She says she's 'not a miracle worker,' but some might argue that after 50 years as a CNA

ROCKLAND – Linda Spera McNutt was 20 when someone suggested she might like working as a certified nurse's aide at the Del Manor Nursing Home in her hometown of Rockland.

On April 8, 1974, she started her on-the-job training, thinking she might someday become a nurse.

Instead, she fell in love with how residents responded, with deep affection and gratitude, to the everyday, hands-on care the nursing assistants provided. "I just stuck with it," she said.

She had been an aide for eight years when she married Richard McNutt in 1982 and they started a family. She continued working while raising their two sons, Adam and Ryan, and even when her shoulders gave out at age 60 from lifting and moving patients, she didn't quit.

Instead, in 2014, she switched to the activities staff and found her new niche there. She still keeps up her nursing assistant license and filled in doing that care during the pandemic.

'Whatever they need, I'm there for them'

"I just love what I'm doing, to be here this long and doing this ... I'm happy," she said last week. She had just finished an activity and walked around the home, now called Webster Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, delivering mail.

Greeting each resident by name with a smile, she was a cheerful ambassador. In one room, resident Dolores mentioned her birthday was coming up; in another, Dale Balog, who once wrote a seniors column for the Scituate Mariner, beamed and said, "You're wonderful!"

Turning 107 at Webster Park Jennie lived on her own in Weymouth until she was 106.

"Whatever they need done, I'm there for them, helping them out," is how McNutt describes her job. It might be as simple as looking up a resident's daughter's phone number, or as complicated as looking into a personal issue and finding the right staff member to help.

Now 50 years after she started, McNutt is on the go at age 70, taking residents to their Tuesday in-house hairdresser's appointments, to communion, bingo, the monthly birthday parties ... and running just about any errand they ask.

Her on-the-job longevity is highly unusual.

"I've been in this business for 34 years and I've never seen anyone stay more than 40 years at one facility," Todd Funk, the administrator of Webster Park, said.

Webster Park recently gave McNutt her own surprise party to honor her for both her 50 years of service and the example she sets for the other staff, some in their 20s.

The staff were excited to see the quiet, affable woman who always stays behind the scenes, but who goes above and beyond and puts her whole heart into her job, be celebrated.

"This is seriously such an amazing opportunity for Linda," said Erin Gillis, 28, of South Weymouth, who is activities director and McNutt's boss.

"She always goes above and beyond and puts her whole heart into the job. She is so good at caring for people and will do anything for them, going down to the kitchen, acting as a housekeeper. She is quite the inspiration."

Lend an ear; empower a resident

Funk has been impressed by the extent of her reputation throughout the 110-bed facility.

"She sees multiple residents all day, on different floors, and they all love her," Funk said. "She is not there telling the residents what to do. She is there to see how they are doing.

"Knowing there is someone there, empowering you by listening to you, does wonders for a resident's psyche."

While McNutt is easy to talk to and kid around with, he said, he also values the fact that she will come to him directly. She "is not afraid to say this resident needs this or that one needs you to do such and such."

The role of the activities staff in nursing homes can sometimes be overlooked, or taken for granted. Yet they often spend the most time with the residents, getting to know them, and they play a significant part in the quality of life in a long-term care setting.

'A reason to get up in the morning'

"The aides are the reason many residents get up in the morning," Gillis said. "We give them something to look forward to. We always start the day with a trivia game, for mental stimulation, and then exercise for movement.

Gillis has a culinary background and started out in the kitchen, but had an inkling she might find the activities work especially meaningful. When a job opened up, she switched.

McNutt feels the day is going the way it should when she has a chance to help someone with small but important issues. Maybe a piece of their clothing is missing. Maybe they just want to knock on the office door and come in to talk.

How long will she keep this up? She smiles and says, "God willing," she has no plans to stop.

"I try to help them all," McNutt said. "I'm not a miracle worker, but you do the best you can. They're family. That's what I consider them."

Appalachian Mountain Club hiker earns 2,000-mile badge

Hiking can be a fun, uplifting and healthy activity in itself. You can add camaraderie if you go with the local chapters of the Appalachian Mountain Club in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

It can also be more challenging for people who like to track their progress, because the outdoors adventure club awards badges to members who complete different mileage goals.

Last week, Ken Cohen of Brockton hiked more than 5 miles at the Frank Knowles-Little River Reserve in Dartmouth (known as Boardwalk Trail) and this completed 2,000 miles Ken has hiked on official outing. Ken is an AMC hike leader and very active. While there are badges for hiking 100 miles and 500 miles, Ken is one of the first to reach 2,000 miles.

Congratulations Ken! Sue Rollins of Westport led the hike on Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust property with Walt Granda, a longtime leader who helped start the badge program some years ago. Both Walt and Ken designed different badges.

Marshfield event to feature new book 'The Great Abolitionist"

Author and historian Steven Puleo will speak about his new book, "The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union" from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday May 6 at the Marshfield Senior Center, 230 Webster St. The event will include appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks; the charge of $25 is due when registering at the senior center's front desk; call 781-835-5581. Autographed copies of the book will also be for sale.

Reach Sue Scheible at sscheible@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Linda McNutt has worked at Rockland nursing home for 50 years