A Message from Dave Mannion, CEO

Have you been listening to and watching the news lately? It’s pretty hard to escape from the media’s 24/7 reporting of the violence and mayhem that has been happening throughout the world.

Natural disasters have dominated the headlines this month as hurricanes left a path of devastation in Texas, the Carribean, and Florida. Hundreds of residents have fled their homes as millions of acres are burned by wildfires in the Western states.

Civil unrest erupted in St. Louis and protests have become violent in other large cities.  Terrorists continue to cause mayhem in Europe and, especially, Great Britain. A rogue dictator in North Korea is playing with rockets and nuclear weapons that threaten his Asian neighbors, especially Guam, a U.S. territory.

How is your sense of safety and security these days? Not a perfect 10, we imagine.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943. The theory describes, in five stages, what Maslow believed to be necessary for human subsistence and satisfaction.

Safety is a basic need in Maslow’s hierarchy refers to the desire for security and protection. When we have our physiological needs for food, water and shelter met, our need for safety dominates our behavior. The need for safety has to do with our natural desire for a predictable, orderly world that is somewhat within our control.

Though the two words, safety and security, are often used together, there is a distinct difference between the two concepts.

We have all seen a security detail protecting a dignitary or the guard at the bank protecting your money. You feel secure when you are protected against danger or risk, and are not likely to be harmed or lost.

Safety has both emotional and physical attributes. Both must be in agreement for safety to be achieved.

Parents know this all too well. From the moment a child is placed in their arms, parents devote themselves to ensuring the emotional well-being of their offspring as well as protecting the child from harm. While mother’s warm hug may make a child feel safe, it is not enough to protect the youngster from the world around him.

It is important to ensure that our residents feel both safe and secure on campus and within the Copeland Oaks community.

We are committed to doing everything in our power to keep the environment safe. From stairs to chairs and public areas to private accommodations, we work to reduce the risk of injuries and, especially, prevent falls. We have protocols in place to reduce risk when storms, tornadoes, fire or flood threaten.

Paul Freer, Copeland security director, has continuous surveillance systems in place to deter activities by miscreants. Two very alert midnight shift staff members recently thwarted what appeared to be an attempted theft on campus. Staff is constantly vigilant of campus surroundings.

All staff members undergo background checks and random drug testing to ensure that you have caregivers and helpers that you can trust and with whom residents feel comfortable.

The Oaks Foundation provides residents with a sense of financial security. During the 50-year history of Copeland Oaks, no resident has ever been asked to leave the community due to lack of financial resources. Thanks to generous benefactors, the Oaks Foundation has been able to supplement the resources of residents who have outlived their savings.

It is our hope that the Copeland community wraps its arms around each resident giving them a sense of safety and our staff provides an environment in which everyone feels secure, protecting folks from the anxiety caused by a sense of risk or impending danger. We hope Copeland residents have an inner sense that all is well.

Meet the Gardener

Copeland resident, Dr. Raymond Wilken, is making the world beautiful one Dahlia blossom at a time.

• 8-year Copeland Oaks Villa Resident
• Retired Kent State University Professor of Education
• Knows the name and pedigree of every variety of Dahlia

Dr. Ray Wilken spends countless hours every Spring, Summer and Fall cultivating his garden. Dr. Wilken’s uses his green thumb to grow hundreds of flowers each year – his flower of choice is the dahlia.

“I spent so much time with them, I’ve learned that each type has a different personality,” he says.

His flowers, which can grow to as tall as he is, decorate resident rooms and fill the Copeland Oaks Chapel throughout the year.

Dr. Wilken moved to Copeland Oaks because of the spacious grounds where he could continue his love or horticulture well into retirement. At 90 years old, he prefers to walk with a hoe instead of a cane. He spends his winter providing “TLC” to the stored tubers that will provide next year’s crop of blossoms.

Before retiring, Dr. Wilken worked as a Professor of Education at Kent State University for almost 30 years. A Polanyi scholar, he has a keen interest epistemology, moral philosophy, intellectual history, aesthetics, and semiotics.

Meet Shawna McCord, Crandall Medical Center Staffing Coordinator

Shawna McCord, winner of the September Oaks Award, loves a challenge. That’s why 18 months ago, Shawna accepted a position as the staffing coordinator for Crandall Medical Center. Shawna is responsible for scheduling clinical staff for all shifts on both floors of Crandall, the rehabilitation and skilled nursing center on the Copeland Oaks campus.

“I enjoy talking to and getting to know the amazing staff and residents here at Crandall. And, my family loves that I am working Monday through Friday,” she said with the smile that always greets anyone who enters the Staffing Office.

Co-workers report that Shawna is effective at her job because “she is able to think out of the box.” They all agree Shawna is flexible and pro-active in letting staff know when and where they are needed most. “She posts the schedules in a very timely manner and lets the staff know days ahead if changes are needed to cover for vacations or increase in census,” wrote a colleague.

Shawna’s career at Crandall Medical Center started almost 15 years ago when she worked as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA). After 10 years as a bedside caregiver, Shawna joined the Crandall Life Enrichment Department organizing and presenting a variety of activities for residents.

“Shawna’s effectiveness in staff scheduling is in a large part because she has a depth of experience and understands just how the nursing units run,” complimented a fellow staff member.

A graduate of Alliance High School, Shawna resides in Alliance with her 2 sons. Her eldest son is a student in the Aultman Hospital nursing program in Canton. Her youngest son attends Marlington schools. When not working, Shawna enjoys attending the boys’ sports events, especially their baseball games.