Serving Your Health Elvis Has Left the Building Community

Summer 2013 , Vol. 10, No. 3
A publication of Life Care Centers of America
Elvis Has Left the Building
PAGE 5
Community Connections
Bridging the Gap between
Facilities and Communities
PAGE 9
Serving Your Health
PAGE 7
A message from the president
A Volunteer and His “Pay”
What is a volunteer, and why does he or she
become one? A primary definition of the term
is “to do charitable or helpful work without
receiving pay for it.”
In the case of Josh Sosebee, 17, who has been
named the Young Adult Volunteer of the Year
for 2013 by the American Health Care
Association, the first part of the definition is
applicable, but not the second half. Sosebee
would maintain that, while he doesn’t receive
any monetary gift or reimbursement for his
efforts, he is well paid.
Sosebee will be nationally recognized at the
AHCA annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz.,
Oct. 6-9, 2013. The award he will receive is well
deserved. It is the latest in a series of honors
accorded this young man. He was Life Care’s
Eastern Division Youth Volunteer of the Year
and the Tennessee Health Care Association’s
Individual Volunteer of the Year winner, both
in 2012.
Sosebee’s investments are staggering for a
person of any age, but particularly for one so
young, while focusing on career choices,
preparation of these life pursuits through
education and practical experiences, and
formation of values that will shape his
character. A principal foundation stone, even
as a teenager, is service to others, particularly
the elderly.
A volunteer for more than four years at Life
Care Center of East Ridge, Tenn., he is
described by Ben Zani, executive director, as
“quite simply the most caring, responsible and
selfless young adult I have encountered. Josh’s
dedication to our residents is unmatched. He
volunteers at the facility whenever humanly
possible, averaging out to an astounding 1,000
hours per year. Over the last four years, Josh has
spent more than 3,500 hours giving of himself
to our residents and asking nothing in return.”
Zani said Sosebee “does whatever is asked of
him and more, from leading religious services
to setting up movies to just going around the
building making sure that all of our residents
have water and snacks. He washes wheelchairs
without being asked, started the popular
Canning for a Cause program, and there is no
one better at sitting one-on-one with residents.”
In sum, his intention is to better the lives of
men and women who may feel as if society has
passed them by.
His pay? Sosebee contends it comes in the
form of smiles or a handshake, the gleaning of
wisdom from a conversation with a retired
educator, community leader or World War II
veteran, and a hug from an elderly woman
whose family somehow has seemed to forget
about her. It is delivered to him in the
encouragement of folks who have endured
hardships along the way, but who assure him
the journey is worth it.
In this edition of Life Matters, you will meet
adult volunteers all across our company who–
like this young man – have found the joy, the
peace and the contentment in serving our
residents.
May God bless them, one and all!
Sincerely,
Beecher Hunter
OUR COVER MODELS:
Mickie Chavez, volunteer at Life
Care Center of Elyria, Ohio,
with her trained therapy dogs,
Cappuccino, a retired greyhound
and Fly, a border collie
is published quarterly by
Life Care Centers of America
P.O. Box 3480
Cleveland, Tennessee 37320
Forrest L. Preston
Founder and Chairman
Beecher Hunter
President
Bob Grayson
Vice President of The Media Center
and Art Director
Leigh Atherton
Director of Public Relations
and Editor
Tanya Bumgardner
Newsletter Coordinator
and Associate Editor
Jonathan Golden
Graphic Designer
All correspondence should be addressed
to the Associate Editor.
Features
5 Elvis Has Left the Building
7 Serving Your Health
9 Community Connections: Bridging the Gap between
Facilities and Communities
Serving Your Health p. 7
InEveryIssue
3 Life Care Connections
13 Whatever It Takes And Then Some Highlights
is the most famous
14 Resident Voices: Who
person you have met?
“
”
InsideLifeCare
11 The Bead Ladies of Brookfield
12 The Sleep Doctor at Villa Manor Care Center
Elvis p. 5
Bead Ladies. 11
Community Connections p. 9
Thompson appointed vice president of
Life Care’s Northwest Division
Life Care Centers of America recently appointed Raymond Thompson as
vice president of its Northwest Division, based in Federal Way, Wash.
In this position, Thompson will oversee 29 skilled nursing, rehabilitation
and Alzheimer’s centers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
Most recently, Thompson served as vice president for Life Care’s Mariner
Region, one of four regions within the Northwest Division. Prior to
that appointment, he was executive director at Life Care Center of Port
Orchard, Wash. He is certified with the American College of Health Care
Administrators and has more than 12 years of experience in long-term care.
Mi Casa Nursing Center Volunteer Wins
Arizona Health Care Association Award
On April 4, 2013, the Arizona Health Care Association presented its annual
Volunteer of the Year Award to Marcia Dix, a volunteer at Mi Casa Nursing
Center in Mesa, Ariz., during the organization’s annual awards banquet. Dix
received a plaque and flowers honoring her contributions to facility life.
A team of associates nominated Dix for the award, praising her for her
constant presence in the building, livening up activities with her clapping and
laughing and getting to know each resident personally.
“I do it for the residents,” Dix said. “They are so appreciative for even the small
things, like finding the remote. I am fortunate to be able to spend time and give
some special attention to each one of them. I get more out of volunteering than I
put into it.”
Certified Nursing Assistant at Scottsdale Heritage
Court Wins National Award
Raymond Surrell, a certified nursing assistant at Scottsdale Heritage Court
in Scottsdale, Ariz., brought home a national award on June 20, 2013, when the
National Association of Health Care Assistants named him CNA of the Year
during its annual conference held in Oklahoma City.
Surrell has worked at Scottsdale Heritage Court for more than 10 years.
“He works day shift, and residents and families have often commented that
it is wonderful to start the day with Ray at their side,” said Michelle Martinez,
executive director at Scottsdale Heritage Court. “He is a wonderful role model
for all associates to emulate. He is well respected by his peers and is often
looked upon as a mentor for our new CNAs.”
Surrell also earned the CNA of the Year Award from the American Health
Care Association in 2012.
3
Raymond Surrell, certified nursing assistant, with
his CNA of the Year Award
Motyka, Philbert Presented Servant’s
Heart Award
On May 6, 2013, during Life Care’s Annual Rehab Meeting at the corporate
headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn., Paul Motyka, regional rehab director in
Life Care Centers of America’s Bluegrass Region, received the Servant’s Heart
Award on behalf of himself and Melissa Philbert, rehab services manager at Life
Care Center of Bardstown, Ky., for their above-and-beyond efforts to support
their co-worker Tammy Brooks, a physical therapist at Life Care Center of
Bardstown.
Motyka and Philbert decided to shave their heads to support Brooks, who
was facing chemotherapy as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis. They also
motivated other facilities in the region to raise money for Brooks’ treatment,
raising $5,000 in less than a month.
Paul Motyka, third from the right, receiving the Servant’s
Heart Award from Life Care’s rehab leadership
National Association of Activity Professionals
Honors Life Care Center of Las Vegas Volunteer
Doris Carter, a volunteer at Life Care Center of Las Vegas, Nev., was named
Volunteer of the Year for the National Association of Activity Professionals.
The organization presented the award during its national conference, held in
Las Vegas, on April 26, 2013.
Carter has been volunteering at the facility since 2010. Her husband is a
resident, and in her visits to see him, she discovered a way she could make a
difference for other residents and their families. She began volunteering two
days a week, which has now extended to four days a week, three hours each time.
“Knowing that today I made someone’s life a little easier or a little nicer,
putting a smile on a resident’s face, makes me smile too,” said Carter.
Doris Carter, Volunteer of the Year, with Jan Swallow,
activities director
Hale Anuenue Nurse Wins International
Infection Prevention Award
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology,
an international organization, bestowed one of its 2013 Heroes of Infection
Prevention awards on Dianne Adkins, assistant director of nursing at Hale
Anuenue Restorative Care Center in Hilo, Hawaii. She accepted the award
during the organization’s annual convention held June 8 – 10, 2013, in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.
According to APIC, “The award recognizes those APIC members and teams
who have worked tirelessly to reduce infection, raise awareness and improve the
health and well-being of patients, health care workers and the public.”
Adkins, a registered nurse since 2005, created an innovative model for
educating not only caregivers, but residents in a classroom setting. The
approach was multidisciplinary, including dietary, social services and activities
departments in planning and delivering the education in a respectful way.
“It’s been a wonderful journey,” said Adkins. “We’re empowering the
residents to have some control in a circumstance in which they feel they don’t
have much control.”
Left to right: Katrina Crist, CEO of APIC;
Adkins; and Kathy Warye, vice president of
infection prevention at BD, corporate sponsor of
the Heroes of Infection Prevention awards
4
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
...but he’ll be back for bingo next month.
Elvis Presley made his first
recording with Sun Records
60 years ago. It’s hard to know
what made him so special, but
whatever “it” was, he had it. He
quickly
shot to fame
and became
a symbol of
a post-war
generation
5
looking for independence – in their ideas,
dress and, of course, their music. While
many of his entertainment peers enjoyed
their 15 minutes of fame and then faded
into the annals of pop culture history, Elvis’
popularity continues to grow, and his music
and movies still appeal to fans of all ages.
Some of his biggest fans live in Life Care
facilities. Many of our residents have personal
memories of Elvis – whether
it was seeing him live in
concert, working with him
on a movie set, living near
him in Memphis, being
stationed with him in
Germany or marrying
a relative. Many
others simply enjoy
the nostalgia an Elvis
song brings because they remember dancing
to his music as teenagers or seeing his
movies on the big screen.
Whatever the reason,
Life Care residents love
Elvis, and Elvis loves
Life Care. Well, I don’t
really know about
Elvis, but his tribute
artists are frequent
guests. And, they love
Life Care, and our
residents love them.
In a recent poll,
more than 60 of our
facilities said they’ve
by Dara Carroll, Life Care Public Relations
hosted an Elvis tribute artist for at least one
facility event in the past year. And, some
of these facilities host Elvis every month!
Popular Elvis events include performances
on the anniversaries of his birth and death,
National
Nursing Home
Week events,
senior proms,
car shows and
Valentine’s Day.
Several associates
said that
performances
by Elvis tribute
artists are their
residents’ favorite events. A few of our
centenarians have even enjoyed their 100th
birthday parties with “Elvis” as their special
guest!
It doesn’t matter what part of the country
you live in; people everywhere like Elvis. The
facilities that frequently host Elvis tribute
artists include facilities in each of Life Care’s
seven divisions, and the men seem to enjoy
Elvis music as much as the women!
So, if you’re scheduling an event and can’t
decide on entertainment, try an Elvis tribute
artist. Your residents just might fall in love
with him (or her), and Elvis can’t help falling
in love with them!
Here are a few of our favorite quotes from
associates and residents about Elvis and their
favorite Elvis tribute artists.
“Resident Jean McDede [has] many decorative items in her
room, including a life-sized photo of Elvis in his shimmering gold
suit. … On her wall is a specially made 1-ELVIS license plate
from Memphis. … Her loving companion, Robert, shares her
infatuation with Elvis, and his car bore ELVIS license plates. And,
their little golden poodle was named, of course, Elvis.”
~Evelyn McHugh, Life Care Center of Palm Bay, Fla.
“We have a very special volunteer who had an Elvis jumpsuit
made. He visits from room to room, to build anticipation, [before
a concert with the Elvis tribute artist]. During the actual concert,
he always sings a duet with the impersonator. During his last
visit, our impersonator said, ‘I didn’t have a chance with the ladies
because of your Elvis!’”
~Sherri Nail, Mitchell Manor in Mitchell, Ind.
“Our biggest Elvis fan is Annie. Her room is filled with Elvis
memorabilia… She even wears an Elvis-printed Hawaiian
muumuu. Through the years, she has formed a special friendship
with our Elvis impersonator. He always looks forward to seeing
her in the front row at his performances. He gets down on his
knees and serenades her with Can’t Help Falling in Love. After his
song, he presents her with his scarf, which she treasures. Her
million-dollar smiles during his performances are priceless.”
~Shelley Yasuhara, Hale Anuenue Restorative Center in Hilo, Hawaii
“[When Elvis comes], we see a sparkle in the residents’ eyes,
youthful smiles and a lot of laughter and dancing. And, a
few brave women will let out a squeal. I think it makes them
remember their younger years.”
~Lisa Cabbage, Ridgeview Terrace of Life Care in Rutledge, Tenn.
“We have a resident who is normally unsure about who she lets
in her space. When Elvis came during National Nursing Home
Week, she sang with him. He held her hand, and she allowed him
to hold it all through the song. She also kissed his cheek. She is
still talking about it, and, smiling, she says, ‘There was something
about that man.’”
~Beth, Cañon Lodge Care Center in Cañon City, Colo.
6
Serving
Your health
By Jared Powers, Life Care Public Relations
Bob Leech
Life Care Center of Centerville, Tenn.
While health benefits are a long-term
goal, most volunteers report greater
life satisfaction and better
physical health.
Volunteers in Life Care facilities
across the nation are a group of people
very dear to our hearts. They serve
with joy and enthusiasm in many
different roles, truly making our
residents’ lives better. Thank you to
our volunteers. Without a doubt, your
time is more precious than you know.
The following stories introduce a few of
our many exceptional volunteers. Take
a minute today to thank a volunteer at
your local facility.
Mickie Chavez
Life Care Center of Elyria, Ohio
Frank Davis
Hallmark Nursing Center, Denver, Colo.
Bob Leech, a retired minister, has
been volunteering at Life Care Center
of Centerville, Tenn., for many years.
He holds Bible studies with residents
who wish to attend and spends time
one-on-one with residents wishing
to stay in their rooms. Leech also
works with associates to help settle
resident concerns. He attends almost
every event at the facility and sits with
residents who are on their deathbed,
consoling or ministering to them as
they desire.
“He is a true saint to our facility,” shares
Beth Adkins, director of business
development.
The most positive health outcomes
are exhibited by people who
volunteer between 40 and 100 hours
per year; however, volunteering more
than 100 hours does not show an
increase in health benefits.
7
Frank Davis, one of many active volunteers
at Hallmark Nursing Center in Denver, Colo.,
answered a call for help from his church’s
bulletin and quickly became deeply
involved with the facility. Unsure of how
to begin, Davis started with a shift in the
Sweet Shop serving ice cream and popcorn
once per week. A good listener, Davis
would lend an ear to residents in need and
set out to solve their issues. He also began
meeting one-on-one with residents unable
to leave their rooms, comforting them with
conversation, prayer or reading.
“He provides hope and inspiration and
can often be found delivering one of
his handmade rosaries or reading an
inspirational story to a resident,” added
Angela Hoffman, volunteer coordinator.
“We are truly blessed by Frank’s willingness
to be at the side of any resident in need.”
Mickie Chavez has volunteered at Life
Care Center of Elyria, Ohio, since 2009.
She visits weekly, bringing with her Fly,
a border collie, or Cappuccino, a rescued
greyhound, both trained pet therapy dogs.
Each dog brings a different personality, but
they both form immediate connections
with residents, brightening up any room
instantly. Chavez and her dogs also visit
with residents who are unable to leave
their rooms. Residents enjoy visiting
with Fly because of her soft coat, and
Cappuccino, being a taller breed, stands
beside a bed or chair, ensuring she is within
reach. Chavez also entertains and delights
residents with stories of living on her sheep
farm or information about her dogs.
“Mickie and her dogs bring happiness to
residents as well as associates and visitors,”
shares Jody Brenning, receptionist. “We all
look forward to her visits each week.”
People suffering from chronic
pain, when volunteering for
others suffering from chronic pain,
experience a decrease in pain levels.
Mary Prokosch
Vince Valicenti
Life Care Center of New Port Richey, Fla.
Life Care Center of Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Ariz.
Mary Prokosch began volunteering at
Life Care Center of New Port Richey, Fla.,
in 2009. Having previously worked as a
licensed practical nurse in a long-term care
setting, Prokosch knows her way around.
She volunteers as often as possible, but can
be counted on Monday through Thursday.
Prokosch assists associates with admissions,
allowing new residents to share their
stories and fears in a relaxed manner. She
then visits those residents later, bringing
them encouragement, ice cream or a word
puzzle. With special events, Prokosch always
participates, assisting with washing cars,
calling out bingo, scooping ice cream or
baking homemade cupcakes for a bake sale.
“Mary is an excellent example of someone
who can take life’s lemons and make a sweet
lemonade that not only refreshes her spirit,
but the spirits of those around her,” wrote
Denise Hoban, activities director. “I feel that
everyone here is better for knowing Mary.”
Vince Valicenti, a volunteer at Life Care
Center of Paradise Valley in Phoenix,
Ariz., began volunteering with a group
of local artists in the memory care unit
in 1998. Valicenti continued visiting
the facility even after the publicity
surrounding the artists’ involvement
ended. He visits the facility to teach
water color painting twice per month,
encouraging creative expression
and also teaching technique. The
facility displays 12 resident paintings,
alternating monthly. Valicenti also takes
resident-created artwork around the
community, displaying pieces at the
local library, several resorts
and art galleries.
“There is no doubt that Vince is the
power, motivation and leader behind
this art program,” shares Lorna Mattox,
activities director. “His passion, drive
and inspiration is nothing short
of being magical.”
A reduction in despair and depression
is shown in people who volunteer
post-heart attack, as well as a
greater sense of purpose for their life.
Sally Linton
Life Care Center of Sandpoint, Idaho
Sally Linton began volunteering at Life
Care Center of Sandpoint, Idaho, shortly
after it opened. She visits the facility
weekly without fail to play a card and
dice game with residents. Linton’s
contagious humor and enthusiasm is
what residents enjoy most about her
visits. Other events Linton has assisted
with include sing-alongs, birthday
parties and fair outings. She has
recently begun one-on-one visits with
many residents.
“Sally’s upbeat and positive outlook
touches and influences everyone who
meets her,” added Deb Decker, activities
director. “She is a wonderful woman
and a great volunteer.”
Tony Wirick
Life Care Center of The Willows, Valparaiso, Ind.
Tony Wirick has been volunteering at Life
Care Center of The Willows in Valparaiso,
Ind., for more than four years. He began
People who volunteer steadily
throughout their lives show a
lower mortality rate, are more
active and have lower rates of
depression later in life.
visiting the facility weekly while his
uncle was a resident. Now Wirick assists
residents with shirt protectors, delivers
meal trays, busses tables or gets snacks
and water. Many residents look forward
to his continued visits. Wirick aids in any
way possible, including grilling for special
events, assisting with patient outings,
planting and maintaining the facility
vegetable garden, delivering homegrown
vegetables and encouraging patients.
“We all have been inspired by Tony’s giving
of time and talent and genuine care for
others,” writes Kimberly Scott, activities
director.
For those 55 and older, volunteering for two or more
organizations can reduce mortality rate up to 44 percent
over a five-year period over those who do not volunteer.
There are many roles to be filled in long-term
care facilities across the nation. Go out and
volunteer today! Even as little as an hour per
week is enough to mean the world to residents.
Not only will you reap health benefits over the
long term, but you will be positively impacting the
lives of people in your community.
The full report, entitled The Health Benefits of
Volunteering can be downloaded at: http://www.
nationalservice.gov/impact-our-nation/researchand-reports. For more information about how
you can volunteer at a Life Care facility, contact
your local facility today.
8
ommunity
onnections:
Bridging the Gap between
Facilities and Communities
By Christian McDonald, Activities Director at Life Care Center of East Ridge, Tenn.
Inspiration comes
from everywhere.
At Life Care
Center of East
Ridge, Tenn., we
are always looking
for ways to bring
the community to
our residents and
patients and our
residents and patients to the community.
Understanding that our residents are
either going back home, to an assisted
living center or will be staying with us,
working with the community is not only
valuable, but essential for our residents’
and patients’ well-being.
9
One such example of our symbiotic
relationship with the community is
our canning program. A while back,
we heard about one of our sister
facilities snapping green beans as an
activity. It sounded like something that
would provide real-world skills for our
residents, while also being quite fun.
Our residents absolutely loved it, and
our Monday Canning for a Cause group
has become a staple of our activities
program. In fact, several area newspapers
and magazines have done features on our
canning program.
Sometimes, we host a sale. Other
times, we have a full chopping,
dicing and slicing fest where we
make everything from spice packets
to barbecue sauce to peach salsa.
Whatever we make, all of the food
turns out to be delicious! In fact, we
recently sold more than $100 worth of
canned goods in two days. All of the
proceeds either go to a chosen charity
or to fund a big resident activity. Some
charities we have supported include a
local children’s hospital, the American
Heart Association and the Alzheimer’s
Association.
One benefit of supporting local
charities and community organizations
is that they will often come to you
with ideas. That was the case with our
Operation Homefront partnership.
Operation Homefront is an organization
that helps families of soldiers. We adopt
an active-duty soldier’s family each
Christmas and ensure they have the
Christmas they deserve.
“Without Life Care Center of
East Ridge, a military family here
in Tennessee would not have had
any Christmas,” Bill McDonald,
advisory board member for Operation
Homefront, said. “We thank Life Care’s
employees and residents for taking a
personal interest in the well-being of our
military families. They truly made a real
difference.”
Community activities can be fun
and helpful for team building as well.
Chattanooga, Tenn., hosts the annual
Children’s Hospital Dragon Boat
Festival where local organizations race
boats that hold 22 people. The event
supports Chattanooga’s Children’s
Hospital Foundation, an organization
near and dear to the hearts of those in
our facility. Our associates participate
in the race themselves, while our
residents help choose our group’s theme,
decorations and even raise money for a
local children’s hospital by selling canned
and baked goods.
“We are so grateful for Life Care
Centers’ participation in the 7th Annual
Children’s Hospital Dragon Boat
Festival,” stated Ali Cobb, with the
Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It’s
great to see your residents support
your efforts in raising money for the
Children’s Hospital Foundation. More
than $250,000 was raised, and we
could not have done it without the
community’s support.”
Outings can also be an effective
way to reach out to the community.
Each summer, we take several of our
residents to a local pond to fish. We have
started inviting our sister facilities and
local assisted living facilities to join us.
Approximately 50 – 60 people from all
across the area end up participating in
our fishing outing. We are even able to
recruit local youth volunteers for the
outing, allowing them to connect with
our residents.
“I love going fishing,” said Marion
Young, a resident of our facility. “I
love the opportunity to get out of the
building and meet new people. One of
the youngsters even prayed for me while
we were sitting at the table during lunch.
I find my time with them inspiring.”
Sometimes community outreach ideas
can come from something as simple
as owning a pet. We know how much
our residents and patients enjoy having
animals visit them, so we started a pet
therapy program. Partnering with a dog
trainer in the area, we started pet therapy
training, allowing local pet owners to have
their dogs become Canine Good Citizen
or Therapy Dog International certified. I
have even trained my dog as a pet therapy
dog, and he visits our facility and sister
facilities as well. The impact of having a
pet visit our residents and patients makes
such a difference in their lives.
Youth programs are a foundation
of our community outreach. We have
partnered with several youth programs
such as YouthWorks and Student Life,
two summertime, church-affiliated
programs that bring teenagers to visit
and serve our residents and patients.
We have gained such a good reputation
that groups from all over the country,
including New York, North Dakota
and Texas, have come to serve at our
Tennessee facility.
Many high schools require
community service hours for their
students to graduate, and partnering
with these schools can be a great way
to bring in volunteers. This benefits
not only our residents, but the high
school students as well, many of whom
come in thinking of volunteering as a
“requirement” but walk away wanting to
come back on their own time.
We are also lucky enough to have
many colleges near us. We invited one
local community college to have their
English classes help us write life histories
of some of our residents. We offer several
internships to junior and senior college
students who wish to enhance their
résumés. One college’s foreign language
students teach a weekly Spanish class.
Another local college provides one of
their art students twice a week to help
create art projects with our residents and
patients. The families of our residents
and patients are extremely impressed
when they find out their loved ones are
learning new skills such as Spanish or art.
These are just some of the ways
we have reached out to our local
community. Our facilities are not just
entities unto themselves, but rather an
essential part of the community at large.
You would be surprised by how many
local groups, schools, churches and
charities will want to work with you if
you just reach out to them. Doing so
will benefit your associates, the local
community, and most importantly, your
residents and patients.
10
The
Bead
Ladies
of
Brookfield
By Julia Wilhelm, Life Care Public Relations
Jewelry making isn’t just for fun
at Life Care Center of Brookfield,
Mo. What began as a craft project
in September 2009 quickly grew
into a success beyond what anyone
predicted. Twelve ladies roll up
strips of paper from church bulletins,
calendars and magazines to create
beads. They string these beads into
necklaces and sell them for $10 each
at the facility and craft shows to raise
money for the activities program or
charitable donations.
With each necklace comes a small
card titled “The History Behind this
Necklace.” The final sentences read:
“When you wear this, remember that
it was made with lots of love. Tell our
story, and know you just made a little
lady feel special.”
Giving back to the community is
a passion for the Bead Ladies. Every
year, they adopt a first grade class at
Brookfield Elementary School. The
ladies send Valentine’s Day cards and
other holiday treats. The first graders
are also given a pen pal from the
beading group.
“Because the group has adopted
classes for four years now, many
former first graders still come to visit
the facility, usually bringing cards
on Mother’s Day or Christmas,” says
Connie Sevier, activities director.
11
The Bead Ladies’ love of children
also touches associates’ families.
The ladies use money raised from
necklaces to purchase school supplies
for children of associates. The
contribution of crayons, backpacks
and other supplies usually adds up to
more than $500.
The Bead Ladies help stuff supplies
into backpacks and await the children
coming to pick them up at the facility’s
Back to School night.
Christmastime is filled with giving
for the Bead Ladies. Each member of
the family receives a gift, purchased
with profits from the necklaces.
The Bead Ladies also participate in
Operation Christmas Child. With
help from the facility as a whole, 25
shoe boxes filled with toys for boys
and 25 for girls are donated every year
to children in impoverished countries.
When springtime comes, the Bead
Ladies help put on the facility’s annual
Easter egg hunts: one for the adopted
first graders and another for associates’
children. Money the group raises is
used to buy Easter baskets, toys and
candy to fill plastic eggs.
Buying candy with money from
necklace sales has also made Life Care
Center of Brookfield a local hotspot
for trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
Sevier says the line for candy always
reaches out the front door.
“The group keeps my mind busy,
my hands busy, and makes me feel like
I’m giving back,” says Mary Keller,
group member.
Ethel Peaveler, original and current
oldest member at 97, adds, “It makes
me feel like I’m still part of the
community.”
Some of the Bead Ladies’ largest
donations:
•
•
•
•
$300 to Oklahoma tornado
relief in 2013
$450 to Joplin, Mo.,
tornado relief in 2011
$200 to the local Humane
Society
$500 to an associate after a
house fire
The
Sleep Doctor
at Villa Manor Care Center
By Tim Moore, Life Care Public Relations
In skilled nursing facilities,
insomnia can become a major issue.
When residents first come to a facility,
they are in an unfamiliar environment
that has new sights, sounds and
medications. They may also be
experiencing many emotions caused by
the move. Together, these things can
make it difficult for a resident to get a
good night’s rest.
While insomnia can be treated with
medication, some medications could
be potentially risky for a senior. Side
effects of medications could cause
confusion and dizziness.
Dr. Sing Palat, the on-site physician
at Villa Manor Care Center in
Lakewood, Colo., has created an
insomnia program that places sleeping
medication as the last resort.
“We were concerned about the
potential side effects of medications
used for insomnia,” said Palat. “We
also noticed an increasing number
of patients being admitted from the
hospital setting with prescriptions for
insomnia medications.”
Instead of prescribing medications,
Palat and her team have created
solutions that are much simpler. The
flagship of their insomnia program
is the Sleep Cart, which includes eye
masks, ear plugs, lavender lotion,
chamomile tea, a back massager and
flashlights. Starting at 8 p.m., the Sleep
Cart is wheeled through the building
several times through the night.
According to Palat, the chamomile tea
has proven to be the most popular.
“At one point, the chamomile tea
was so popular that we ran out of it
and had a resident complain that the
Sleep Cart was not properly stocked!”
laughed Palat.
Many residents also enjoy the other
amenities offered from the Sleep
Cart.
“I use the ear plugs every night. They
help a lot,” said resident Rose Ginnow.
The Sleep Cart is not the only
solution being put into place at
Villa Manor Care Center. If a
resident specifically requests not to
be disturbed at night, the associates
respect the request as much as
possible. The director of nursing even
contacted the phlebotomy group that
visits the facility and requested they
draw labs earlier in the day rather than
at night.
In order to continually improve the
program, the facility maintains a sleep
log that tracks each resident’s sleeping
patterns and allows nurses to write
down which methods appear most
effective.
Since the launch of the Sleep Cart,
12 residents that had originally been
diagnosed with insomnia have now
been taken off of sleep medications.
“Nothing is more gratifying than
being able to help someone, and
nothing is more frustrating than not
being able to do so,” said Sara Stover,
director of nursing for Villa Manor
Care Center. “Having the Sleep Cart
has given tools to our associates to
help the residents get their much
needed sleep.”
12
WHATEVER IT TAKES AND THEN SOME
Kimberly Hill, transport aide
and certified nursing assistant,
Life Care Center of Sierra Vista,
Ariz.
When a resident lost her glasses and a
thorough search didn’t uncover them,
Hill contacted the local eyeglass store.
A representative came to the facility
with samples for the resident to try on.
The resident chose two pairs, and Hill
even paid for both.
Sharlene Kinsey, transportation
associate, Life Care Center of
Gwinnett, Ga.
A resident learned that her daughter
was on life support and might not
make it through the night. Kinsey had
just returned to the facility for the day,
and without hesitation, she took the
resident to the hospital 40 miles away.
Kinsey accompanied the resident into
the hospital and provided emotional
support as the resident said her
goodbyes. Kinsey then took her to eat
on the way back to the facility.
Patty Martinez, unit manager
and registered nurse, Life Care
Center of Valley View, Idaho
Martinez spent many hours helping
a resident find a place to live after
13
discharge. She helped her acquire
financial assistance for furniture and
food, make doctor appointments
and get to the bank. After her shift,
Martinez even took the resident to her
new place so she could walk through
the space, offering safety tips and
making sure the resident would be
prepared to move in.
Phil Pringle, physical therapist,
Life Care Center of Greeley,
Colo.
One evening, the facility admitted a
resident who became upset and started
threatening the staff. Associates called
the resident’s son to come help calm
his father, but the son lived 40 minutes
away. Pringle came to the rescue. He
talked to the resident and walked with
him to let him safely vent some of the
frustration he felt with his condition.
Pringle calmly explained his diagnosis
and stayed with the resident until the
son arrived.
Catherine Freeman, licensed
practical nurse, Life Care Center
of The Willows in Valparaiso, Ind.
Freeman went out of her way to
make a memory book for one of
the residents. She took many of the
resident’s photographs home and
made color copies, then put them
together into a scrapbook for the
resident to enjoy.
Jeffrey Gates, certified nursing
assistant, Rivergate Health Care
Center in Riverview, Mich.
One of Gates’ residents moved in with
only one outfit to wear. After his day
off, Gates came to the facility with
shirts and pants for the resident and
made sure all the clothing was labeled
with the resident’s name.
Debbie Sulpice, licensed
practical nurse, Life Care Center
of Ocala, Fla.
One evening when Sulpice was
working, one of her hospice residents
told her she was warm. Sulpice
brought a fan to help cool her off, then
came back to check on the resident
later. She sat with her for a while, held
her hand and told her that she loved
her. When Sulpice returned from her
medication rounds to check in again,
the resident had passed away peacefully
in her sleep. When the family arrived,
they gushed about how much Sulpice
had meant to their loved one.
Resident Voices
My husband and I spent the day going
around New York City. We ended up
meeting Doris Day and Judy Garland on
the same day!
Viola Phelps, Life Care Center of
Leominster, Mass.
Babe Ruth. My brother Holi Correa played
ball with him, and my husband was a
baseball league manager at that time. So,
of course, I got to meet him.
Grace Carter, Hale Anuenue
Restorative Care Center, Hilo, Hawaii
Hank Williams Sr. I used to sit by him at
the Grand Ole Opry. I also knew Patsy
Cline. I met her at the Grand Ole Opry.
Lester Flatt was my uncle, and I used to sit
in the back and wait for them to come out
on the stage.
Jane Minnear, Life Care Center of
Sparta, Tenn.
The most famous person I met was the
governor-general of Australia, Prince
Henry, Duke of Gloucester. I was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross. This was
in 1946. He decorated me for this honor.
A wonderful luncheon followed at his
mansion. My father, Robert, and sister,
Lynn, were present. I was an Air Force
serviceman, and I served for Australia and
England.
Alan Fleming, Life Care Center of
West Bridgewater, Mass.
When I was in New York City on a music
tour, I met Joe Biden. He enjoyed the
blues music we played.
Stuart Hoffman, North Walk Villa
Convalescent Hospital, Norwalk,
Calif.
The most famous person I ever met was
Sam Walton. I was working at a local Big
K that was changing to a Wal-Mart when
an older, small man dressed in regular
clothes and a Wal-Mart shirt came up to
me and asked if he could help me. As he
was leaving, he said he was going to go
ask if anyone else needed help – very nice
man. He didn’t tell me who he was at that
time. Not long after that, they announced
that Mr. Walton was in the
building and wanted to talk with
the staff. To my surprise, Mr.
Walton was the man that helped
me. As all the big wigs from the
corporate office were leaving
in their limos, Sam Walton got
into an old, broken-downlooking truck. I was amazed to
see this normal man in normal
clothes and old truck was worth
millions, and how kind and
hard-working he was!
Steven Williams, Life Care
Center of Tullahoma, Tenn.
Elvis Presley. I was auditioning for a part
with the studios, and Elvis asked me out. I
said, “No,” of course.
Joanne Degole, Life Care Center of
Kona in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
My neighbor in Anacortes, Wash., was
Burl Ives, who liked to treat the dogs in
the neighborhood to hot dogs. My dog
would always take advantage, so I got
to meet Mr. Ives many times as a kid by
getting my dog from his yard. He was a
very nice, gentle and kind man. He had
the most beautiful blue eyes. They were
very striking.
James K., Life Care Center of Skagit
Valley, Sedro Woolley, Wash.
On a summer vacation in Cape Cod, my
husband accidentally bumped into Jackie
Onassis. This was in a general store
in Centerville. Jackie was purchasing
cookies for Caroline and John John. We
have family movies with Jackie O. and
children included.
Barbara Roberge, Life Care Center of
Acton, Mass.
I met Steve McQueen in Wendover, Nev. I
was a pit boss at a casino there. He was
the most fantastic person ever.
Richard “Allan” Jones, Life Care
Center of Post Falls, Idaho
I worked in Chicago at an exclusive
restaurant called Carter’s, on the south
side, during World War II. A younger
Who is the
most famous
person you
have met?
Lawrence Welk came in and sat with a few
of his friends at my table. I waited on him
and his group.
Rose Urani, Life Care Center of The
Willows, Valparaiso, Ind.
I met Vince Lombardi while playing under
him for the Green Bay Packers. He was
the first coach to win two Super Bowls. I
also was a player on that Super Bowl team
in 1966.
David Hatchcock, Life Care Center
of Old Hickory Village, Old Hickory,
Tenn.
The most famous person I met was Burt
Reynolds, because he lived in Jupiter, Fla.,
on a ranch west of town. If you ran into
him, he always took time to speak–
especially to little old ladies. He had a
liking for old ladies. My two sons did
some work for him on his ranch years
ago.
Carole Jarrett, The Gardens Court,
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
I met Helen Keller at a symposium in
New York. My daughter arranged for
the meeting because I wrote a thesis in
college on the many accomplishments
of Helen Keller. It was very memorable. I
was inspired by Helen’s works and how
she continued as a pioneer for people
with disabilities. Helen is a mentor to
many deaf/blind people.
Joan Kinville, Life Care Center of
Acton, Mass.
14
Congratulations!
Josh Sosebee, volunteer at Life Center of East Ridge, Tenn., has been named Young Adult
Volunteer of the Year for 2013 by the American Health Care Association. He will
receive the award at the organization’s annual convention in October 2013.
Find out more about Sosebee in the President’s Message on page 2.