We are excited to include this feature in each of our newsletters. Each resident is assigned a Pal who is a member of our Board of Trustees. The Pals spend time with their resident, for birthdays or other celebrations or just to visit. Pals also make sure that the residents are doing well and enjoying living at Paisley House.

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Dottie G.

Interviewed by

Mary Anne O’Toole

Words that describe Dottie G. include grace, dignified, polite, and gracious – Dottie is the epitome of a lady.

The sixth of eight children, six girls and two boys, Dottie celebrated her 97th birthday in February reaching a milestone that you would not believe upon introduction to her. Dottie’s upright posture and demeanor are remarkable.

Dottie’s parents, Alex and Ida, immigrated from Poland to Youngstown where Ida’s brother worked in a steel mill. Ida left her hometown where her family lived in the biggest house in town and where her father was respected. Dottie shared that her coloring favored her father who was a blonde in contrast to her mother who had dark hair. Dottie reminisces that her mother was bright and good tempered and was a mother who made her children feel loved.

Dottie fondly remembers her siblings Josephine, Vera, Alice, Chester, Jean and Phyllis. Brothers and sisters stood up for each other and would help each other. As adults they enjoyed their relationship even when living in separate parts of the US. A special memory is traveling to China with Phyllis and Jean. Dottie was 85 when she traveled to China and prior to that trip she toured Europe with Jean and together they also traveled to Hawaii.

Dottie attended St. Casimir elementary school in Briar Hill and the family home in Youngstown was on Ford Avenue where Park Vista now stands. Dottie graduated from Rayen High School at age 17 and went on to Youngstown College to take business courses in typing and shorthand.

Dottie’s professional life began

(Continued on page 3)

The

aisley ress

Paisley House 1408 Mahoning Avenue

Youngstown, OH 44509

(330) 799-9431

living@paisleyhouse.com

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Inside this issue: Family BBQ Picnic 2

Message from Jill Cox

Trivia Corner

Paisley Pal (cont.)

3

Wagon Trails

Trivia Answers

4

Since 1909, Paisley House

has served residents from all

over the Mahoning Valley

and surrounding areas.

Paisley House is a non-profit

organization governed by a

volunteer board of trustees.

Visitors are welcome any

time. If you would like a

personal tour of Paisley

House, please contact us to

schedule a time that’s

convenient for you.

A Publication by Paisley House — Assisted Living Since 1909

2nd Quarter 2019

“It was a lovely picnic-a little rain didn’t end the festivities. Thank you Jill & all Paisley staff for the planning.”

“This was a fabulous time. The food was great, but more

important was just hanging out in such a relaxing

atmosphere was the best. I learned today that it’s o.k. to

travel with your shower cap. Thanks to you all for a great

memory.”

P

ag

e 2

A nother Resident/Family Picnic a success, but for those of you that attended, you may have heard me say, “I will never pick the date in the future.” Another serious bout of rain and wind sure put a mid-party damper on

things but thank you to all that stuck it out and had dessert in the sunshine

after the storm. It sure was an enjoyable picnic. So, let’s see what brave soul

would like to pick the date for our next one. ~ Jill Cox, Director

P

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as a young babysitter, a gift wrapper at Strouss’ department store and thanks to her education she joined the staff at United Engineering. Dottie took the bus downtown Youngstown where women dressed their best to go to work and go shopping. Her career path led her to the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services where she worked as a claims examiner until retirement.

Always active, in retirement, Dottie volunteered for 17 years as a guide at the Arms Museum. She describes herself as being a shy child, a lifelong bookworm who continues to read avidly and a fan of the Cleveland Indians and Browns. Movies, especially musicals with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, were always a treat at the Warner Theater downtown where her cousin was a manager. Dottie appreciates classical music composed by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and the big band sounds of Glenn Miller. Dottie works on the

Vindicator crossword puzzle and jumble daily with a little help from her A-Z crossword dictionary.

Although Dottie claims to not have been athletic, as a child she rode her bike and in winter ice skated on Youngstown’s Crandall Park and Mill Creek Park’s lakes. She is noticeably fit – previously she went to Curves 5 days per week. Her trim figure and fashion sense allowed her to trade clothes back and forth with her niece.

Bob, her youngest brother, visits Paisley House on Sundays to play cards. Paisley House friends join in the fun. Jack, Dottie’s son, lives in Girard in the family home and assists Dottie with errands as well as enjoying lunch or dinner out together.

For Dottie, the Paisley House staff and fellow residents are family. She is appreciative of the care she receives. Dottie says the staff enjoys being helpful and makes her feel spoiled.

I hope you have had a chance to visit us recently. This place is always kept so impeccable thanks to the staff’s hard work but also our building and grounds committee of the Board. Our dining room renovation is complete and we recently installed a tub chair lift for those that prefer a bath over a shower. Grant money from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Safety Grant covered our tub chair expense. We also received a grant for work on our steam traps so hopefully our registers wont “bang and clang” when heating up the boiler this winter.

I also want to give a shout out to Chuck who has spent many hours bringing our Paisley Gardens and grounds to their full beauty this summer. Staff and residents have enjoyed the fruits of his labor.

Paisley House was honored to be recognized as a nominee for the Business Journals Unsung Hero competition. It was great to learn all about local businesses and we find it is great to support local too. We feel we are a hidden gem in Youngstown. Also, Paisley House was very proud to be #2 in the State of Ohio family satisfaction survey results. With a score of 97.71% and the state average being 88.2%, I am convinced these employees do it right! Thank you to our family members that participated.

• How many activities are on the calendar each month?

• What daily TV show has the biggest audience at Paisley House?

• What meal is the most requested by the residents?

• How many residents get their hair done by Jackie each week?

• How many articles of clothing are ironed by Laura on a Monday?

• How many retired legal secretaries live at Paisley House?

• Where did the name Paisley House come from?

• How long has Dr. Charles Wilkins taken care of the residents at Paisley House?

(Answers on page 4)

Every Resident has a Story! (Continued from page 1)

Gifts-in-kind (also referred to as in-kind donations) are also accepted by Paisley House. Instead of giving money to buy needed goods and services, the goods and services them-selves can be donated.

Paisley House

Non-Profit Assisted Living

Donations to Paisley House

ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

Trivia Answers

1. 78-80 activities

2. Come on down! The Price is Right.

3. Spaghetti and Meatballs

4. Everyone!

5. 119 items

6. 2 - Mille & Doris

7. Paisley House was named after Mary Paisley, who served as the first Board of Trustees President.

8. 10+ years

Wagon Trails Animal Park and Safari was enjoyed by all. Riding through 60 acres of woods and ponds feeding animals from all over the world, up close and personal. The residents had a wonderful time. See more pics on Facebook!