1. Healthcare

Viewpoint
february 2015 • issue 015
03 YOUR LIFE our inspiration
04 The Therapy Soap Box
06 KIDS VIEW
From the Desk of the Administrator...
It has been a busy
couple of weeks here
at Park View as we
having been dealing
with the Influenza or
“flu.” We have strict
guidelines that the State of Wisconsin issues
that we must follow when we begin to have an
outbreak. An outbreak is defined as three or
more residents or staff from the same unit with
illness onsets within 72 hours of each other experiencing symptoms. These symptoms include:
fever, chills, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea,
cough, sore throat etc. We then stop activities
and dining in the public spaces. We try to keep
the residents in their rooms as much as we can
to rest and to avoid spreading the infection.
This can be easier said than done sometimes.
Residents that have confirmed influenza must
remain in their rooms for 7 days or until 24 hours
after the resolution of fever and respiratory
symptoms, whichever is longer, after the onset of
their illness. Housekeeping increases the use of
bleach as we try to kill any bacteria. The children
from the child care do not come upstairs during
this time as well. As we are approaching almost
2 weeks of remaining in our rooms and no group
activities, we look forward to returning to some
normalcy.
Point of View
By: Melissa Walthall, NHA
The influenza hospitalization
rate in Wisconsin has tripled the
national rate. In the past two
weeks, there have been over 600
hospitalizations for influenza in
Wisconsin. Individuals over 65
represented 70% of the 2441 hospitalizations
that have occurred this season. Disturbingly, the
hospitalization rate for the elderly in Wisconsin
appears to be three times the national rate. The
elderly by far, both in Wisconsin and across the
nation, constitute the population that is being
hardest hit by the most powerful Influenza AH3
strain.
What can you do? If you have not
received your flu shot, it is not too
late. Health Officials recommend
people get their vaccinations to give
some level of protection against the
flu. Stay home if you are experience
symptoms. Do not put others at risk by exposing them to your symptoms. Get plenty of rest
and fluids. Most of all wash your hands and stay
healthy.
How to Pay For Nursing
Home Costs
Medicare, Medicaid, and other resources can help minimize the cost of long-term care.
Odds are high that someone in your family will need
a nursing home sooner or later. A majority of people
over age 65 will require some type of long-term care
services during their lifetime, and over 40 percent of
people will need a period of care in a nursing home,
according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services. The cost of that care can financially cripple
a family. But there are steps you can take—whether
a nursing home is needed now, next month, or next
decade—to minimize the strain.
02
MEDICARE
Seniors and their families facing a near-term need
for a nursing home should first determine whether
Medicare will cover at least a portion of the stay. The
Medicare program provides coverage for rehabilitation—but not long-term care. If an individual has
spent at least three days in a hospital for medically
necessary care, Medicare will pick up the tab for up
to 100 days of convalescent care immediately
following discharge, as long as the patient goes to
a home that’s a Medicare-certified skilled nursing
facility and continues to show improvment.
YOUR LIFE
our inspiration
We are pleased to have Esther Grand as our
featured resident of this issue of the Viewpoint.
Esther was born in a small town close to the
ice box of the world, International Falls, MN on
November 24th,1921. Her parents were Anton and
Hilda Housker and she had a sister, Alma who was
three years older. The girls attended the Spruce
country school through 8th grade. Esther worked
out doing housekeeping and child care and clerked
in a grocery store / meat market.
One day on the way home from swimming in the
Roseau river (where they would dive off the railroad
bridge unbeknownst to their parents) Esther got a
ride from a young man, Floyd Grand. Three years
later they met again at a barn dance and that dance
lasted for the rest of their lives. They were married
at her sister’s house on a beautiful sunshiny day,
the first of January 1938. His brother and her sister
were their witnesses. Esther was married in a blue
dress that she had shopped for in Grand Forks and
Floyd wore a nice brown suit. Floyd built a small
house where they lived for a year and then moved
into a bigger home in Roseau. Their family grew to
include two daughters, Barbara and Kaaren, their
spouses, nine grandchildren, twenty great grand
children, four great great grandchildren and one
more on the way. Barbara now lives in Baldwin and
Kaaren in California.
Esther was a stay at home mom until the girls
were older. Then she worked out cleaning and
We are glad
to welcome
ESTHER GRAND
as our
Featured Resident
in this issue of
the Viewpoint.
painting
in homes. Floyd’s sister owned a
large independent grocery store on the outskirts of
Roseau which was open 24 hours every day. Esther
worked for her and would take care of the store
when her sister-in-law was away. But by far her
longest employment was for Montgomery Ward in
St Paul. She was there for 28 years.
When Floyd and Esther retired they moved to
Cambridge, MN. It was there Floyd passed away
in 1998. Esther moved to Baldwin and then to Park
Place and is now a resident at Park View. She enjoys
music, especially Danny O’Donnell CDs and any live
music performers. Cooking and baking sessions,
crafts, and exercise are all favorites of Esther’s but
of course topping the list is time spent with family.
We thank Esther for sharing her story with us.
She is a joy to know.
By Eric J. Walthall, Director of Marketing
Medicare can also help if a long-term nursing home
situation looks inevitable but isn’t immediately
necessary. For as long as the individual is able to
stay at home, Medicare can be tapped for up to 35
hours per week of home health services. Medicare
covers home health services like intermittent skilled
nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language
pathology, and occupational therapy for up to 60
days at a time, called an “episode of care.”
MEDICAID
If an individual lacks enough savings to cover the cost
of a nursing home—or if the cost of a protracted stay
exhausts their assets—they can become eligible for
assistance from Medicaid. To qualify for Medicaid,
applicants must have minimal assets—no more than
$2,000 in cash and cash equivalents such as bonds
and IRAs. For married couples, the spouse staying at
home may have assets worth an additional $115,920,
the annually adjusted Social Security cap for 2013.
While some seniors might be tempted to make large
financial gifts to their children or grandchildren in
order to hasten qualification for Medicaid, doing so
within the five years prior to applying for the program
could disqualify them from receiving its benefits.
(Continued on back page)
03
THE THERAPY
SOAP BOX
Listen to Your Heart
The medical term for a heart attack is
Myocardial Infarction or (MI). A MI occurs
when there is a blockage of blood flow, stopping
the oxygen supply to the heart and causing
irreversible damage to the heart muscle. The
blockage is most often a result of atherosclerosis,
a narrowing of the arteries from built up fat,
cholesterol and plaque.
Most effective way of surviving a MI is to know
the signs and symptoms. However, not everyone
experiences the same signs or symptoms.
The treatment of heart diseases has vastly
improved over the years. New high tech surgical
procedures for detection and correction as well
as new medications and cardiac rehab have
been contributors to increasing the survival rate
of a heart attack.
• Heartburn or indigestion
Cardiac rehabilitation is a therapy program to
educate and promote heart health. Physical
therapy provides exercises to strength the
heart, education on the purpose and benefit
of the exercise regime and monitoring heart
restrictions. Occupational therapy provides
education of cardiac precautions with activities
of daily living and acknowledgement of signs
and symptoms of cardiac concerns.
04
The most common are:
• Tightness or pressure and/or pain in the chest
• Aching sensation or numbness in the arms that may spread to back, neck and jaw
• Shortness of breath
• Cold sweat
• Sudden light headiness or dizziness
More often than not
people have warning
signs hours and or
even days in advance.
Please be proactive
and contact the
appropriate medical
professional if you are
experiencing any of the
signs or symptoms above.
Listen to your heart.
CAUTION
People with heart disease or who have a history of cardiac
conditions should be viglant with follow general cardiac
precautions to avoid further risk and complications of the heart.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE:
•AVOIDING STEAM SHOWERS OR SAUNAS.
Wet heat can increase blood pressure and heart rate.
•IN FRIGID OR COLD TEMPERATURES ALWAYS WEAR A MASK OR SCARF
OVER FACE TO WARM BREATH.
The cold air can cause constriction of the blood vessels and decrease oxygen to the heart.
•DO NOT SHOVEL!
They describe some snow as “heart attack snow” for a reason.
•KNOW YOUR BODY AND LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.
Heart rate should not exceed over 30 beats from your resting heart rate
with any exercise or activity.
•DO NOT SMOKE!!!!
No explaination required.
•TAKE PRESCRIBED MEDICATION AS DIRECTED.
•ALWAYS CARRY NITRO.
Recommend renewing your nitro prescripition every 6 months.
•AVOID PROLONGED BENDING OR REACHING AND ISOMETRICS ACTIVITIES.
These activities can decrease blood flow, suddenly increase blood pressure and heart rate.
•NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH WITH EXCERTION.
Holding your breath deprives your body from oxygen.
Notifiy your medical professional immediately if you experience angina or
shortness of breath with any activity. Proceed with caution and listen to your heart.
Fun Fact: The average heart pumps 1,900 gallons of blood per day.
05
By: Ms. Amber
GREET I NGS!
06
It is with great excitement that we can declare our
“January Polar Vortex” is in the past, and everyone is
enjoying the present winter thaw! The children are
very excited about playing outside in warmer weather!
Although the cold weather kept us inside, the
children remained quite busy learning and playing!
In January we learned about Bears,
The Mitten, Polar Animals, and Snow.
During our bear theme week we enjoyed
reading the story Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
We also had a teddy bear day in 4K! On
this special day, each child brought a
teddy bear to school. We sang a song
with our bears, and we practiced sorting
our bears by characteristics. The children
also had a blast graphing gummy bears and playing
in our 4K Teddy Bear Store!
During
our
theme
The Mitten, we enjoyed
reading the story The
Mitten by Jan Brett. This
story is about a boy who
looses a special mitten
in the woods. Numerous
forest
animals
come
across the boy’s lost
mitten and attempt to
snuggle inside to keep warm for winter. We had fun
recreating the story by singing a song. During our
song, all of the children squeezed into an enormous
mitten!! The children’s favorite part of the story was
at the end, when the mouse landed on the bear’s
nose!! This caused the bear to sneeze and all of the
animals were sent flying out of the mitten!! It was so
fun to see the children act out this story!
During our Polar Animals week we also
learned about the letter Pp. Throughout
the week, the children enjoyed Pajama
Day, Pink/Purple Day, and Parents and
Pastries! On Parents and Pastries Day each
child invited a parent or special person into
the classroom to read stories and enjoy a pastry.
The children loved having a guest in our room!!
In January we also had 4K Gym Night. On this
night, all 4K kids were invited to the Greenfield Elementary Gym. While at the gym,
the children participated in a variety of fun
activities with their friends and families.
Scooters, hockey, basketball, and beanbag
toss were a few of the fun activities provided
at Gym Night.
We are looking
forward to having
another Gym Night in
February. It is such a
great
opportunity for families
to engage in active play with their children. It is
especially nice to have something for the families
and children to look forward to in the long months
of winter.
During the month of February
we look forward to learning
about Dental Health, Nutrition,
and Valentine’s Day. A dentist will
come into our classroom to teach
us the importance of taking care of
our teeth. We will also learn about the
letters Q and U. We will host the Q
and U wedding in honor of the letters
always being found together in words!
The children are really looking forward
to this fun event!!
We hope that the winter season
finds you in good health and happy
spirits. Although the kids
love being outside in any
weather, we are really
looking forward to the
warmer weather that
spring will hopefully
bring!
Sending Smiles,
Ms. Amber
F E B R U A RY C A L E N D A R
Sunday, February 1
Joyce Knippenberg
(from apartments)
Monday, February 2
Groundhog Day
Tuesday, February 3
Bingo:10:30
Thursday, February 5
Doris Schwartz
Friday, February 6
TENANT GAME OF
CHOICE! @ 3:00
Tuesday, February 10
Blood Pressure:10:15
Bingo:10:30
Therapy Exercise: 2:00
Wednesday, February 11
8:30 a.m., Breakfast outing
Wednesday, February 11
SUNDAES: 2:30
Thursday, February 12
Kids View: 10:30
GROCERY: 1:00
Friday, February 13
2-3 p.m., February Birthday
Party and Valentine’s Day
Dance with Kid’s View
children and Herb Nazer
entertaining.
Friday, February 13
DICE GAME! @3:00
Indicates Park View Event
Saturday, February 14
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Sunday, February 22
Diane Trapp
Monday, February 16
President’s Day
Monday, February 23
WALMART: 1:00
Tuesday, February 17
3:15 p.m., Country
Memories Entertain
Tuesday, February 24
3:15 p.m., John Terkelsen
entertains
Tuesday, February 17
Bingo:10:30
Therapy Exercise: 2:00
Tuesday, February 24
Bingo:10:30
Therapy Exercise: 2:00
Wednesday, February 18
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, February 25
2:30 p.m., Pie and Coffee
Outing
3:15 p.m., Margaret Mitchell
Program
Thursday, February 19
Kids View: 10:30
Zion Church: 1:30
Friday, February 20
10:30 a.m., Beach Party with
the Kid’s View children
3:00 p.m., Happy Hour
Friday, February 20
TENANT GAME OF
CHOICE! @ 3:00
Friday, February 20
Maxine Witt
(from apartments)
Wednesday, February 25
PIZZA NIGHT: 5:00
Wednesday, February 25
Arlene Wangen
Thursday, February 26
Happy Hour: 2:30
Thursday, February 26
Merry Hearts @ 11:00
Friday, February 27
Evelyn Van Riper
Friday, February 27
TENANT GAME OF
CHOICE! @3:00
Saturday, February 21
Laurel Nelson
Indicates Park Place Event
Indicates Birthday
07
Park View Community Campus
220 Lockwood Street
P.O. Box 265
Woodville, WI 54028
Non-Profit
US Postage
PAID
Zip Code 54028
Permit No. 26
Phone: 715.698.2451
Fax: 715.698.2363
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.parkview-cc.com
Park View Home is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Point of View
By Eric J. Walthall, Director of Marketing
(Continued from pg. 3)
One way to find a qualified lawyer is to call your
local bar association and find out which attorneys
are teaching seminars on Medicaid planning to other
attorneys. The attorney also must be licensed in
the same state as the person needing Medicaid
assistance because Medicaid laws vary from state to
state. The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
has an online search tool that can help consumers
locate a lawyer near them.
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AID AND
ATTENDANCE.
This benefit program provides up
to $1,733 per month to a single veteran who needs
nursing home care, or up to $1,114 per month for
the care of a veteran’s surviving spouse. If a couple
includes one spouse who is a veteran and either of
them needs a nursing home, they are eligible for as
much as $2,054 in monthly assistance. Two veterans
married to each other could qualify for up to $2,676
per month.
RELOCATING THE PATIENT.
If a senior who needs
long-term care has children, grandchildren, or other
relatives residing in a city or state where nursing homes
are less expensive, moving the patient could be a
good option. A move might not only reduce the cost
of care but also make it easier for relatives to check
in on the resident. Those deciding whether to move
an elderly relative should consider the individual’s
health and whether moving away from doctors who
have an established relationship with the senior could
harm his or her care.
CONCLUSION
We feel at Park View Community Campus, It is
important that all potential residents and family
members are abreast of the many financial options
that are available. Financial burdens are always a
pressured obstacle in our lives and it is our hope that
you investigate the most suitable plan for you and
your loved ones…