Springmoor

Marjorie O’Rorke: A Dedicated Volunteer and Champion of Mental Health

Selfless, humble, tenacious, intelligent, empathetic and visionary are just a few adjectives that describe Marjorie O’Rorke—a lifetime community volunteer, Springmoor resident and recent inductee into the Raleigh Hall of Fame.

The Raleigh Hall of Fame recognizes individuals, including activists and volunteers, and non-profit organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to the City of Raleigh. For 56 years, Marjorie has devoted endless hours to the Dorothea Dix Hospital and the Dix Park Conservancy; however, the news of her induction into the 2019 Raleigh Hall of Fame surprised her. “I didn’t think I had done anything great,” Marjorie said.

Pathways to Wellness at Springmoor: It Starts with Dining

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf

It’s no question that quality nutrition is key to quality of life. A proper diet can ensure that you stay energized, prevent disease and sickness, and just feel better overall. Today, leading institutions recognize nutrition as one of the seven dimensions of wellness, and Springmoor follows suit with its Pathways to Wellness philosophy.

Left Jab, Right Hook, Bam!

The residents in the pool were kicking their feet and swinging their arms to the beat of the music. Becky Boulo is on the pool deck encouraging, “Left jab, right hook, bam!” Her enthusiasm is catching. Her passion for teaching, for exercising and for having fun makes the workout even better.

Aqua Exercising

Becky is trained as a PE teacher. She’s been working out in the pool with her students for more than thirty years. She has incorporated the new Tabata style workout, primarily a cardio exercise program, into her AquaFit classes. The training is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout featuring exercises that last four minutes: 20 seconds work out hard, 10 seconds rest, repeat 6 to 8 times with a one-minute walk. Dr. Tabata, a Japanese physician and researcher, designed the interval training routine to improve both your aerobic and anaerobic systems. Aquabata (Becky’s name for the class) is even better in the water where everyone can work at his or her own level. The water provides the resistance while keeping your body afloat. Continue reading →

At the Dining Room Table

Springmoor welcomed Jennifer Mondolino, our new Dining Room Director, to the kitchen this month. Cooking is her passion. Planning, shopping, tasting, catering and serving are all part of the food experience for her. “Eating is such a big part of everyone’s life, whether it is just grabbing a quick bite to eat or a sitting down for a formal five-course dinner gala, the conversations are more enjoyable with a delicious meal,” she says.

The Classroom

Jennifer grew up in Stony Brook, New York. She has an undergraduate degree from Johnson and Wales University, a master’s degree in Healthcare Policy and Management from Stony Brook University and, from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, she earned a diploma in pastry and baking. To say that cooking is her passion is almost an understatement! She gives much of the credit to her mentor who shared her knowledge of what needs to happen to make the perfect meal.

The First Job

Like many teenagers, her first job was at Starbucks. This one happened to be located in a hospital. She quickly moved from Starbucks to an Assistant Director position in food service at the hospital with a wonderful mentor. The 350-bed hospital offered room-service style dining. Everything was ordered on an iPad in each patient’s room and expected to be not only delicious but also delivered in forty-five minutes or less. The hospital also served a special menu for those on the surgical recovery floors. They served family and staff in the hospital dining rooms and often catered large galas for special auxiliary events. From planning to prep, Jennifer was behind the scenes learning to do it all. Continue reading →

Taking a Tour

Are you interested in taking a tour of our campus? We would be more than happy to show you around, introduce you to our staff and tell you about all the extras Springmoor has to offer. Bring your questions. Bring your walking shoes. Bring a friend or family member. We are only a phone call away.

What to Expect

Before you arrive, one of our marketing counselors will give you an overview on the phone. They will answer your initial questions and help you prepare for the tour. Let them know if you have a specific type of housing you are interested in and they will make plans for you to see it. If there are special amenities that you are interested in seeing or classes you would like to observe, please let them know of your interests also. There is so much to see that it often takes two or three trips to take it all in!

First Visit

To prepare for your first visit, study the information packet our marketing counselors have mailed to you and bring a list of questions. For those who like to do research, there is a wealth of information on the web with questions to ask on a first visit. For those who prefer to ask friends and family, start now. Ask friends living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and others who have begun to tour, like you, what they have found. Make a list of items that are important to you. What do you like about your home, your neighborhood and your style of living? What are you interested in doing with your free time? Do you have family in the area? Do you participate in activities in the community? Where are your favorite shopping areas? Do you attend cultural events in the city? All these are important things to consider when choosing which community best fits your needs. Location and amenities are an important aspect of making your decision.

Understanding the Finances

During your first visit, the marketing counselors will help explain the costs of living at Springmoor. They can give you worksheets to help guide you through the process. As with any CCRC, there is an initial entry fee. The monthly fees will vary depending on the size of the home you choose and whether or not you are moving in as a couple or by yourself. The monthly fees cover a wide range of housing costs such as housekeeping, security, cable, phone, gas and electric, and home maintenance. This fee also covers services and amenities such as our Wellness Center, dining, short-term rehabilitation, medical transportation and a variety of social, educational and cultural programs.

Recreational Facilities

The Wellness Center may be one of the first stops on your tour. Our heated saltwater lap pool is home to aqua-fit classes each day. The center also includes an exercise classroom, state of the art fitness machines, a sauna and a massage center. With over forty classes offered each week, there will certainly be one to fit your style. Personal trainers are also available to help you find the perfect workout for your needs.

Dining

The North and South Village Dining Rooms, The Bistro and The Garden Café will be a tour stop too. With four options for dining, you have a choice of grabbing a quick to-go meal, breakfast, a casual light lunch or dinner or gathering with friends and enjoying a relaxing restaurant style meal in the dining room. If you are hosting a group luncheon or a family party, the dining room can cater a meal in one of our private dining rooms.

Housing Options

Your marketing counselor will have talked to you about Springmoor’s many different housing options over the phone. She can show you our larger homes with two bedrooms, den and a garage or a smaller villa located on the perimeter of the 42-acre campus. If you prefer to be closer to the dining rooms and the exercise facilities, an apartment in North or South Village may be your style. Options ranging from alcoves to two-bedroom/two-bath apartments can be added to your tour. It is often best to see one or two and come back for a second visit after you have had time to think through your wants and needs.

Social Activities

The amenities and list of social, cultural and educational programs can be found in our monthly Pathways publication. There are art classes, lecture series, musical performances, Raleigh Greenway walking tours, health seminars, out-to-dinner (and lunch) outings, day-trips across the state and so much more offered each month. Of course, our calendar is packed full each month with new offerings. As you tour the campus, you will also want to see our Springmoor Putting Green, Croquet Court, Woodshop, Resident Garden, Movie Theatre and Meraki Arts Studio.

The Stewart Health Center

Choosing a CCRC like Springmoor gives you the security of knowing you have health care options available if needed. Short-term rehabilitation stays, memory care, skilled nursing or assisted living are all part of our community. Our staff can care for a spouse or a neighbor while you are only a short walk away. Knowing you can visit your friends or loved one without leaving the campus is a wonderful benefit to having a full continuum of care in the community. Continue reading →

A Lifetime as a Nurse

Her mother was a nurse and one of her two daughters is a mental health counselor. A nurse, like her mother, Nina Cole has spent her life taking care of others. Today she serves on the Springmoor Board of Directors offering her knowledge and expertise when it comes to taking care of our community. Springmoor’s independent residents have an on campus doctor and full nursing staff available for any health issues that arise from flu shots, eye exams, blood pressure checks, a seasonal cold or a rehab stay after surgery. The community offers assisted living and skilled nursing as well as memory care and part time home care assistance as needed. Nina’s career has given her a lifetime of nursing experiences that she can bring to the boardroom.

The Student

Born in Mullins, a small town in South Carolina, she watched her mother go off to work at the hospital each day. She said she learned to cook early in her life as her mother was often working during mealtimes. Nina’s family moved to Beaufort, North Carolina while her father was in the service. When it was time for college, she headed to the western part of the state to begin her junior college experience at Mars Hill College. Undecided at first, she soon realized that nursing was the path she would pursue. North Carolina Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Winston Salem became her home for three years as she completed her degree.

The Nurse

Nina and William met during her college nursing days. The two were married and shortly after graduation moved to Louisville, Kentucky while her husband was in the seminary. She was employed at Kosair Children’s Hospital and Jewish Hospital during their time in Kentucky. Then after a short stay in Virginia, they made their way back to North Carolina. Nina’s nursing career began in Raleigh at Raleigh Internal Medicine. Becoming the Director of Nursing and managing the staff, she says, was one of her most rewarding positions. She later moved to Carolina Allergy & Asthma Center where she found new challenges treating a new variety of illnesses and patients of many different ages.

The Volunteer

Nina was also very instrumental in bringing hospice to Wake County. In 1979, Hospice was in its earliest organizational stages across the nation. She became a member for the Board of Directors traveling the state to speak about the benefits and the care they provide to the patients and their families. She continues to be intrigued by the founders and the concept of holistic care they offered. The term “hospice” (from the same linguistic root as “hospitality”) can be traced back to medieval times when it referred to a place of shelter and rest for weary or ill travelers on a long journey. Today the organization is known as Transitions LifeCare and is one of the larger hospice organizations across the country. They now serve Durham, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, eastern Chatham and Wake Counties, as well as Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

During these nursing years, she also raised their two daughters. She helped with the PTA in their schools and volunteered her services at The Red Cross and The Open Door Clinic throughout their younger years. Wherever she could lend a hand and offer her expertise, she was quick to sign up to help.

As a volunteer at the Open Door Clinic, she, along with many other volunteer doctors, nurses, and clerical assistants offer their time to help those in Wake County that have no access to health insurance. As part of Urban Ministries, the organization remains as the only free and charitable clinic in Wake County with a fully licensed pharmacy. The Food Pantry and men’s and women’s homeless shelters are also part of the agency.

The Grandmother

When she is not nursing, she sings in her active church choir and serves on several committees, her favorite being the church’s media team. She loves to read and says working in the church’s library is great fun. She helps purchase books as well as catalog and shelve those that are donated. Nina also enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren. “Grammy” (as she is called) and her 13 year-old granddaughter are often found at the mall. “What 13 year-old doesn’t want to go to the mall?” she asks. Continue reading →