Author: cheshirehomenj

Cheshire Home celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with festivities and a Best Dressed contest. Our resident Best Dressed winners were Luz DeJesus, First Prize; Bryan Couch, Second Prize; and Bill Kurnath, Third Prize. Everyone enjoyed the special treats including a key lime tart!

Cheshire Home loves an excuse to celebrate, and the staff and residents always enjoy celebrating together. The party was filled with food , fun and a bit of Irish trivia.

Cheshire Home watched the Super Bowl in style with a delicious feast of classic football party food. The residents enjoyed watching the game together even if their team wasn’t in the game. The Recreation Department made sure it looked festive and there were plenty of games and prizes for all in attendance.

Cheshire Home residents enjoy the comradery associated with special parties, like the Super Bowl. It’s special moments like these that make Cheshire Home residents and staff really feel like family.

Cheshire Home popped in on Miracle Caswell at her new home in Skillman, New Jersey. She had just celebrated her 26th birthday and she was wearing her trademark smile. After spending four years as a resident at Cheshire Home, Miracle has been living independently since June 2021 and was excited to catch up.
Miracle was the victim of a drive by shooting while picking up her infant son at her sister’s house. The bullet entered her shoulder and injured her spinal cord leaving her a paraplegic. After leaving the hospital, she had a brief stay at Kessler, before arriving at Cheshire Home in 2017.
Miracle never lost hope and always held on to her dream of living an independent future. She recalled waking up in the hospital to find out she was paralyzed. Always the optimist, she said it was a hard pill to swallow, but with her family by her side and a hill to climb, she started on her journey to independence.
Since being on her own, she now gets herself in and out of bed. “My mom taught me,” she said. Prior to leaving Cheshire Home, the staff worked with Miracle’s mom to teach her how to assist Miracle in bed to chair transfer and vice versa. Only a few months later and Miracle can now transfer in and out of bed by herself.
Miracle recently took her first step unassisted by a physical therapist. She has been fitted and is expecting delivery of a leg brace that gives her the ability to walk with only the assistance of a walker. This is big news after being in a wheelchair for years!
Miracle stated she is grateful for the time she spent at Cheshire Home, the relationships she had with the staff and some of the residents helped her through her recovery. “The staff made it better for me,” she said. “Bill (Cheshire Home Physical Therapist) had a big impact on me. He was like a dad.”
Cheshire Home has been changing lives for 40 years and we are so proud to be part of Miracle’s story. We wish her all the best as she continues towards her goal of walking. The Cheshire Family is behind you all the way!
To help a resident like Miracle, and to learn more about Cheshire Home, visit http://www.cheshirehome.org.

Carlos Verderossa retired in December 2021 after service Cheshire Home for 30 years. Carlos started his career at Cheshire as a part-time driver and transitioned into full time. He received an award for Driver of the Year from the Council on Special Transportation for his outstanding performance.  

When Carlos wasn’t driving the bus, he could be found assisting with recreation programs. He enjoyed playing games with the residents, taking them on trips, and being involved in their daily lives. He brought his sense of humor along with him wherever he went.  Carlos was promoted to Senior Driver and his new responsibilities included helping with paperwork, statistics and making sure all maintenance and vehicle repairs were done in a timely fashion.  

Carlos will be spending the next for months in his home country of Uruguay. He will be assisting Cheshire Home occasionally upon his return. The Cheshire Home Family wishes Carlos a enjoyable retirement and look forward to hearing about his travels upon his return.

For more information on Cheshire Home or to donate, visit http://www.cheshirehome.org.

Through your generosity in part of the F.M. Kirby Foundation, we were able to purchase a new rooftop air conditioning unit and COVID-19 ventilation system. Cheshire’s residents suffer from a physical complication unique to people suffering from spinal cord injuries, which is a lack of body temperature control. Our ability to maintain a safe and comfortable temperature throughout the facility is essential, and your donation enabled us to make this critical equipment purchase. Cheshire Home’s eight rooftop air conditioning units are over 25 years old and run 24 hours a day.

Separate from the air conditioning units, we were able to purchase an air purification system that connects directly into the HVAC unit. This purification system with UV light rays removes 99% of odors, air pollutants, mold, bacteria, and viruses. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to helping those in need.

Cheshire Home Holiday Party 2021
Every December, Faith Lutheran Church in New Providence gives a gift to every resident. This year, residents could choose from a blanket or a sweatshirt. The gift put a smile on our residents faces and they were much appreciated.

The night was a huge success, and a fun time was had by all. Thank you to everyone who helped in making the celebration a success. It is always special when residents and staff can share a meal and a celebration.

For more information on Cheshire Home, or how you can make a difference in someone’s life, visit Cheshirehome.org.

Decorated for the holidays, Cheshire Home celebrated with music, food and festive attire. Cheshire chefs prepared a special holiday dinner, gifts were given out and a few staff members performed “O Holy Night.”  The evening was special and enjoyed by all.

Cheshire Home caught up with Tracey Crosland at her apartment in Newark, NJ. She lives less than 10 minutes from where she was prior to her injury.  To her it feels like home. Tracey arrived at Cheshire December 2018 after spending several months at Kessler. She gained her independence on June 8, 2021, after spending almost three years as a resident.

Tracey noted that her time at Cheshire brought her confidence back. “I didn’t even want to go outside,” she said. The staff at Cheshire supported her as she began her journey. “They taught me the fundamentals at Cheshire Home,” Tracey said. “Once the shock wears off and the depression sets in, I was glad to have their help to get me through.”

You can tune in to Tracey on Monday nights at 7 pm as she hosts Delightful T, Spilling T, on Facebook Live, a weekly series to inspire, motivate and encourage her listeners.

We are so proud of you Tracey and can’t wait to see where life takes you next!

To help residents like Tracy on their journey to independence, donate online at www.cheshirehome.org/donate

Neil Rosen reentered the community in October 2020 after spending four years at Cheshire Home. His successful transition was due to his determination and the specialized care he received at Cheshire. He now works full time at Stretch Lab located in Livingston and Morristown and will soon be managing a new location in Summit. He is enjoying his independence and looks forward to what the future holds. Congratulations Neil, we are so proud of you!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas thanks to the Tuesday Morning Club of Madison who dropped off gifts for the residents! Cheshire Home residents (and staff!) were so impressed with the beautiful, hand-knit scarf and hat sets the Club donated.

The gift sets were passed out to residents who were thrilled, as the cold weather has just begun to set in. Every hat and scarf given out was unique and special. We are so grateful to the Tuesday Morning Club for thinking of our residents and brightening their day with their kind gesture!