Louis J. Prues of Grosse Pointe, director of strategic planning and business development at Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, has been named by Governor Rick Snyder to the Michigan Board of Medicine as a representative of the general public. He will take the oath of office January 25. Board members serve for eight years.

The Michigan Board of Medicine is responsible for regulating the entry of physicians and surgeons into practice in the state, for requiring continuing medical education of licensed physicians and for the disciplinary action against those who violate the public health code.

Prues previously served on the Michigan Board of Nursing as an appointee of Governor John Engler.

Home Care Assistance of Michigan, Lutheran Social Services’ private duty home care provider, has begun a Hospital to Home Care program, providing resources for families managing the difficult transition home after hospitalization. The program helps families prepare for discharge and manage their post-hospitalization needs at home.

“The program is anchored in the belief that patients can recover and rehabilitate at home following a hospitalization,” said Rob Louis-Ferdinand, executive director of In-Home Services. “Our clients benefit tremendously from a familiar home environment and their families enjoy peace of mind knowing that trained professionals are on hand to support their loved ones.”

A free 16-page PDF guide to the discharge and recovery process is available at www.hospitaltohomecare.com.

Jean Skiver, 85, just never got around to being baptized. She attended a Baptist church with her first husband, and became close to the pastor’s wife. Her second husband was an active member of a Lutheran church, and she attended worship services with him but never formally joined.

Jean moved to The Terraces in Grand Rapids, which offers catered independent living for active seniors, 13 years ago. She says it’s a very caring community.

“When I moved here, I met a man who is still a friend and who was active in the chapel. I would also attend his Lutheran church in the community,” said Jean, who spent her working years as a housekeeper in a hospital and a college.

At MapleCreek, Jean enjoys the wide variety of social activities that offer fellowship with other residents. She started going to a volunteer-led Bible study Because Jean has some health problems that it hard for others to understand her, she doesn’t like to speak in group settings. She relies on her friend, Barb Bell, who also lives at MapleCreek, to be her voice, helping her to participate in activities she formerly avoided. She also began talking to MapleCreek's chaplain, Rebecca Ebb-Speese, known as Pastor Becky, about spiritual matters. Jean says she enjoys exploring issues of faith.

Early in the new year, Jean told Pastor Becky she wanted to be baptized. “I want to accept God and to feel more connected to church,” she said.  “I had my children baptized and now it’s time for me.”

Pastor Becky officiated at the ceremony and Barb Bell served as Jean's sponsor.

“My quality of life has changed since I moved to MapleCreek and started attending spiritual activities,” Jean said. “I know these are good for me. I feel better about my life.”

After witnessing Jean’s baptism, another resident came to Pastor Becky and said she’d never been baptized either, and she wanted to do it too. Her ceremony was held the following day, with all the residents in attendance serving as sponsors.

Ethel Evert called it her "rehearsal" for her 100th birthday. Ethel turned 99 on New Year's Day. A few days earlier, on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, family and friends hosted a "99" party for her in the Life Enrichment Room of The Terraces at MapleCreek. Ethel cut the cake, and Cottages resident Elizabeth Druckey held the plates. When asked what she remembered about being a little girl, Ethel told about remembering a great fire at a brick factory within walking distance of their house. She and her father went to watch the action ."The draught horses the business used to haul bricks died in the fire. I think I was about six."

Ethel was an only child. "My parents were married 10 years when I came along, so I guess they were glad to have me." She remembers riding on the Interurban, a streetcar rail system that people could ride over great distances in West Michigan, going from Grand Rapids all the way to Kalamazoo, Holland and Muskegon. "We rode on a high trestle bridge up over the Grand River, and I was so scared," she said. "I also remember my Father taking me to the Fair, maybe in Comstock Park. We rode the Interurban for that, too."

Mrs. Lou Miller turned 102 on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. In her mailbox was a letter of congratulations from Willard Scott of the "Today" show. The Terraces staff surprised Lou at lunch by entering the dining room clapping their hands, surrounding her table and singing "Happy Birthday" to her. Lou was deeply moved, but quickly recovered and began showing her usual good humor. In addition to a little cake, the staff gave her a can of beer for a little celebration on her own later. "I think first I'll put on my pajamas, get in bed, and then drink it," she joked.

Lou will tell you that the secret to long life is to always have a positive attitude. "I used to get up in the mornings, jabbering away and singing, and mother would say, 'Who put a nickel in you?' And I'd say, 'I don't know, Ma.' I guess I've always been this way." Her upbeat outlook on life has carried her through many difficult times in her life, including being widowed after 17 years of marriage and working and raising her children on her own, then caring for her dear aging mother. Still, she'll always say, "I guess I've had a good life. You take what the Lord gives you and do the best you can. But I really love it here. This really is the best place for me. Everyone is so friendly and kind and helpful, and they'll do anything for you."

Remember Alex Chivescu, the teen in foster care who starred in our video, It Started With a Letter (You can view this video on our homepage at www.lssm.org)? In order to remain in his high school until he graduated, Alex needed to find a foster home in the district, which he did by writing letters to strangers. In the video Alex jokes that he’s “a viable candidate for the next homeless-to-Harvard’ movie.” He’s now a scholarship student at Harvard – and a TV movie has been made about his experience! Called “Finding a Family,” the movie will air on the Hallmark Movie Channel on Jan. 12.

Heres a little bit about the movie "Finding A Family" from HallmarkMovieChannel.com:

"Finding a Family" is based on the true story of Alex Chivescu, a ward of the state of Michigan, who knowing he cannot be emancipated from the foster care system, searches for a new mom and dad within the school district that he believes can fulfill his lifelong dream of attending an Ivy League university. 

You can learn more about the movie by visiting HallmarkMovieChannel.com. Below you can watch a trailer for the film.

A beautiful new bus arrived at MapleCreek on Friday, Dec. 23, 2011, just in time for Christmas. It was at the top of the 2011 wish list for the senior living community.

The purchase of the bus from Holland Bus was made possible by a most generous family bequest from the late Don and Lovila Behrens, who lived their final years at MapleCreek, and their four daughters and their husbands.

Don had led fund-raising efforts for Lutheran Social Services of Michigan for 22 years, following a 36-year career in advertising. Lovela helped to start the first women’s auxiliary at MapleCreek soon after Lutheran Social Services purchased the property in late 1976. Back then, Don and Lovila would accompany and assist residents on day trips, so providing this bus has meaning for the family. “They were an inspiration,” said Doug Lachniet, director of major gifts and planned giving.

This vehicle will be a huge blessing for residents and staff, offering reliable transportation for shopping trips, outings around town, day trips, and rides between the living centers at MapleCreek. "My mother doesn't drive anymore," said a family member of a MapleCreek resident. "The bus is her link to the world, to her independence." 

We are very excited about our Lakeview's renovation. Lakeview is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation senior living community and it is getting a facelift that is well deserved. Our contractors, Elzinga & Volkers, were nice enough to put together a monthly construction update called "Inside Look". We wanted to share the progress with all you. It's a pretty interesting read and we are quite happy with the process so far. Take a look. We all look forward to the completion of this wonderful undertaking.

Click here to view the Lakeview renovation monthly construction update, "Inside Look"

Christmas is coming quickly. While buying and giving gifts is a focus for many this time of year, sometimes it’s a gift that can’t be purchased that means the most. This year, Brianna Droski, a special needs 4-year-old, has a new mom for Christmas, someone to love her and care for her no matter what.

Her grandmother, Deb Droski, 58, a former over-the-road truck driver, took in Brianna as a foster child in December 2009. With the help of Christopher Fisher, adoption case worker for Lutheran Adoption Service in Grand Rapids, Deb adopted the girl on Kent County Adoption Day, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, before Judge Daniel V. Zemaitus.

Brianna has cerebral palsy. “Brianna looks like a normal little kid,” Deb Droski said. “When we go out to a restaurant, the waitress will ask her what she wants to eat, and we have to explain that she’s tube-fed.” Brianna really needs her new mother. She has the mental capacity of a baby, can’t swallow liquids, can’t walk or bear her weight, and may always need to wear diapers. “She can’t talk,” Deb said. “She makes noises, that’s her way of talking. It was hard at first, but I understand her pretty well now.”

Last January, Brianna started going to pre-school half days at Ken O’ Sha Park Elementary School. She also has therapy two or three times a week. While Deb was a bit worried about adopting her special needs grandchild at her age, she knew she needed Brianna as much as Brianna needed her. “God brought us together for a reason,” Deb said. “She has been my rock, and I have been hers.”

Trinity Chapel at The Terraces at MapleCreek was a packed house filled with residents, staff and family members for the annual all-campus Christmas Chapel on Dec. 21, 2011. “We counted 120 people in there,” said MapleCreek’s ordained chaplain, Rev. Rebecca Ebb-Speese, also known as Pastor Becky. “That’s about as many as we can hold.”

The program featured the playing and singing of Christmas carols, along with select Bible scripture readings. “We had nine scripture readers, all but one of them MapleCreek residents,” Pastor Becky said. “The Terraces choir had 10 staff and residents who sang ‘While By Our Sheep.’ Special music was provided by the Wellers -- George, whose mother Clare lives at The Terraces, on classical guitar, and his wife Jan on recorder. The Woods Chimes choir played a beautiful hand chimes rendition of ‘Silent Night.’ Sharon Munson, MapleCreek volunteer coordinator, played the Christmas carols on the piano as everyone sang.

This year Pastor Becky added a ‘Living Nativity’ to the Christmas service. Most living nativities in churches feature kids, but this one was made up of six MapleCreek residents from The Woods (memory care) and The Lodge (skilled nursing) portraying Mary, Joseph, two shepherds and two angels. “And Woods clinical manager Deedre Vriesman’s baby, Jade, was our Baby Jesus,” said Pastor Becky.

Toward the end of the service, battery-powered candles were distributed to everyone. They provided a wonderful glow in the darkened chapel as symbols of the hope we celebrate in the birth of Christ, the light of God that has come into the world.

Every year, Hope Village residents and staff look forward to a Christmastime tradition. That's when Freda Kirby, 93, puts her animated, musical Christmas toys on display around the lobby for all to use and enjoy.

"Although she is of the Jewish faith, Freda is always the first to share the joy of the season by doing this for us," said John DeMarsh, Hope Village marketing director. 

Freda came to Hope Village in Traverse City in 2001 from Ohio, where her late husband, Harold, had been a gifted nuclear research scientist known for his work with radioactive isotopes. Freda had been a school teacher. Harold and Freda never had children, but they loved their two nieces and nephew from Elk Rapids, Michigan, like they were their own kids.

Every Christmas since Freda's arrival at Hope Village, her nephew Kenny has given her one or two of these fun toys as a tribute to her beloved husband.