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Alzheimer’s/Dementia Monthly Caregiver Support Group
Free Alzheimer’s/Dementia Monthly Caregiver Support Group
St. Catherine’s Village will be hosting an Alzheimer’s/Dementia Caregiver
Support Group on the fourth Wednesday of each month
11:00 am-12:30 pm at Campbell Cove
Lunch provided
Call (601) 856-0123 or email cynthia.armstrong@fmolhs.org
St. Catherine’s Village’s Charlene Cotton Named June 2022 Franciscan Service Award Recipient
Top photo: pictured from left to right: Lisa Wilburn, Charlene Cotten, Barbara Dorr and Sister Dorothea Sondgeroth
Charlene is the first FSA recipient from St. Catherine’s Village
Pictured from left to right: Charlene Cotten and Jill Hisaw
(Madison, Mississippi)—Charlene Cotten is known for being the face of St. Catherine’s Village. As an Administrative Assistant, Charlene feels her job is a calling from God and always works diligently to meet the needs of residents at the Village.
“Charlene knows everyone’s name,” said St. Catherine’s Village resident Barbara Dorr, who nominated Charlene for the Franciscan Service Award. “She has worked at St. Catherine’s for many years, and residents and families seek her out specifically to share concerns and come up with solutions. She dearly loves the residents and goes to great lengths for them.”
Co-worker Sherry Milner said Charlene is very protective of the residents and treats them all as members of her own family. “I have seen her protect the dignity of residents by wrapping deliveries of healthcare items so that others wouldn’t know what they were carrying to their apartments,” she said. “I’ve seen her assist them with mail and packages to be sure they were able to transport them safely. She is quick to listen and offers encouragement to both residents, caregivers and other team members. She often prays for those around her and calls to follow up to be sure they are doing well.”
Thank you, Charlene, for the calming comfort and care you provide for the many residents at St. Catherine’s Village!
Pictured: Charlene Cotten
Information about the award:
Franciscan Service Award
The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, a gentle saint who left a life of riches to preach the Gospel and serve the sick and needy.
In 1911, six Sisters journeyed to Louisiana from France to begin a healthcare ministry in the United States. Today, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady continue to serve the people of Louisiana and Mississippi through the facilities and team members of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System.
Since the 12th century, the history of the Sisters is a story of faithfulness to following God’s call to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ no matter where their call led.
It is within this context of the living tradition of St. Francis that the Franciscan Service Award (FSA) has been established. This award is designed to recognize employees whose exceptional service to patients, family members, coworkers and community goes above and beyond the call of duty. This prestigious award gives employees a chance to recognize the outstanding performance and dedication of a coworker.
The FSA is the highest award a FMOLHS team member can receive. Selection is based on how well the team member who is nominated lives up to our Mission and Core Values – Service, Reverance and Love for all of Life, Justice, Humility and Joyfulness of Spirit.
Through a defined procedure, team members who have demonstrated the highest commitment to living our Mission will be eligible to be considered for the Franciscan Service Award. Eligibility is dependent on the team member routinely exemplifying the FMOLHS Core Values and Behaviors as recognized by peers through a ministry-wide nomination process.
As Madison’s preeminent all-inclusive Life Plan Community, St. Catherine’s Village provides the right care at the right time for those in their retirement years. To learn more about St. Catherine’s Village, log onto www.StCatherinesVillage.com or call (601) 856-0123 to schedule a tour. Follow St. Catherine’s Village on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StCatherinesVillage/.
Two Generations Find Their Home At St. Catherine’s Village Life Plan Community
From left to right: Bennett Smith, Regina “Gina” Smith, Dorothy Keith, David Keith
When it came time to retire and move to a more carefree and cared for environment, two generations of families found exactly what they were looking for at St. Catherine’s Village. Located in Madison, Mississippi, the all-inclusive, Life Plan Community provides the right care at the right time through independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing—all in a protected and picturesque, 160-acre wooded setting.
After David Keith retired from Bell South, he and his wife Dorothy decided they were tired of keeping up a yard and all the maintenance that came with their Madison home. They crunched the numbers and realized it was within their means to move to independent living at St. Catherine’s Village, where they wouldn’t have to worry about landscape chores and everything else that comes with home ownership. Thirteen years later and the couple is still in their “penthouse” apartment on the senior living campus.
Dorothy was excited and motivated to come to St. Catherine’s Village because it offered a more carefree lifestyle plus a full continuum of senior care, should either of them need it. While she may not cook meals daily, Dorothy serves on the food committee and is still famous for her home-baked banana bread. And while they don’t have to spend their time cutting the grass, both David and Dorothy remain avid gardeners.
Before ever moving to St. Catherine’s Village, the Keiths were neighbors with Bennett Smith’s mother and she and Dorothy became close friends. In fact, Dorothy introduced her daughter Gina to Bennett and the rest, as they say, is history. He and Gina are now married and live at St. Catherine’s Village, too.
Bennett and Gina moved to the Life Plan Community during a difficult time of the pandemic after living in an historic home in Hattiesburg for 45 years. They were familiar with St. Catherine’s Village not only from the Keiths but also because Bennett’s mother had lived there in both independent and assisted living.
“When trying to find the best place for mom, I remember researching retirement communities in Hattiesburg, Jackson and southeast Mississippi,” said Bennett. “St. Catherine’s Village always rose to the top of the list. We became even more impressed when mom transferred to assisted living because the care she received was so wonderful.”
When the time came for the Smiths to retire, they hoped they too could find their home at St. Catherine’s Village. In their 70s, they really wanted a two-bedroom, two-bath independent living apartment overlooking the lake and they were willing to wait for it—five years to be exact. In the end, everything worked out perfectly.
“The staff was so kind and helped us develop a plan,” said Bennett. “And we appreciate that we have the opportunity to move to a different level of care if ever necessary.”
Today, the two families live in separate buildings on the St. Catherine’s Village campus so they remain close—but not too close. The Keiths are much busier now that the Smiths are their neighbors and Gina is following in her mother’s footsteps becoming famous for her homemade bread.
“We’re all excited and looking forward to our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren visiting,” said David of their extended family. “Maybe, someday, they’ll be the next generation to call St. Catherine’s Village home.”
To learn more about senior living options at St. Catherine’s Village Life Plan Community, log onto www.StCatherinesVillage.com or call (601) 856-0123 to schedule a one-on-one tour.
