A Busy Week of Activities

My week began with a scheduled visit by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to Valley Manor where he held a press conference to announce his sponsorship of the National Silver Alert Act. Anytime the Senator comes to town, it is a big deal for Rochester. To have him come to Valley Manor, is a big deal for Seniorsfirst. A big "thank you" to board member Sharon Boyd (president/CEO of the Rochester Alzheimer's Association) for referring this opportunity to Valley Manor.

The Silver Alert Act is modeled after the AMBER Alert and will provide federal coordination and assistance to local and state enforcement to assist efforts to locate missing senior citizens across the country. The Senator's visit brought out all the media and a room full of Valley Manor Residents and community supporters. Not surprisingly, once the Senator finished his prepared statements, the conversation turned to the issue of national health insurance.

On Tuesday, I had the excitement of attending the state auction of the Armory site (see earlier Blog entry). That turned out to be more drama than I had anticipated and was certainly an interesting experience.

On Wednesday and Thursday we held our Kirkhaven and Valley Manor board meetings. At both communities we had a strong focus on financial performance and fiscal strategies as we reviewed our 3rd quarter statements and prepared for our 2010 budget development. I wish I could say all is well, but in these challenging economical times, I'm not sure that is even a reasonable expectation. We'll be putting together a contingency plan to ensure we are prepared to handle whatever comes our way. I'll Blog on that subject in the weeks to come.

On Friday, I attended the Greater Rochester Awards luncheon, which celebrates the exceptional work accomplished through our community's human services sector. Congratulations to Seniorsfirst board member, Pat Grover from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, who was honored with a Community Champion award.

On Friday afternoon, I volunteered to perform for the Kirkhaven residents at their weekly Happy Hour. I had a blast playing and singing Halloween songs to mark the occasion. When I ran out of Halloween music, I played some of my country music and other favorites. I wasn't really surprised that they enjoyed singing along with "Amazing Grace" and "America the Beautiful", but who knew they would have so much fun with Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline".

Lastly, here are two cute pictures from a little pre-Halloween activity my wife and I had with our grandsons Logan and Brennan.

Thanks for visiting my Blog. See you next time!

A Day at the Auction- Going Once, Going Twice..........?

As many of you know, Kirkhaven has been actively working with local Real Estate Developer, Larry Glazer and Buckingham Properties on a potential Kirkhaven Replacement project on the site of the former Armory on Culver Road across from Cobbs Hill Park. The site is owned by the State of New York and earlier this week the State put the site up for public auction. I have never attended such an event, but since Kirkhaven had a keen interest in the outcome of the auction, I went to observe the action. I had no idea I was in for such high drama worthy of a Blog posting.

At exactly 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, I walked into the Ebenezer Watts Conference Center where the auction was scheduled to take place. The room was packed, standing room only in the back and every news station and media lined up along the side wall with cameras and microphones at the ready. I sat down in the seat saved for me along with the Buckingham Properties team. The State auctioneer began his prepared statements and "rules of engagement" as I measured up the competition. A full house didn't set well with me and for the first time I began to think this might not go down the way we hoped.

It was about a year ago when Larry and I first spoke about the Kirkhaven Replacement project. Larry is one of the biggest local real estate developers and he took an immediate interest in our project. Over the next several months we would periodically touch base about properties he owned, but then he called me to say he had the "perfect site for us". He was talking with the City of Rochester about the old Armory site and attempting to pull together a 3-way deal to gain site control. In the final analysis, the decision was made to forgo a deal through the City and instead let the property go to public auction where we might pick it up at a better deal. The site has an ideal location, but some environmental issues that although our project could work around, other projects could not without substantial cost.

Larry and I spoke a few days prior to the auction to discuss a maximum bid price strategy that we thought the project could support. Since Buckingham Properties would be the bidder and potential property owner, Kirkhaven was only an interested party in a potential lease deal on the eventual developed property. All the risk and decision making were in the hands of Buckingham Properties, but this was nothing new to Larry.

I arrived at the auction site at 12:30, spoke to a State representative and learned there were several registered bidders. I also learned that 2 other auctions for armories in other parts of the State had been woefully attended and sold for nearly nothing. That was encouraging news. The room was pretty empty, but I also discovered the auction wouldn't start until 1:00, so I opted to take a walk. I picked up a burger and coke from the street vendor at Court and Main and sat outside the conference center eating and sizing up the folks who began to enter the building.

When the auctioneer finished his introductory remarks he then informed everyone that the bidding would begin at $500,000 and move up in $20,000 increments at first and then $10,000 or $5,000. Bidder #1 boldly opened the bidding at $500,000. A few others threw out competitive bids, but bidder # 1 quickly countered every bid with a brash and arguably erratic higher bid each time. In no time at all, the bidding passed the $750,000 mark and the bidding slowed down. I was intrigued by bidder #1, although I could only see the back of his head. He sounded like a kid and wore a Buffalo Sabres cap and cut off sweat-shirt. I whispered to the "suits" on either side of me, "who is this guy," but neither knew. As the auctioneer shouted going once, going twice............suddenly a suit from the other side of the room threw out his first bid and the game was on. Bidder # 1 and Bidder # 8 went back and forth and back and forth. The kid rarely paused as he threw out his cocky bid retorts, the suits took their time as everyone waited in anticipation. Was this it, was it over? But each time the suits raised the bid.

Then Larry jumped in with a bid at $900,000. My blood began to run faster. "Okay", I thought, "Larry's in the game and this might get really interesting now". The suits and bidder #1 kept raising it higher and Larry jumped in again at just over a million dollars, but the bid went higher yet and Larry put his card away. The bidding had gone beyond our intended limit and now the only drama that remained was would the kid in the Sabres cap out last the suits.

The whole process took about 20 minutes and every minute was intense. With each bid, the cameras would shift their attention to the other bidder and the room would wait. You could cut the tension with a knife and when a counter bid was finally shouted out, the room would take a breath and shift its collective attention to the other bidder. And so it went until the suits put out a bid of just under 1.5 million and the kid laid down his card. Going once, going twice...........SOLD!

The winning bidder was another local real estate developer who would later explain that he has no known plans for the site, but couldn't pass up the opportunity for such a great piece of real estate. We'll talk to him about our plans, but that is a long shot given the high price he paid for the site. The "kid" wasn't as young as I had thought and turned out to be a partner in a local group that wanted to turn the Armory into some type of sporting venue for the neighborhood.

I am disappointed that yet another option for our Kirkhaven Replacement project has appeared to have hit a dead end, but for every door that closes, another door opens up. We'll keep on searching and talking and something will eventually come along. Maybe something with less drama and a happier ending. Larry Glazer has already indicated to me that he has another possible venue for us to explore, so let the games continue and keep the faith!

Judging the Judge

Most voters don't know a lot about the candidates that run for Judge and thus either don't bother to cast a vote or cast a vote simply on party lines or name recognition alone. Since my wife Jennifer works as the Law Clerk for a sitting judge up for election this November, I have become more attuned to the judge race and thought my Blog readers might be interested in an "inside" perspective that represents my opinion only.

Depending on what Town you live in, there are probably many candidates vying for a local town or City judge seat. The advertising and array of lawn signs can be very confusing at best. But if you live in Monroe County, everyone will see on the ballot an opportunity to elect to keep Judge Brain McCarthy on the Monroe County Court bench. Here are a few basic reasons why Judge McCarthy should receive your vote and then I'll share with you the inside reasons:

• 3 decades of experience as a Prosecutor in the Monroe County DA's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office.


• B.A. from St. John's Fisher College and Law Degree from Syracuse University.


• Respected and supported by his peer judges on the bench and most every law enforcement agency within Monroe County.


• A stellar track-record in the court room based on fairness, integrity, justice and results.

A judge doesn't impact your taxes, develop budgets for spending of public funds or create legislation that affects your life, so why should you care about voting for a judge? Simply stated, a judge ensures that justice is attained in the court of law. A judge helps to keep our communities safe and law abiding. A judge ensures a fair and just trial for the accused and the victims of crime. In choosing a judge, one should focus on experience, integrity and knowledge of the law.

I have had the privilege of getting to know Judge McCarthy and I can share with you that what impresses me the most is his integrity. Experience and knowledge can be attained by almost anyone and Judge McCarthy's career exceeds expectation and need, but integrity is what separates him from others. He is a kind and gentle person who truly cares about people and justice. He is not political, arrogant or self-serving. He is tough on crime, but fair and honest in seeking justice. His personality traits are exactly what we want in a judge serving this County.

His opponent (John DeMarco), claims in his advertising to be: experienced, respected and trusted. Here is my perspective. His experience is limited to town court only. Only one law enforcement agency has publicly endorsed DeMarco-the Jail Deputies Union. Every other law enforcement agency which has endorsed a candidate for Monroe County Court Judge, including Rochester Police Locust Club and Monroe County Police Benevolence Association, endorse McCarthy. Insiders know who to respect and trust. A recent D & C news article (October 17th) reported on several former town court rulings by DeMarco that were controversial and soft on DWI and arguably legally off-base. The Rochester Against Intoxicated Driving organization has claimed DeMarco is "soft on accountability".

So, on election day, despite what frustration, anger or objective you might have as you go to the polls to cast your vote for our elected officials, please consider that the role of a Monroe County Judge is entirely different from most public officials and we need to keep good judges serving our community. From an inside perspective, the candidate who is truly experienced, respected and trusted is Monroe County Court Judge Brian McCarthy.

Keep Judge McCarthy for Monroe County Court

Lobsters Supporting Seniorsfirst Alzheimers' Programs

We recently held our annual lobster bisque fundraiser to help raise funds to support the Alzheimer's programs at Seniorsfirst. It was a long (and sometimes cold and rainy) day, but our goal was to sell off our inventory and we came fairly close.



For those who are less familiar with this annual event, several years ago we purchased the former Dickens' restaurant (located next door to Valley Manor) and eventually renovated it into what is now our Seniorsfirst Adult Day Program. As part of the purchase, we also received the "secret" recipe to the Dickens' famous lobster bisque soup, which we now have canned and sell as a fundraiser. It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who yearn for another taste of this infamous soup and eagerly await our annual community event.

This year we set up 4 convenient drive-thru sites across the greater Rochester area and introduced new "soup stimulus" pricing on our popular 6-pack and case purchases. In total we sold just over 1600 cans of soup (slightly more than last year) and grossed approximately $12,000 in sales.

The challenging economy continues to impact fundraisers like ours as we have seen a dip in sales the past 2 years compared to the record volume of previous years, but the demand appears to still be there. Our soup makes a unique Christmas present and is always a special treat for holiday dinner guests. We only have a limited number of cases left, but will continue to sell the bisque on-line at http://www.seniorsfirstonline.com/.

In addition to supporting the Alzheimer's programs at Seniorsfirst, your purchase qualifies as a tax-deductible donation. Good soup for a Great cause!

Pictures along the Pathways Journey

At both Kirkhaven and Valley Manor we are pioneers in a culture change movement that has us on a journey towards revolutionizing how we serve our elders. Our mission is to eliminate the 3 plagues that account for the bulk of suffering among our elders in skilled nursing and assisted living homes.


The antidote to the 3 plagues of loneliness, helplessness and boredom are:

• Loving & meaningful companionship and a life that revolves around relationships in a truly human community that includes children, plants and animals.


• A community that balances both the ability to give care to others and to receive care gracefully.


• A life with variety, spontaneity and choice.

A picture tells a thousand words, so here are a few that illustrate how we are living the pathway journey:

The first 2 pictures are from a special breakfast buffet, prepared by all the 5th floor household staff, for the residents who live in our dementia care household at Kirkhaven. Residents (and staff) love the variety and fun of something different and unexpected.

These next photos were taken at a fall clean-up and gardening event to prepare the Assisted Living cottage patio for the coming of winter. Residents loved the opportunity and responsibility of caring for their home.

Thanks for visiting my Blog and joining us on our Pathways journey!

A Journey to "Oz""

Last month I traveled to Kansas to visit a very special place that has a national reputation as one of the most advanced culture change organizations in providing care to our elders. This trip enabled me to witness first-hand the amazing opportunities and potential that exist within our imagination and capabilities.

The fact that we were in Kansas, the home of the infamous story of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", got me to thinking of the similarities between the story of Dorothy's journey and that of our own journey. And thus, I have penned this short story entitled........A Journey to "Oz".

Amanda Gale is a young, professional nursing home administrator who helps care for several chronically ill elders. One day her office, with Amanda sitting at her desk, is caught up in a whirlwind of regulatory redtape, reimbursement cuts and staffing shortages that whisk her off to a far away land named Oz. When she lands, her desk falls on and kills the wicked health department director of the East.

Glinda, the good doctor of the North, comes with the elders of Oz to greet Amanda (and her little dog Yoshi) and gives Amanda the silver pen that the wicked health department director had in his pocket when he was killed. In order to return to Rochester, Glinda tells Amanda that she will have to travel to the "Golden City" and ask the Healthcare Czar of Oz to help her.

On her way along the "pathway to meaningful living", Amanda meets a lonely old lady who she talks to and befriends, a helpless old man who she seeks assistance from, and a bored old woman who she invites to join their party. All are convinced by Amanda that the great Czar can help them too. Together, they overcome obstacles along the pathway to the Golden City including regulatory requirements, a lack of funding and the deadly naysayers to change.

When the travelers finally arrive at the Golden City, the great Healthcare Czar agrees to help them, but first they must kill the 3 plagues of elders- lonliness, helplessness and boredom, which account for the bulk of suffering among the elders of Oz.

As the friends travel across the land of Oz, the 3 plagues attack them and all the others elders of Oz. Everywhere they go, the elders appear to be lacking meaningful living in the places where they live and are cared for. Amanda is not detered and uses her silver pen to craft new ideas and a vision for a better world in a land free of the 3 plagues.

When the wicked health department director of the West snatches the silver pen from Amanda by trickery, Amanda in anger grabs a bucket of water and throws it on the wicked director, who begins to melt. The elders rejoice in their freedom and ask the lonely old lady to come live with them, and the helpless old man to become their new leader, and the bored old woman to become head of all activities. All agree to do so after helping Amanda return to the Golden City and home.

When Amanda and her friends meet the great Czar again, he tries to put them off. Yoshi accidently tips over a screen in the corner of the Czar's throne room, revealing an old man who had journeyed to Oz a long time ago in a hot air balloon. Amanda and her friends are heart-broken to learn that the Czar has no awesome powers to help them.

But then Amanda correctly points out that they all have the power within to change and that the antidote to the 3 plagues of lonliness, helplessness and boredom are simply:

• Loving & meaningful companionship and a life that revolves around relationships in a truly human community with children, plants and animals.
• A community that balances both the ability to give care and receive care gracefully.
• A life filled with variety, spontaneity and choice.

At Glinda's palace where they head to next, the travelers are greeted warmly, and it is revealed by Glinda that Amanda had the power to return home all along. The silver pen she held in her hand can take her anywhere she envisions. She tearfully embraces her friends, all of whom will stay in Oz and flourish in their new roles with all the other elders and people of Oz.

Amanda and Yoshi return to Rochester where she continues her "pathways journey" with all her peers, determined to destroy the wicked 3 plagues of lonliness, helplessness and boredom that continue to account for much suffering among the elders back home. She dreams of the day when all of the country becomes like Oz and all our elders rejoice in the joy of meaningful living forever.

THE END!