Providence Place Services

Providence Place offers extensive common spaces, including a lovely and spacious dining room, a majestic chapel, two beautiful and attractively landscaped cloister gardens and an outdoor swimming pool.

Common spaces for the use of all residents include:

• chapel with daily Mass
• library
• piano lounge
• family dining room
• guest accommodations
• exercise room
• living and sitting rooms
• large and small activity rooms
• card room
• hair salon
• washers and dryers
• whirlpool tub rooms on every floor
• storage areas
• mail room
• convenient parking

Optional, added-charge services include:

• additional meals
• housekeeping services
• individual transportation to medical and business appointments
• personal business services, such as photocopying, faxing, and computer usage
• personal laundry service
  

The staff at Providence Place is also available to assist residents in arranging for and securing additional services as needs arise. These services, which residents will be responsible for contracting and paying for, include:

• all health care services, including primary care, in-hospital stays, personal home and nursing care
• personal care professionals needed to aid residents so they can maintain their independent lifestyles
  

Testimonials from Providence Place Residents

"Providence Place was a Godsend for my father. I live far away but know he is surrounded by caring friends in a great community. It is the Hidden Jewel in the Pioneer Valley."
-- J. Gelinas, Surry, Maine

"Thank you for the attractive and delicious fruit basket when I moved in. Providence Place is special not only for the thoughtful 'touches' it provides, but most especially for the warm and friendly welcome that the staff, the Sisters and the residents extend to newcomers. I feel blessed and fortunate to be making my home among you."
-- M. McCarthy, Springfield, Massachusetts

"After visiting Providence Place we could not think of a better place to spend our retirement years. We have always desired to live close to church so we could attend daily Mass."
-- Mr. and Mrs. W. McCarthy, Westfield, Massachusetts

"I prayed to find a special home and Providence Place is the one."
-- E. McKenna, Longmeadow, Massachusetts

"No other place would do!"
-- M. O'Connell, South Hadley, Massachusetts

"We felt at home the minute we stepped into Providence Place. It only gets better!"
-- Mr. and Mrs. B. O'Malley, Springfield, Massachusetts

Resident Profile -- Elizabeth Huller

"It was one of the best choices I've ever made in my life," says retired foreign language teacher Elizabeth Huller when asked about her decision to live at Providence Place. "I was beginning to feel my ten room house was too big for me. I was lonely. My circle of friends was shrinking and none of us drive at night any more."

She remembers taking part in the focus groups the Sisters of Providence held when they were exploring the idea of transitioning their Mother House into today's Providence Place, a retirement community for independent, active seniors. "I liked the idea of remaining independent," said Elizabeth of what she heard in at the focus groups, "but wasn't ready to make the move."

Elizabeth did submit her name for an apartment as soon as apartments became available but changed her mind when that time arrived. "I just wasn't ready," she recalled.

"By the summer of 2000, though, I decided to make the change. This is what I wanted to do. I moved in November 18, 2000, a day I now count as one of the happiest days of my life!"

"I've been very, very happy here," Elizabeth now says. "I practically had no adjustments to make at all. The whole atmosphere -- the sense of peace, the magnificent chapel, the beautiful grounds, the many activities and friendliness of residents and staff -- is wonderful. I would highly recommend living here to anyone."

As an aside Elizabeth noted, "I've always enjoyed cooking in my home and planned on continuing with it here because we all have full kitchens. I remember saying to myself before I moved, 'No way am I going to go down to the dining room every day.' Well, guess what? I've cooked a few times but the rest of the time I've eaten in the main dining room and I am enjoying someone else doing the cooking."

In closing, Elizabeth said, "I've never been in a rental apartment situation before. I thought I'd feel very confined but my apartment is very lovely, very open. What more can I say? There's just something about the place."

The Providence Place Chapel

Upon entering our spectacular chapel, most visitors are overwhelmed by its size, beauty, and inherent sense of peace and stillness. Byzantine in architecture, the chapel is an artistic gem, 135 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 60 feet high.

The chapel's side walls, columns and arches are made of tooled cast stone. Its wainscoting, ten feet in height, is divided into panels by strips of antique marble.

In the chapel's sanctuary, the high altar is chiseled out of the choicest Italian marble. The altar sits beneath a marble baldachino with a magnificent mosaic dome. Altogether, the altar, baldachino, and dome weigh 56 tons.

Dining at Providence Place

Chef Manager Pat Moriarty is a native of Hadley, Massachusetts and cooked for the Faculty Club at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, for a number of years before coming to Providence Place.

Here Pat shares three of her favorite recipes that have residents looking forward to mealtime:

Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

3/4 lb. butter

2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 small onions, minced

1/2 cup minced garlic

5 qts. beef stock

2 cups tomato puree

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups white vermouth

salt and pepper

grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter, add onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
2. Sauté five to six minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and sugar.
4. Let simmer for ten minutes.
5. Add beef stock, let simmer 1 to 1-1/2 hours, then add vermouth.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

 

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

4 large plum tomatoes

1/3 cup of fresh basil, slivered

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil salt and ground black pepper

4 fresh (6 oz. each) swordfish steaks

Directions

1. Blanch tomatoes, peel, seed and chop.
2. Add fresh basil, shallots and balsamic vinegar.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Lightly oil swordfish steaks.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Grill until done.
7. Put on plate and top with salsa.
8. Serve with orzo or other pasta.

 

Chocolate Decadence Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Cake Ingredients

melted unsalted butter

6 oz. dark sweet chocolate

7 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of water

6 oz. sugar

9 oz soft unsalted butter

6 eggs

3 oz. sugar

Directions for Cake

1. Brush melted unsalted butter on cake pan. Place baking paper on bottom. Butter paper.
2. Cut dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate into small pieces.
3. Bring water and 6 oz. sugar to a boil; remove from heat.
4. Add chocolate, stir until melted.
5. Add butter in chunks stirring until melted.
6. Cool.
7. Whip eggs with 3 oz. of sugar for approximately 3 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.
8. Gently fold the cool chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
9. Place batter in pan.
10. Place pan in a water bath.
11. Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes until top feels firm.
12. Refrigerate overnight.
13. Unmold cakes by placing pan in warm water then inverting onto cake plate.
14. Garnish with whip cream (see recipe below), fresh raspberries and mint leaves.
15. Top with raspberry sauce (see recipe below).

Raspberry Sauce Ingredients

1 lb. frozen raspberries

1-1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 oz. sugar

Directions for Raspberry Sauce

1. Puree berries, strain seeds, add enough water to make two cups.
2. Place in pan, add cornstarch and sugar.
3. Keep stirring, let simmer until thickened.
4. Cool.

Whip Cream Ingredients and Directions

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

 

1. Beat cream while gradually adding sugar until mixture thickens.