Did you know vision, hearing, cognition, medications, and fear of falling all play a role in fall risk? The SAFER Stepping workshop was developed to address ALL of these factors and more!
We have had some leadership changes within the last few month in the Health Care Center as well as our Assisted Living and we are happy that the changes are familiar faces since we promoted from within.
The first change to take place at the beginning of January is Teresa Borton, RN became the licensed Health Care Administrator of our Health Care Center. Teresa began an Administrator in Training (AIT) program in April of 2018, completed the 6-month program in September, and then passed her State and National exams in November and December. Teresa, prior to her AIT program was our Director of Nursing since April of 2015. Teresa had always expressed an interest in Administration and we are pleased we could assist her.
Prior to joining us at Beatitudes, Teresa was the Director of Nursing at Grandview Care Center. Teresa became an RN, mid-career after spending over 20 years in the dental field. She shared that growing up she always wanted to be a nurse and she made that dream come true. When Teresa is not at work, she is home enjoying time with her husband, Steve. Teresa also is the proud mom to Danielle and Josh and the beloved Grama to Hunter and Dean who she shared are the “lights of her life”! Teresa loves coming to work each day to have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.
The second change in Health Care Center management is Suzanne McLaughlin taking over as the Director of Nursing. Most recently, Sue was the Director of RAI (Resident Assessment Instrument) which oversees the process for submitting resident assessments to Medicare for payment. This is a very detailed process and Sue even holds a certification to ensure the RAI’s were submitted accurately and timely. Medicare and the Office of the Inspector General have been auditing and tightening down on skilled nursing facilities for unnecessary overpayments from Medicare. Beatitudes has not been found to have any unnecessary overpayments. For a couple years prior to her transfer to the Director of RAI position, Sue was our Assistant Director of Nursing supporting Teresa as the Director of Nursing. Now these two are back together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. There is no relationship in skilled nursing as trusting and strong, or as necessary as the Director of Nursing and the Administrator. Sue and Teresa have worked together for years and balance each other well.
When Sue is not working, she, too, is spending time with her love, Steve. Sue also shares her love with her 4 children, 5 wonderful grandchildren, her crazy puppy, Louie, and her 2 furry felines, Stewart and Oliver. Sue will likely retire within the next couple of years to Minnesota as she has another important job awaiting her there as Gramms. Sue said the Beatitudes has been her favorite place of all to work because “of the kindness, caring, compassion and friendliness that embraces our campus.”
The third and final change for our Health Services management team is that of Zeus Del Rosario becoming the Director of Assisted Living and Memory Support. Zeus was hired as the Nurse Manager in September of 2018. We soon found out that Zeus’ compassion, leadership and relationship building was what we were missing in Assisted Living and Memory Support leadership. Zeus completed his Assisted Living Manager certification training and became licensed by the State of Arizona in February. Zeus has made great strides in his couple of months of day-to-day operations and residents and families have expressed how impressed they are with him and his leadership. Prior to coming to Beatitudes, Zeus worked as an LPN in skilled nursing and long-term care as well as his family has a group home in Gilbert, AZ.
Zeus grew up in a Filipino family-oriented culture which “respects and treasures our elders, which I believe is what influenced my drive to be in geriatric care.” When not at work, Zeus enjoys playing basketball, baseball, soccer, football and working out and he is a big comic book fan, especially Marvel comics.
In closing, I would like to share how proud of Teresa, Sue, and Zeus, I and the Administrative team are. These three have chosen stressful, highly regulated jobs and are on call almost 24/7 and they do it out of love, because they love our residents, our staff and our mission. I would also like to thank the staff, residents and families that support Teresa, Sue and Zeus as they work to fulfil our mission daily. Please know that they are there to assist you, answer questions and provide resources as needed. Please join me in congratulating Teresa, Sue and Zeus in their well-deserved and hard-earned promotions.
Most older adults wisely adopt the use of a walker when they feel that their strength, balance or energy levels do not permit them to walk as safely and steadily as they used to. Certainly, if you have had a recent fall, or you have nearly fallen, your vision is diminished, your legs fatigue easily or you have significant pain when walking, you are a good candidate for a walker.
With that in mind, proper walker fit and correct walker use are tremendously important to prevent falls and promote safety. In fact, between 2001 and 2006, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that 47,000 older adults went to the emergency room for falls related to walkers and canes. 87% of these incidents involved walkers. In the study, the CDC points to the importance of properly fitted walkers and providing education on how to safely use walkers. However, most older adults have never had their walkers fitted, nor have they been instructed in the proper use of walkers.
On Thursday June 8th, from 4:00-5:00PM in the Motion Studio, you can drop-in to have your walker fitted and receive personalized walker safety tips at our Walker Workshop. We’ll be ready to adjust your walker to the proper height and provide you with additional safety information, so that you can walk out with your head held higher (literally and figuratively), knowing you are taking the proper walker precautions.
And while supplies last, you’ll have an opportunity to walk away with a free walker satchel or walker water holder, so you can stay well hydrated this summer!
In the meantime, here are a few walker awareness tips:
Reference: Center for Disease Control. (2009) 47,000 older adults treated in emergency departments annually for fall Injuries related to walkers and canes. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090629.htm
Graduating from physical therapy is a good reason to celebrate and there’s no better time to start a fitness program, even if you’ve never been physically active. Regular exercise will help you maintain your therapy results and will keep you feeling good for a long time. Create a plan to stay active and fit, even when you don’t have a therapist watching your every move.
Start Smart
Physical therapists usually discharge patients with home exercise instructions. Before you finish therapy, ask any questions you have about exercises you should and shouldn’t be doing. You should have a clear understanding of which exercises to do, how to do them, how often, for how long, at what level and how you should feel while exercising. As you begin exercising on your own, go easy. Follow your therapist’s instructions to increase your exercise level to avoid injury and discourage setbacks.
The benefits of exercise last only as long as you stay active, so keep a copy of your exercise plan where you’ll see it every day. Track your progress to keep yourself honest. Otherwise, you may end up right where you started, with pain, limited function or injury.
At Home
Beginning your post-rehab personal fitness program at home is a great idea for convenience, privacy, and affordability. Set up your home exercise space with safety in mind. Clear your floor of slipping and tripping hazards and make sure you have a stable surface to sit, stand or lie on and something to hold onto for balance.
Gym Time
You may wish to exercise at a local gym or recreation center, especially if you already belonged to one before you underwent physical therapy. If your home exercise plan calls for using exercise equipment or machines, working out at a gym is a convenient way to go.
Step It Up
When you’re ready to move beyond your post-rehab exercise program, schedule a few sessions with a certified personal trainer specializing in post-rehab training. Doing so decreases your risk of injury and pain as you continue to build strength and fitness.
Speak Up
Once you begin your personal fitness program, you may have some questions. You might try some of the exercises and realize that for some reason, they don’t feel right to you. Instead of ditching the entire plan, contact your physical therapist or trainer. Some simple adjustments to your routine could make all the difference.
The SAFER Stepping Fall Prevention Course has begun its third session and continues to offer residents targeted balance and leg strengthening exercises, as well as fall risk education and great tips for preventing falls. If you’re interested in signing up for the next fall prevention course this spring, call Jessica at x6110. For those who are also curious about less formal methods for building balance, consider the following two innovative ideas.
Studies show that dancing can improve balance and gait patterns. One study compared seniors who were social dancers with senior non-dancers. The social dancers averaged 80 years of age and danced four times a month. The study found that while the dancing seniors were not stronger than their non-dancing counterparts, they had better balance, safer walking patterns, and more confidence in their balance abilities. Another study of older adults participating in tango classes twice a week found senior tango participants did have better leg strength than a similar group who walked for the same amount of time each week. If you’d like to have fun at Beatitudes while improving your balance, you might try participating in Zumba Gold dance classes on Mondays at 2PM in the Motion Studio or Open Dance Floor in the Recreation Center every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 4PM.
Another fresh approach to building balance and mobility confidence involves the use of walking poles. Nordic walking is walking with poles similar to ski poles. The use of trekking poles for Nordic walking can provide stability, improve gait length, speed and posture, reduce load-bearing weight on the knees, hips, and spine, and increase strength and endurance in the upper body, making walking a full-body workout. In fact, Nordic walking is widely used as an effective therapeutic walking technique for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. While Nordic walking, you should walk in an upright position and make sure you do not lean forward or backward. Your head should be up and looking forward. The poles are held close to your body with your elbows bent at approximately 90 degrees. When the leading foot moves forward, the opposite arm swings forward to waist height. The opposite pole strikes the ground level with the heel of the leading foot. Trekking poles can be purchased at most sports stores and in many camping departments at department stores. Test out your trekking poles with the morning walking group and take advantage of the beautiful weather! *
