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Nursing home residents, family, come together

MICHAEL KELLY The Marietta Times Residents, staff and visitors dance at the Thursday day-after-Valentine’s party at the Muskingum Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation in Beverly.

BEVERLY–The music was from the ’60s and ’70s, the room was busy with disco lights and the dance floor was full.

For the second year, Muskingum Valley Rehabilitation and Nursing held a party for its residents the day after Valentine’s Day.

Dressed in their Saturday night best, some swirled on the dance floor with nursing staff, friends and spouses, or the tall black-shirted DJ. Dresses sparkled as the lights flashed and balloons swayed just below the ceiling. Others watched from the crowded room, occasionally sampling the fare dished up by dietary manager Rose Tyman.

Robert Cooper, 80, was one of the observers.

“I’m enjoying this,” said Cooper, originally from St. Marys, W.Va.. “This place is very well organized.”

Cooper said arthritis kept him off the dance floor but he was happy to watch the others.

“I used to dance, but not anymore,” he said with a smile.

Cecil Draper, 69, whose wife Sue, 71, suffered strokes that put her in nursing care, was visiting her from their home in Parkersburg. She moved to Beverly from another facility in West Virginia two months ago, he said.

“I like this place, very good nursing care here,” he said. “They take very good care of her. This is the first time I’ve seen her in a dress in years.”

Cecil said they have been married for 49 years, living the entire time in the same Parkersburg house.

“I try to get out here every other day,” he said. “It gets lonely at the house without her. We had four kids in that house, and now we have eight grandchildren and seven great grandkids.”

Charlie and Judy Hart marked their 50th anniversary this year, with Charlie having lived at the facility for four years.

“I love it, it’s nice to get a chance to dress up,” Judy said. “We used to go dancing every Saturday night.”

Cherise Offenberger, at age 26 the administration, marketing and activity director for the facility, said the dance is part of a bigger program to give residents a good life.

“We really try to keep them involved, we have outings all over the place,” she said. “For this, we went all-out, a DJ and music, food. During the summer we have cookouts with a singer in the courtyard, tents and themes, like a luau. On Thanksgiving, it looked like a wedding in here.”

Offenberger is originally from Vincent and a graduate of Waterford High School. She sees people she knew growing up come to the facility for care, sometimes members of her own extended family.

Most residents are from the area, she said, making it easy to keep families involved in their lives.

The dance Thursday, she said, was especially rewarding for everyone.

“For them it’s part of being beautiful, of being loved,” she said.

About the event

¯ Muskingum Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Valentine’s party.

¯ Held on Thursday for the facility’s 48 residents, family and friends, staff.

¯ Included dinner, dresses and dancing.

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