Families caring for an elderly loved one in their home or providing a high level of support to those still living independently, often find it difficult to plan vacations or other absences from their home.

To meet that need, Doolittle Home now offers Respite Care of one week or more per stay in the main retirement section of the facility. Care provided would include the individual’s room, all meals and snacks, laundry, housekeeping and hairdressing services, medication administration and participation in all scheduled activities.

“With more individuals being cared for at home, the need for such service becomes obvious,” said Joanne Pratt, president of Doolittle Home. “We can provide accommodations in the same home-like setting they are used to, every member of our staff is sensitive to the needs of the elderly, and our full range of services would be available,

The minimum stay for Respite Care would be seven days, subject to room availability. A full intake procedure would be required for the first admission to the Home, subsequent stays requiring minimal updates on health and medication.

In the most recent Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health survey of long-term care facilities, Doolittle Home received the highest rating in Massachusetts for personal care provided to residents. Top recognition was also awarded for food service and meals and the facility shared second highest ratings in Massachusetts for activities and physical environment.

Full details of the Respite Care program are available by calling DeAnna Willis, executive director, at 508-543-2694. A tour of the facility, located at 16 Bird Street in Foxboro, can also be arranged.

The administration, staff and trustees of Doolittle Home receive a lot of help from their friends as they strive to provide the highest level of care in the finest possible environment for the residents we are pledged to serve. From volunteers who come into the Home on a regular basis to those who support our general fund and special appeals to the contributors and bidders at our annual FCA/Doolittle Home Auction, we are indebted to each and every one for helping make the whole so much greater than the sum of its parts.

We are indebted to so many people and organizations that have become such an integral part of our team and we express our gratitude to them at every opportunity. It was particularly disappointing to read a recent criticism of the Kraft organization and how little they did for non-profits. Quite the contrary: they are the difference between success and failure for many non-profits, an integral part of many endeavors that benefit this community in countless ways.

We have fond recollections of Bob Kraft coming to visit a resident who was one of the original stockholders of the original Boston Patriots. He also made sure Drew Bledsoe stopped by for a visit and photo, one of the highlights of her life.

Our annual auction has become our largest fund raising activity, and volunteers wear themselves thin with the effort. But all their batteries are recharged the night the report comes in on what the Kraft organization would be doing that year to support our effort and it is nothing less than unbelievable. Through the stadium itself, the Revolution, the Patriots and the New England Patriots Charitable Trust, members of the Kraft family and their organization are right there, standing tall, adding excitement to our big board promotions for the auction and thousands of dollars to the final tally sheet.

Their total commitment to this particular 501 (c) 3 public charity can be seen in the faces of the elderly who call Doolittle Home their home where they enjoy total peace of mind without a care in the world, thanks to principals in the Kraft organization and our other supporters who think that is important.

Joanne Pratt,

President

Top recognition was also awarded for food service and meals, rated a Massachusetts high of 4.81 against a state average of 3.95. Results of the survey, based on ratings provided by the caregivers of individuals in the various facilities, also gave Doolittle Home a rating of 4.62 for Activities provided for residents, the second highest in the state which averaged 3.82. Doolittle was also second highest in Massachusetts – 4.92 – for recognizing the rights of residents. The state average stands at 4.10.

Doolittle Home shared the highest rating in Massachusetts with one other facility for the physical environment for residents, posting a 4.96 against a state average of 4.12 and shared second highest ratings for administration and personal care staff at 4.85. The state average is 4.19.

Well above state averages in every category, Doolittle Home was also rated on overall satisfaction and meeting the needs of residents.

“Consistently high ratings such as these are a source of great pride to everyone connected with Doolittle Home,” said Joanne Pratt, president of the organization. “Our ability to do this all comes down to two words: total dedication. From Executive Director DeAnna Willis to the department heads, nursing, housekeeping, office management, food service and maintenance personnel to a hard-working Board of Trustees, everyone is totally dedicated to the needs of those we are pledged to serve around the clock, seven days a week in a facility that never sleeps.”

The state survey, launched in 2005 and repeated in 2007 and again in 2009 was designed as a Nursing Home Satisfaction Survey program. While Doolittle Home is not a nursing home but is a licensed retirement facility with its own nursing unit, it is obliged to participate in the study along with other long term care facilities in Massachusetts. Participation was voluntary in 2005 and Doolittle Home did participate, anxious for a comparison with other facilities. However, so few participated, the results are of little value in establishing a six-year profile. By 2007, participation became mandatory and in each of the two surveys since, more than 400 facilities participated.

While Doolittle Home has other entry options, most residents enter the facility under the Life Care program where, based on one initial fee plus monthly Social Security or pension income, they are cared for the remainder of their lives regardless of any changes in health or finances, assuring them and their families total peace of mind.

But that doesn’t slow her down a bit. She usually wins at the weekly game of Bingo, and averages 87 when bowling, usually placing first or second in a field of seven. Anne has her own “walking track” on the second floor, enabling her to exercise daily. And weekly trips to Stop & Shop enable her to purchase some of her favorite things, including Hershey Kisses, blueberry tea, chocolate chip cookies and Moxie.

An accomplished knitter, she features her own patterns in many of her creations and she particularly enjoys weekly Trivia sessions through which she learned many new things.

A large cake and many balloons were the order of the day for her grand celebration and, surrounded by family, friends, fellow residents and staff, she was the life of the party.

Anne came to Doolittle Home in 2003, having spent many years at Pine Tree Gardens on Chestnut Street. She was married to the late Joe Stringer, whose family owned the first gas station on Route One in Wrentham, where they resided for many years. They had no children, but Anne enjoys her many nieces and nephews. Joseph Stringer, a nephew from North Carolina, hosted her party, much to the delight of all.

Not your typical to do list for a college student home for the holiday break: celebrate with the family, catch up with friends, prepare for a trip to London and Paris and visit with Pauline Brown at Doolittle Home.

Amanda Sosnowski just completed her first semester at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL as a marine science major with a minor in math. She really likes it there and enjoys the academic challenges but misses being close to family and Pauline.

During her junior and senior years at Foxborough High School, Amanda volunteered weekly at Doolittle Home as a friendly visitor for Pauline Brown. Amanda enjoys that she has gotten to know Pauline’s family and likes hearing the updates when they visit. She writes cards and letters for Pauline and brings her books from the library. They enjoy trips to the Trading Post to look for bargains and mostly just enjoy each other’s company. According to Amanda, “this started as a volunteer project but it quickly became an extension of my family. I consider my time with Pauline family time.”

For most high school students, even the most dedicated volunteers would say goodbye once they head off to college, but not Amanda. She continued to call Pauline at least a couple times a month to catch up on Pauline’s activities and her family and to share updates from college. Amanda knew how much Pauline would miss her visits so she encouraged her mom, Donna, to visit with Pauline and to bring her books from the library. Pauline enjoys the visits and feels more connected with Amanda by visiting with her mom.

Through a special scholarship program at college, Amanda leaves right after Christmas for an art history program in London and Paris visiting museums and touring the cities. She will write a thesis paper at the end. She has promised to send Pauline postcards and looks forward to sharing her experiences with Pauline when she returns.

“Who knew when I started volunteering that this would turn out to be such a special relationship in my life? “asked Amanda. Her time with Pauline has enriched her life and extended her family to include this very special lady.

Volunteers play important roles in the lives of residents at Doolittle Home. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact DeAnna Willis at 508-695-2694.

www.doolittle-home.org

Doolittle Home is a public charity. All donations are gratefully accepted. Thank you.

“It takes a village to care for the elderly,” said Doolittle Home Trustee Lynne Sarikas, paraphrasing the old African proverb about raising children, and never was the presence of a supporting village more obvious, she said, than at Saturday’s 6th annual FCA/Doolittle Home auction.

A host of volunteers, a long list of generous donors — many of whom have been part of every auction — and the hundreds of people who phoned in bids helped raise $11,396. That total was more than enough to cover the cost of an adjustable diagnostics table for the nursing unit at Doolittle, news that was greeted with enthusiasm by residents and staff alike.

The top bid of the day was for the Homer White painting, “Two Deer,” donated by Bob and Louise Poirier. A painting of Homer’s has become a tradition for the Doolittle Auction, with one being featured each year.

Political bargaining: Senator James Timilty and Representative Jay Barrows didn’t disappoint, responding to challenges from Auctioneer Bob Hickey as they tried again to outdo one another after having initially offered a personally guided tour of the Massachusetts State House.

Representative Barrows would welcome four on the tour, provide an official photo taken at the State House, and round off the day with lunch at the Omni Parker House.

Senator Timilty came back with lunch for four at Abe & Louie’s Steakhouse. “A Duck Tour,” added Barrows. “One person to sit in with me on the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security,” countered Timilty, and with Bob Hickey still stirring the pot, Timilty added a tour of City Hall and the John Adams Courthouse (as a separate booking from the State House Tour) and he would include lunch for four at Seaport Grille and a round of golf for one at the Foxborough Country Club. While politics had nothing to do with it, they said, the Democrat took the lead with a high bid for the Timilty tour but both legislators, high in their praise of Doolittle Home, earned high praise for their spirited exchange.

“It was fascinating to see everything pull together,” said Doolittle Home President Joanne Pratt. “The excitement kept building, and nowhere was it any more intensive than at Doolittle Home with residents spending the afternoon in front of their TV sets, watching it unfold. They had been caught up in the auction activities since the beginning, and were eagerly anticipating the results.”

Even in a slow economy, bidders had “accommodations” on their mind, ranging from a week at the Maine vacation home of the Crimmins family, a week in a waterfront cottage in Eastham, courtesy of the Anderson family and $400 gift certificate for accommodations at America’s premier RV Park at Normandy Farms.

For those more concerned about their own accommodations, bidding was spirited for the day of home repair services offered by Duncan Stowell, a first-time donor to the auction doing business as Done by Duncan. Some of his past clients were anxious to have him return, but they got outbid in a rush for his services.

It was a banner day for sports enthusiasts, the top draw being two Patriots home game tickets with parking donated by the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. The Charitable Trust, which has been a strong supporter of the Doolittle Auction since its inception, also donated an official NFL football autographed by the record-setting Richard Seymour which provided another major boost to bring the Home closer to its goal.

A numbered print of Tom Brady, courtesy of major donor Don Rodman who has been represented in each of the six auctions, is now hanging in the room of a young fan named Brady and the baseball signed by the famed Dustin Pedroia has brought instant celebrity status for its new owner thanks to the donation from the Boston Red Sox.

During a break in the action, Doolittle President Joanne Pratt was joined by Jack Authelet, immediate past president, as they spoke about entry options at Doolittle Home.

Trustee Lynne Sarikas who, together with Pratt, developed Doolittle’s highly acclaimed marketing program, later joined Authelet to talk about volunteer opportunities at Doolittle Home.

The auction activity continued at a frantic pace, with considerable interest shown in the Log Cabin Doll House made and furnished by Pratt, two framed watercolors by Anne Alves of the Doolittle nursing staff, and a beautiful Thomas Kinkade print, “A Holiday Gathering,” donated by John Linex. The donation of Estate Planning services by Atty. Jeff Lovely served as a reminder of details everyone should take care of, and one lucky bidder did.

From handmade to the latest in technology, donations knew no limits and the auction continued without a break until 6:30 p.m.

The major effort on behalf of Doolittle Home ended with expressions of appreciation by Pratt, first to trustee Lynda Walsh who chaired the event, to all of the donors, to the volunteers from Foxboro Cable Access who had been months in the planning and execution of the event who manned the cameras and operated the control room and scanning systems, to Bob Gillis who created the Doolittle web page and brought photos of all the items in the auction onto the screen during the event, to members of the Foxboro Jaycees who did all the “lugging and tugging” of setting up the auction, getting items out to the winning bidders, and helping to clean up after.

Guest auctioneers, including Doug Suess, Rick Plasmati, Jerry Cirillo, Monica Rigamonti, Pratt, Chris Martes, Sarikas and Ginny Coppola, with Hickey doing the honors on the Big Board, earned their accolades as well. The telephone operations were also lauded for long hours on the phone, as every bid had to come in over the published telephone number for the auction.

Special recognition went to the trustees and staff of Doolittle who were so active in the auction, the residents and their families, and the dietary staff of the Home which fed the volunteers both Friday night during rehearsal and again Saturday noon prior to the big event.

As the studio lights dimmed and families came to pick up what they had purchased, another tradition — that had been building since the first Doolittle auction — kicked in as weary volunteers joined in a large pizza party, compliments of the Foxboro House of Pizza.