A Blog from Elder Sal Speranza...

I arrived at St. John's Home on September 13, 1976 for a brief stay for rehabilitation of a fractured shoulder.  Because the stay was longer than I expected, and my muscles atrophied, I made the decision to make it my permanent home.  St. John's has always been the best home in the Monroe County area!

One of the major changes is that people no longer think of St. John's as a place to die.  Due to us becoming an Eden Alternative facility, what was once considered "a home that was run by the stardards of the past," has changed.  With the Eden Alternative, meals on most of the floors in the South Building are prepared in the residents' dining rooms.  We are no longer called residents, but are referred to as elders.  Stoves have been put on every floor so if staff or families want to prepare a meal for elders, they can do so. 

The next major change will be in November 2009.  Two Green House homes will be built in the area.  There will be 10 elders who wish to transfer to them.  Staff will consist of persons referred to as Shahbaz.  The Shahbaz duties will vary.  They will do the hands-on personal care of the elders, the cooking of the meals, the laundry and other duties that they're asked to do from time to time.  The elders will have a large room to live in.  The elders and staff will share the meal times together at a long table.  Activities will revolve around what the elders wish to do.  Elders with the help of staff and people in the community will be able to go to the church of their faith, go to the hairdresser or barber shop, go to restaurants in the area and to the closest movie theater.