by Kim Ruiz BALCERZAK
A young 57, Rose Marie Hall has the uncanny ability to motivate
older adults to capitalize on their achievements and capabilities, helping them add a new
level of enjoyment and meaning to later-life years.
Rose Marie is Director of The McLaughlin Center, a unique department at DeGraff
Memorial Hospital that provides health and wellness information and education services for
adults, while linking them to services at DeGraff and elsewhere in the community. When she
joined DeGraff seven years ago as Director of Programs, Rose Marie brought with her the
wealth of knowledge, skills and experiences she reaped as a South Buffalo native, teacher,
senior housing manager, mother of five and grandmother of seven. She later served as
Director of Older Adult Services as well as Acting Director of The McLaughlin Center,
before being named Director in 1996.
Rose Marie is a strong advocate of health, wellness and education for the 50PLUS
generation of parents, grandparents and caregivers. This is illustrated through her
involvement with the Center’s STAYWELL program, an award-winning, eight-session
health promotion course. Rose Marie has coordinated this program throughout Western New
York for the past five years. It is designed to help keep people healthy and well (as
opposed to getting them healthy and well). It’s easy to see that “Ro” truly
believes that age shouldn’t matter -- “unless you’re a cheese.”
Kim Ruiz Balcerzak is the Editor of Living Prime Time.