4 minute read
A Cut Above
BETH WALSH, LAURA HEVENER, BARBARA OSBORNE AND PAM FREYERMUTH have been beautifying the residents at Masonic Villages for a combined nearly 70 years.
“I like the atmosphere, and Beth is really good and patient,” said Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill resident Jean C. Frishmuth, who visits Beth Walsh at the full-service salon once a week to get a blow dry or a haircut. “Everyone who leaves looks wonderful. If you look better, you feel better.”
Resident Catherine Wentz agreed. “It makes you feel attractive, but it also gives you time to relax and socialize with others,” she said.
Beth has worked full-time at the salon for 32 years, both in personal care and retirement living. The retirement living salon’s only stylist, her schedule fills up quickly, and she keeps her appointments in a large date book on her desk. The residents enjoy visiting the salon, whether it be for the social aspect, to get dolled up before a family visit or to just leave feeling more confident than when they arrived.
“There are a lot of women who come here every week,” Beth said, estimating she has about 20 appointments per day.
“They are used to going to the beauty parlor every week when they were growing up.”
Beth attended Ambler Beauty Academy many years ago to learn her trade. Through word of mouth, she heard about the job at Masonic Village and seized the opportunity. “I was part-time at first because I was raising children and wanted to be home with them,” she said, “but then the hours and clients kept increasing.”
She said she stays at Masonic Village because she enjoys working with the senior population. “They are very knowledgeable, and they tell a lot of stories,” she said. “You need to have a lot of patience and most importantly, you need to care. This is someone’s grandmother or mother. They need to be taken care of.”
Laura Hevener, a stylist at Oasis Salon and Spa at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, estimates she sees between 10 and 14 clients per day. To accommodate the growing demand, there are two salons located in retirement living and one in the Masonic Health Care Center. Laura works in retirement living alongside another full-time stylist, her manager, and another woman who comes in on Thursdays to do facials, manicures and pedicures. A barber is starting soon to assist with the male clients.
She said many of her female clients come in once a week for a shampoo or a set. Like Beth, she thinks it harkens back to a time when women, particularly homemakers, would leave the house and treat themselves. “It’s a lifestyle that they’re used to. It makes them feel good to have their hair done by someone who gives them time and attention,” Laura said.
Barbara Osborne has worked as a stylist at Masonic Village at Warminster for 18 years. She owned her own shop before she began working at several longterm care communities. She’s really happy with where she is now because she has developed relationships with her clients, and they feel like family.
“I just like making people feel good,” she said. “For me, working at a [long-term care community] is a lot less stressful. The people are friendly and have lots of stories. To go back to a regular salon now, I would probably have to go back to school because all the styles are different. I like doing perms and short, simple haircuts.”
Pam Freyermuth has worked full-time at the salon at Masonic Village at Sewickley for the past 19 years. She previously worked for the Masonic Eastern Star Home-West (which was closed in 2001 when the Masonic Village at Sewickley officially opened the Star Points personal care building) for 20 years.
Pam said she typically sees nine to 15 clients a day, but every day is different. “If I’m doing a lot of perms, I can’t fit in too many other appointments,” she said. “I have a woman who comes in twice a week to help me so that I’m not totally by myself. We also have a volunteer who comes in once a week.”
She said the residents are so grateful to have their hair done, and she has never received a complaint in all her years here.
“I think seniors feel good when they get their hair done. It’s not just a service, but a chance to be with people,” she said. “It adds a little bit to their day-to-day routine and gives them something to look forward to.”
