii. We have one guy that doesn’t participate in anything, but he’ll come to bowl (on the Wii).

They can’t get off the bowling. They don’t want baseball, they don’t want tennis, they just want to bowl.

Some residents just like to watch the action, she said.

Saler said the residents are like family and added, They’re all wonderful. I love working here.