624 Pinewood Avenue Seward, Nebraska 68434 402.643.2902

www.Ridgewood-Seward.com

OurMission Dignity in Life

Our Vision Quality Life

Quality Care

Excellent Teams

Outstanding Facilities

Quality Reputation

Stewardship

Our Values Serving

Integrity

Teamwork

Excellence

Feb 2016 Volume 4

Excellence

We continually pursue opportunities to improve ourselves and the services

we provide. We learn from our experiences, build on our successes, and

make changes when changes are beneficial. We develop people’s strengths

and remain committed to becoming the Best of the Best.

Our Team Department Contacts

Administrator Joseph Caldwell

Director of Nursing Stacy Quakenbush, RN

Social Services Coordinator Sumerlyn Daywitt , MSW

Assistant Director of Nursing Jeanne Schoen, RN-BC

Business Office Manager Kylie Miller

Dietary Manager Doug Chos CDM, BAEP

Environmental Service Coordinator Gloria Prochnow

Health Information Manager Sharon Mumaugh

Life Enrichment Coordinator Catherine Pearson

Maintenance: Building & Grounds Scott Nitz & Chris Wright

Resident Assessment Coordinators Emma Rixstine, RN, RAC-CT

Jennie Triplette, RN, RAC-CT

People Development Coordinator Erika Rolf

Staff Development/Infection Control Kathie O’Dell, BSN, RN

Ridgewood

CONSULTANTS

MEDICAL DIRECTOR Dr. Jason Summa

PHARMACY CONSULTANT

Kim Snyder

BEAUTICIAN Barb Forney

Dietician

Paul Ritter-Gooder

-Nondiscrimination Policy- It is the policy of Ridgewood that no resident or employee be dis-criminated against because of age, sex, creed, race, color, reli-gion, national origin, or disability.

We are here to serve you...

Address Service Requested

Website: www.ridgewood-seward.com

Clara Janssen Receives the AHCA’s Nebraska Hero Award Clara Janssen, Life Enrichment Assistant at Ridgewood Rehabilitation and Care Center in Seward NE, won the 2015 Nebraska’s Hero Award from American Healthcare Associa-tion. Clara received the award at the American Health Care Association Fall Conference banquet in La Vista, NE on Sep-tember 29, 2015. Clara was nominated by Catherine Pearson, Ridgewood Life Enrichment Coordinator, for her outstanding dedication, creativity, and involvement with the residents at Ridgewood. Clara has provided many meaningful and pur-poseful activities for the residents. Before coming to Ridge-

wood, Clara worked with children, including children with disabilities. Clara spent the majority of her life helping others.

Lance’s Journal Tells Clara’s Story

Nominated by her sister Betty, Clara

Janssen, the AHCA’s Nebraska Hero, was select-

ed to have her story told on 10 /11’s Lance’s

Journal. To check out Clara’s story, visit Ridge-

wood’s website: www.ridgewood-seward.com or

10/11 News website under Lance’s Journal ar-

chives.

page 2 page 7

Life Enrichment

Make sure to check out the Life Enrichment calendars for

additional events! Copies are available at the front

desk, through email at cpearson@vhsmail.com, or online.

Check out our calendars

on our website:

http://www.ridgewood-

seward.com/events/

We Love Volunteers Do you enjoy working with

the elderly?

Would you like to make a difference in someone’s life every time you volunteer?

If you have any questions, please contact Catherine

Pearson in Life Enrichment at 402-646-9316 or

cpearson@vhsmail.com.

Visit In The Loop for more

Ridgewood stories:

www.ridgewood-

seward.com/in-the-news/

vhs-in-the-loop/

Quality Care We will dedicate ourselves to provide personalized care and services that

achieve extraordinary results and exceed the expectations of those we serve.

Health with a Purpose By Kathie O’Dell, RN

Winter is here and staying. What a wonderful time of year to rest, relax, and catch up on your reading

or sewing. If you have to go out, please be cautious and remember to be safe.

Hypothermia Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops to a dangerous level. Your body temperature

can drop when you are out in the cold for an extended time because it begins to lose heat quickly. Old-

er adults are at an increased risk of hypothermia due to changes that happen to your body with aging.

Warning Signs: cold skin that is pale or ashy; feeling very tired, confused and sleepy; feel-ing weak; problems walking; slowed breathing or heart rate. Call 911 if you think you or someone else has hypothermia.

Note: Shivering is not a reliable warning sign because older people tend to shiver less

or not at all when their body temperature drops. Precautions to Take

Stay indoors (or don’t stay outside for very long).

Keep indoor temperature at 65 degrees or warmer.

Stay dry because wet clothing chills your body more quickly.

Dress Smart – protect your lungs from cold air. Layer up! Wearing 2 or

3 thinner layers of loose-fitting clothing is warmer than a single layer of

thick clothing. Think about getting your thermals!

Essential winter wears: hats, gloves or preferably mittens, winter coat,

boots, and a scarf to cover your mouth and nose.

Falls

It is easy to slip and fall in the winter, especially in icy and snowy condi-

tions. Precautions to Take Make sure steps and walkways are clear before you walk. Be especially careful if

you see wet pavements that could be iced over. Clear away snow and salt your walkways at home, or hire someone to do it. Wear boots with non-skid soles – this will prevent you from slipping. If you use a cane, replace the rubber tip before it is worn smooth. Consider an ice pick-like attachment that fits onto the end of the cane for additional

traction. (HealthinAging.org, 2016).

http://www.healthinaging.org/resources/resource:winter-safety-tips-for-older-adults/

Quality Life: We will create a living environment that radiates love, peace, spiritual contentment, dignity and safety while encouraging personal independence.

Resident Corner

WHAT’S HAPPENED: Facials with Carey Weber

BOWLING WITH MOLLY & BOYD GABLE & GREGOR

DEVOTIONS— RESIDENTS JIM AND JOHN B AS WELL AS FAMILY MEMBER BOB

CHURCH SERVICES WITH ST. JOHN’S

MASS WITH FATHER BARAK & FATHER SALSIBURY

BIBLE STUDY W/ DOLORES

HYMNFESTS WITH LAQUITA AND ELLIE

REGULAR ACTIVITIES: EXERCISE, BINGO, CRAFTS, COOKING, GARDENING

ENTERTAINMENT—HELEN’S MUSICAL HATS, TIM JAVORSKY, THE ROCKENBACH’S, THE CLEFS,

OUTINGS: MONTHLY WAL-MART AND CHRISTMAS LIGHT VIEWING

FOOD COMMITTEE WITH DIETARY’S DOUG

ACTIVITY CALENDAR COMMITTEE WITH LIFE ENRICHMENT’S CATHERINE

CATHOLIC AND LUTHERAN COMMUNIONS

RESIDENT COUNCIL, HOUSEHOLD

REPRESENTATIVE MEETING WITH JOE

BABY VISITS

ONE YEAR MOVE IN CELEBRATION

Purpose In Life

page 3

Charlotte Baldinger, our librarian from Seward Public Library, is leading a Book Club at Ridgewood.

Joyful Sing, a local singing group, rehearsed at Ridgewood and then gave us a sneak peak at their Christmas performance.

Residents enjoyed their monthly shopping trip to our local Wal-Mart (weather permitting of course.)

Students from Concordia University and the local high school visited and completed internships and community service hours with us.

St. John’s and Our Redeemer Lutheran Schools visited Ridgewood.

Community Trick or Treating

Community & Churches Christmas Caroling at Ridgewood

St. Vincent Church Parishioners

St. Vincent de Paul Bingo,

Lance’s journal—10 and 11 News

Residents’ Community Clubs at Ridgewood

Ridgewood Sponsored Community Pool Night at the pool.

Fundraising— Bake Sales,

Cruising’ Car Show

Walk To End Alzheimer’s

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Thank you to our Community

Partners!

page 6

Changing the View of Long Term Care:

One Word At A Time by Catherine Pearson, Life Enrichment Coordinator

We were always taught to honor and respect those that were older than us. Yet, we are catching ourselves using words that bring up derogatory and demeaning images and feelings. Let me throw out some words like “bib”, “ potty”, or “ feeders”. I do not know about you but when I hear these words I am picturing a baby. The words we use ultimate-ly reflect on the elderlys’ dignity and quality of life. It is time to change our way of speak-ing.

I encourage everyone to take a step back and start evaluating the vocabulary we use when talking to the elderly and about the el-derly. Ask yourself, “How would this make me feel if they were talking to or about me?” “Would it hurt my feelings or maybe even

make me cry?” A former supervisor used to say to

me, “A person is a person first and their age, illness, or handicap should never de-fine the person.” This is great advice for everyone to take to heart. Let’s start using “clothing protector“ for bib, “restroom/bathroom” for potty or toilets, and “residents who need assistant at dining” for feeders. At Ridgewood, we are cur-rently changing the View of Long Term Care one word at a time. Are you a part of this change or are you still stuck in the past? Look at the lists and select a couple of words that you can start changing to-day.

Sweetie, Honey Resident's name/ Mr./Mrs./Ms.

Wheelchairs/Walkers People who use a wheelchair/walker

Bed # Resident’s Name

Residents Identified by Diagnosis

Resident’s Name

Disabled Person needing support or help with

Feeder; Assist Table Assistance with dining

Dementia/Demented Person with cognitive losses

Facility, Nursing Home Community, Home

Bath Spa

Hallway/Wing/Unit Household, Neighborhood

Bibs Napkin, Clothing Protector

Diaper, Pampers, Pull-ups

Briefs, Panties, underwear

Transport Assist to…

Admit/Place Move in

Allow Help/Facilitate

Claims States, Says

Care Plan Problem Resident Strength

"I didn't know my resident could do that."

"I love it when my resident does that!"

Problem Challenge/Opportunity

"You need to…” "Would you like to...?"

"Sit down, you'll fall." "Let's walk!"

"Trays are here." "Dinner is served."/ "It's din-nertime!"

"He's on the pot." "He's not available right now."

“You can’t go out there.” “Would you like to go out-side?”

Toileting Using the bathroom

Baby-sit Socializing, Visiting

OLD NEW

Quality Reputation: We will be known for promoting relationships of trust, con-fidence, and loyalty through the quality of our services, the honesty of our people, and involvement in our community.

OLD NEW

Please remember to sign in when returning to the facility and out when leaving the facility.

Meal Prices have increased to $5.00 per meal or $20 for a 4 meal punch card. Exact change for the meal

or ticket is needed. Please contact the Business Office Manager for more information.

We do have Skype available for your use to enable open communication/visits with your loved one, as

well as for use with care plans. Please contact our Life Enrichment Coordinator at 402-646-9316.

Just a reminder to bring in any new insurance cards for our residents. This would include new prescription

cards. We can then get that information to our Pharmacist for appropriate billing.

Clothing Items brought into the facility must be marked by laundry. Please inform someone that you have

items that need marked.

Please stop at the nurse’s station to have items added to, or deleted from, the resident inventory sheets.

Per fire regulations, extension cords cannot be used here at Ridgewood.

If there has been a change in your address or phone number, please let us know so it can be changed in the

medical record and other data bases.

Please feel free to contact any team member at Ridgewood, if we can be of any assistance!

Just Some Friendly Reminders:

Check Out the Resident Corner for more community involvement.

page 4 page 5

Resident Corner

Excellent Teams:

We will select and develop

team members who radiate

warmth, compassion, and

respect while skillfully per-

forming their duties.

July 2015

Amanda Lene Housekeeping

Pictured with Doris Campbell

September 2015

Betty Olson Receptionist

Pictured with Jenny Melott

October 2015

Jennifer Wohlgemuth Nursing

Pictured with Verneal Burkey

December 2015

Dorothy Ost, LPN Nursing

Pictured with Jean Stutzman

November 2015

Caleb Knudsen Dietary

Pictured with Willis Bloyd

Ridgewood would like to congratulate the following team members on their retirements. Mary and Kathy, we will miss you!

Mary Buls with Ridgewood Administrator Joe Caldwell

Kathy Policky with Elvis Presley

SERVING

We succeed by focusing our at-tention and energies on antici-pating and exceeding people’s expectations. Our actions are

driven by a “Yes, I Can” attitude and the commitment that we are “Family Serving Family”.

Farewell, Friends

July—December 2015 Lewis “Lew” Adams Larry Ahlrichs

Richard “Dick” Bartholomew Delbert “Del” Boshart

Doris Campbell Wilmer Fehlhafer

Thomas Fraser Lloyd Heese

Carol Karash Helen “Bernice” Karcher

Georgia Knisley Joanne “Skippy” Kotil

Merna Moravec Clarence “Barney” Pohzel

Vera Radford Grace Roth

Corinne Saline Dean Semin

Charles “Charlie” Webb

“The hardest part of

loving someone is

saying goodbye.” The following team members, pictured with one of their favorite resi-

dents, were selected by their co-workers for continued dedication and

support of Vetter Health Service’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Team Members