Westmoreland Manor Celebrating 175 Years
By Lois Thompson
Celebrating a 175th anniversary is a pretty good indication that a facility or organization has been doing something right for a long time. That perfectly describes Westmoreland Manor.
Westmoreland Manor is a nursing home that offers complete care services, and as Jennifer Fullman explained, "We are a skilled nursing facility, and our nurses are here to provide recovery from surgical procedures. We have wound care, we have a respiratory team, we can do IVs. We also have skilled therapy such as OT, PT, and speech; we offer therapy to those who are in need of rehab services. Any condition, whether caused by an accident or something a little more long-term, we're able to provide the nursing care needed to get them moving and back on their feet."
Fullman is Director of Social Services and Admissions at Westmoreland Manor; for the latter, she and her team review referrals, making sure the appropriate level of care can be provided and residents are placed accordingly within the facility. The Social Services Dept. handles admissions, discharges, and "everything in between." She helps people adjust to community living, advocating when needed, making referrals where required, and providing education and counseling. "If you're coming in we help you adjust; if there are problems along the way we help you cope; then if you're safe to go home, we make sure you have the equipment or services you need to succeed." On the other hand, if residents are transitioning to end-of-life care, they and their families receive support during that difficult time.
“We do have a good reputation because families have continued to bring their loved ones back to us, so we’re definitely doing something right.”
Fullman is also part of the planning committee for the anniversary celebration, but as she pointed out, "Care is hard to capture and measure through photographs." With Westmoreland Manor's beginnings dating back to the mid-1800s, mementos are hard to come by, and regarding photos, Fullman said, "That can be touchy, because of confidentiality. A hundred and seventy-five years ago they weren't photographing and documenting like we are today, and if they were, it wouldn't be public material." She added, "The celebration is not so much about having an actual hard photographical journey; we're just happy to be here and be continuing to celebrate the tradition of care."
She described the plans by saying, "It will be a big party, and we're going to plan accordingly. Most celebrations include food and reminiscing, and that's what we're going to do." Fullman acknowledged that the residents, their families, and the staff will be invited, although no formal invitation will be issued. "Information will go out on social media. We'll be letting our residents and families know to come join us, come celebrate with us (the staff). We're just acknowledging the fact that we are fortunate and we've been blessed to be able to care for people for as long as we have."
Westmoreland Manor will be celebrating its 175th year of caring for the community in April 2025.
For more information, call (724) 830-4000 or visit www.westmorelandmanor.org.