This first blog pays tribute to Elizabeth “Libby” Bowerman, our fearless leader who will be retiring as CEO of Keswick Multi-Care Center at the end of the year.  For more than 12 years, Libby has led Keswick through steady growth, unveiling new programs and facilities, spearheading renovations, expanding Keswick’s reach into Baltimore’s senior care community and advocating for the geriatric nursing profession.  In essence, Libby has helped to raise Keswick’s profile and position the facility as a leader in senior health care and caregiver resources within the greater Baltimore region.

The path Libby took to get to where she is today was somewhat unconventional.  Libby didn’t realize senior care was her calling until she turned 40.  At that time, she was in graduate school for social work, realized she truly enjoyed working with seniors and decided to make them her professional focus.  In addition to having her masters in social work, Libby is also a licensed nursing home administrator.

Some of the highlights of Libby’s tenure at Keswick include the creation of a Memory Care Unit that is the first of its kind in the area.  With three floors dedicated to varying stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia care, Keswick’s Memory Care Unit offers an engaging program of daily activities that stimulate individuals with specific cognitive needs.  Libby recognized that the Baker Rehabilitation Unit, a highly-regarded go-to facility for hospital discharge planners and physicians, needed a renovation.  It had been consistently overflowing with patients for years and there was a need for a more updated, larger facility.  Under her direction, the Baker Rehabilitation Unit has enjoyed a transformation into a state-of-the-art, 68-bed facility designed specifically for those patients with medically complex care issues requiring a higher-level of care. Keswick’s Adult Day program is another example of Libby’s expertise at work.  By hiring Adult Day program director Marina Tompkins, whose specialty is early onset Alzheimer’s, Libby recognized that Keswick could now gear its popular Adult Day program toward younger patients, filling a community void.  Strategic partnerships have also been formed with Johns Hopkins Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and Brightwood, which falls under the umbrella of Keswick Management – yet another Libby initiative.

Libby has accomplished much beyond the campus of Keswick, too.  She was in the Leadership Maryland Class of 2008, the Baltimore County Leadership Class of 2002, on the Baltimore County Leadership Board of Directors and a participant in the Maryland State Task Force.  She is also on the Board of Directors of Windemere Long Term Care, which is a fully owned subsidiary of GEDCO, the owner and developer of the Green House Residences at Stadium Place in Baltimore.  She was on the Board of Baltimore Clayworks for 5 years, serving as Board Chair for 3 years and was selected as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2007.

As she prepares to say goodbye to Keswick, Libby is not going quietly into the night.  As she embarks on this next chapter of her life, she is looking forward to enjoying her home, her three acres of property and the gentle changing of the seasons.  She also plans on getting a puppy next spring and will take the puppy on trips to visit grandchildren who live from Long Island to North Carolina.

As for her greatest moments at Keswick, Libby recalls two fondly.  One is the annual Halloween party when the staff and residents dress up and parade in the auditorium. Judges are selected from Keswick’s volunteers and there are lots of smiles and cheers as residents get prizes for their costumes.  She also enjoys the Volunteer Appreciation event each spring where the residents acknowledge the volunteers and all of their good work.

Keswick will miss Libby greatly, but she has left an indelible imprint on the facility, the staff and the campus that will help remind us of her legacy each day.  We wish her the best on her next adventure and thank you, Libby!

To download a pdf of the article, click here.

To download a pdf of the article, click here.

In addition to his role as Medical Director at Keswick, Desai is the Director of the Memory Clinic in the Outpatient Neuropsychiatry Program and Medical Director of geriatric psychiatry for Sheppard Pratt Health System.   Dr. Desai came to Sheppard Pratt from St. Louis University School of Medicine, where he was an associate professor in the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry.

In addition to his academic and professional work, Desai is also the co-author the book Psychiatric Consultation in Long Term Care: A Guide for Health Care Professionals, released in October 2010 through the Johns Hopkins Press. The book offers a basic framework for a humanistic, team-based approach to meeting the needs of elder persons with mental disorders in long-term care facilities.

“Studies show that residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are at a greater risk to suffer from psychiatric disorders,” said Dr. Desai. “Because of the aging process, psychiatric disorders are often not identified.  This is a population that is generally underserved in the area of psychiatric diseases. With my extensive background in geriatric psychiatry, I am confident that I will be able to meet the needs of the patients at Keswick to help keep everyone healthy.”

“Dr. Desai is very accomplished in the field of psychiatry and geriatrics, and we are looking forward to working with him as he lends his experience and knowledge to the programs at Keswick,” said Susan Push, Director of Memory Care at Keswick.

Desai is on the editorial board of the “Journal of the American Medical Directors Association” and was selected by peers as one of the best doctors in St. Louis by St. Louis Magazine in 2009 and 2010.

To download a pdf of the article, click here.

By Rachel Cieri

Healthcare reform has been a point of contention since the beginning of this presidential term, and although the related bills were signed into law, many agree that they’re far from perfect. SmartCEO asked local business leaders to give us their prescriptions for healthcare reform.

By: Charley Crowson
Many of the volunteers with Keswick Multi-Care Center are young children. Sharon Gutzmer, Director of
Recreational Therapy, says the initiative helps children learn about volunteerism and spend time with
older adults in the process.

Gutzmer joined Charley for Good Morning Maryland @ 9 to talk about the week and the Center. She
also gave tips on how families can get children, even preschoolers, involved in community service and
volunteering and even make it a family event.
If you would like to hear more about Keswick and those tips, click on the video box to the left of this
article.

BALTIMORE, Md.—February 23, 2011—Keswick Multi-Care Center, a long-term care facility in north Baltimore, has announced the hire of Reverend Medgar Reid as the new Staff Chaplain for the center’s Pastoral and Spiritual Care services.

In this role, Reid will be in charge of scheduling worship and memorial services for all faiths, teaching seminars, providing informational programs and preserving and restoring faith among Keswick’s residents, their families and the staff.  He will also be proactive in making rounds and doing initial spiritual assessments, and will be available to residents and their families for spiritual counseling.  Reid oversees a staff of volunteers that support him in his daily work.

“The role of Chaplain at a facility such as Keswick is a multi-faceted, challenging job requiring an individual to connect with residents, families and staff on many levels – emotional, spiritual and religious – but we believe Medgar Reid is up to the task,” said Libby Bowerman, CEO of Keswick Multi-Care Center.  “Medgar has a long history of serving those in need and I am confident his services will be well-received.”

Reid, a Baltimore native, has more than 20 years of experience as a minister. Before joining Keswick, he founded Reid Memorial Community Chaplain Ministries, which is dedicated to providing emotional and spiritual support to the sick, traumatized, terminally ill and their families. He also served as the staff chaplain for the University of Maryland Medical System/Shock Trauma Unit and as the director of pastoral care at Union Memorial Hospital. Reid was voted Father-of-the-Year by Black Professional Men in 1995 and by the 100 Black Men Music Association in 2004.

Reid is married and the father of two daughters.