Murray Family Comes Together
to Care for Independent Seniors
18 MAY 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY SHANNA O’MARA
For independent seniors looking to make a move, The Arbors
at Spring Lake is a perfect option, both for adults who
require care as well as those who want to live on their own
in one of the state’s most scenic shore towns. With different
levels of assistance available, activities to keep residents entertained,
visitation accommodations, provided meals, transportation
and more, The Arbors is the perfect home away from
home. The beautiful grounds span three acres, and guests enjoy
close proximity to the beach, boardwalk, train station and
quaint downtown area.
Seniors and their families feel welcomed and engaged at
The Arbors, where support is provided when necessary, while
adults are free to explore their independence. There are two
residence options at The Arbors: private apartments and supported
living spaces. Apartments feature a large bedroom, full
kitchen and balcony. There is a private entrance with elevator
into the space and an audio/visual entry system. A laundry fa-
wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedroom, and each unit boasts a private bath,
with linens laundered regularly. Guests may take advantage of daily house-
snack kitchen. Residents are served three meals a day, and transportation is
available to doctor appointments, local stores and coastal attractions.
The Arbors at Spring Lake was established in 1982 by Maddie Murray
and her partner and friend, Dolly Donahue. The two opened this one-of-akind
facility in the heart of the Jersey Shore. The two exclusively handled
operations until 2005 when Maddie and her family took exclusive ownership.
Still, she continued to work on site until the pandemic hit last spring.
“Maddie worked up until COVID-19 and then stayed home, like several
other staff people, because of their age, to protect them,” said Maddie’s
daughter and building manager, Jean Murray Herrington, who added
that the whole family is committed to being involved in the everyday
operations. “Patty Murray is our director and has a wealth of knowledge in
elder care. Kim Murray is the activities director; Ryan Herrington works in
the kitchen; Jim Murray has overseen construction and works on long-term
-
essary. Many grandchildren and family members have worked at The Arbors
over the years as well.”
Family values and a personal touch are just some of the ways The Arbors
sets itself apart from other senior residences and assisted living facilities.
Staff members truly connect with the residents, as many have worked
there at least 10 years and see the seniors multiple times a day.
Health and safety are also top priorities at The Arbors, where staff are
available to supervise medication and help with personal care, if needed.
At the start of the pandemic, The Arbors took precautions to keep residents,
staff and visitors safe. There were no positive cases of COVID-19 in the facility,
and all residents are now fully vaccinated.
“From the beginning, we monitored all residents and staff with daily
with temperature checks and oxygen level assessment,” said Murray Herrington.
“We still do temperature checks daily. We read anything and everything
from the Centers of Disease Control and state Department of Health.
As soon as testing became available, all staff was tested every other week.
“Our exercise person still held class, but we did it remotely. Our priest
couldn’t come in, so we held Rosary meetings. Our staff was still able to
hold painting class, and we still did games like Bingo and Rummikub when
it was safe, but we did it all masked and socially distanced. We also tried to
think outside the box. We had residents and staff team up to make cloth
masks. We created an art studio so that residents could have space to safely
work on their art. We had contractors build a safe, self-contained room for
family to visit. We enclosed a room in the building and had a tent put up
outside the sliding glass doors so that families could visit safely.”
During the holidays, the staff went above and beyond to bring the spirit
of the season to their residents. Each employee chose a senior and acted
as their Secret Santa. On Fridays during December, gifts were
given to every resident, leading up to Christmas when Santa
himself revealed the true identities of his accomplices.
With warmer weather and vaccinations increasing, The
Arbors staff is excited to welcome families back for themed
-
ing they are safe from COVID-19, all while enjoying time
spent with their loved ones.
The Arbors at Spring Lake is located at 550 Warren
Ave. in Spring Lake Heights. For more information, visit
SpringLakeArbors.com or call 732-449-4444 and arrange a
private tour.
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