In 2016 Pat Stelmach, RN from SAGE made a visit to John and Madge Speers in Mountainside. Madge had just returned from the hospital after she fell down a flight of stairs to their basement. The fall resulted in head and wrist injuries for Madge. After consultation with John and Madge, Pat and a Union County social worker decided the Speers needed meals delivered 5 days a week until Madge recovered from her injuries. As time went on it became apparent John needed his prescriptions managed. Pat Stelmach set up a pill dispenser and she would refill the dispenser on a regular basis.
By 2018 Madge began showing signs of dementia. Pat and volunteers from SAGE arranged for the Speers to receive care from Certified Home Care Aides. Eventually, given Madge’s deteriorating mental state and John’s physical inability to care for her, they moved to a facility where Madge lived in Memory Care and John lived in Assisted Living. However, because of Pat’s professionalism and social skills, John asked Pat to continue managing his prescriptions.
Every other week Pat would visit John. He keenly looked forward to their meetings. John and Pat’s late husband would share books and John had become close friends with Pat. They both enjoy discussing in detail topics of mutual interest. Pat would also provide John with the results from his various meetings with his cardiologist. In short, John relied on Pat.
John would tell anyone interested that Pat was responsible for keeping him as fit as possible; both mentally and physically. He said, “The senior community in Mountainside needs Pat Stelmach not only because of her nursing and medical knowledge but also her modesty and people skills. She is a treasure.” John Speers passed away peacefully on May 17, 2022. Before passing he made a generous donation to our Capital Campaign in honor of Pat Stelmach for all she had done for him and his late wife, Madge. He will be sorely missed by all of us at SAGE. Our condolences to his family and friends.
