Did you know… Mitchell-Hollingsworth works with local hospice companies to offer and provide respite care so that family members or caretakers can rest, take time off, or travel. What is Respite? Respite is a short-term stay at a nursing home that allows caretakers to take a temporary break from caregiving responsibilities. Respite stays can range from 1 day to 5 days and even longer in certain circumstances. Respite stays allow a commitment-free way for a potential resident to check out whether the facility might be a good fit down the line. Respite gives family members and caretakers peace of mind knowing nurses are at hand 24 hours a day to care for their loved one. Respite stays include medication management, nutritious meals, 24-hour supervision, assistance with personal care needs such as bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, housekeeping, and activities. When and why might a family seek Respite? When they need an occasional break from the 24-hour a day, 7 day a week responsibilities of caregiving. When finding a “sitter” is out of the question because the demand for caring for a loved one is too great or too complex. Respite offers the opportunity for families to rest, travel, shop during the holidays, spend time alone, attend events away from home, and many other options. The important thing to remember is that families have the ability to come back refreshed and better able to cope with complex responsibilities. What are important things to ask regarding a Respite stay? Ask your hospice social worker or call us for more information to see if your loved one is eligible through insurance. Ask about the availability of specialized equipment your loved one requires. Do they need a wheelchair, oxygen, wound care supplies? We want to be prepared. Ask for information regarding stays longer than 5 days if there is a need. We are able to accommodate families through many different situations. Ask about the availability of a respite stay even if your loved one is not on hospice. We would be glad to provide you with more information regarding this type of stay. The challenges of caring for a loved one are simply apart of daily life, but using respite care before you become exhausted, isolated, or overwhelmed can allow you to restore energy and relieve stress before it becomes too much to bear. We are only a phone call away.

To our AMAZING residents, rehab patients, families, friends, and staff: Have we told you yet? How much you mean to us… Have we told you yet? About all the happiness you bring! Have we told you yet? That you mean the world to us! Just in case we haven’t… Happy Valentine’s Day! You are best thing that ever happened to us! We want you to know we LOVE you and appreciate you! Spread the LOVE!

Last week, we wanted to educate and raise awareness to heart disease, the #1 cause of death in the United States. If you missed our blog, we touched on causes, risk factors, symptoms, and even complications. If nothing else, please make sure you are aware of heart disease symptoms and speak with your physician regularly about any changes in your body. Being aware of your body and reporting those changes are the most important things you can do to stay vigilant about your health. Here's some information to help you prepare before going to speak with your physician. Write down symptoms you’re experiencing (even those that may seem unrelated to heart disease). Write down key personal information such as family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and major stressors in life or recent life changes. Discuss your diet, smoking, and exercise habits. Make a list of all medications (whether prescription or vitamin). Your physician may be unaware of what another specialist has prescribed you. Bring someone with you to your appointment. They can help you ask questions and remember the information you’ve been given. Write down any and all questions to ask your doctor. While treatment for heart disease can vary by type or condition, it's never too late to make healthy lifestyle changes. Some risk factors you can’t do anything about, but others you can treat, manage and control by quitting smoking, eating healthy foods and becoming more physically active. These are primary lines of defense against heart disease and its complications. Other treatments and preventative tips can include: Lifestyle changes Diet Exercise Maintain healthy weight Quitting smoking Limiting alcohol intake Manage stress Manage depression Practice good hygiene Medications Control blood pressure Control cholesterol Control diabetes Medical procedures or surgery We are never here to diagnose, but only to provide the information we know. Always speak to your physician about any concerns. For more information on women and heart disease, visit the following Web sites— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health American Heart Association National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Source: https://www.goredforwomen.org/fight-heart-disease-women-go-red-women-official-site/about-heart-disease-in-women/

February is American Heart Month and Friday the 3rd is GO RED FOR WOMEN! Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States and the #1 killer of women, taking more lives than all cancers combined. Go Red for Women inspires women to make lifestyle changes and helps shape policies to save lives. Knowing the causes, risk factors, symptoms, and health tips can help not only improve the health of all women and men, but even prevent the disease in many. We encourage you to “Go RED” with us on Friday by wearing red to raise awareness to this disease, it’s causes, and ways to help prevent it. Heart disease or “cardiovascular disease” refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that prevent the heart, brain, and other parts of the body from receiving enough blood and oxygen and can lead to heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions that affect the heart’s muscle, valves, or rhythm are also considered forms of heart disease. The causes of heart disease vary for each disease type. Because there are so many types, causes may vary and can include: An unhealthy diet Lack of exercise Being overweight Smoking Congenital heart defects High blood pressure High cholesterol Diabetes Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine Drug abuse Stress Some over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, dietary supplements and herbal remedies Aging Infections Toxins Genetics Bacteria Viruses Parasites Connective tissue disorders Oftentimes patients are not diagnosed with heart disease until after a heart attack, angina, stroke or heart failure. Always be aware of your body, visit your physician on a regular basis, and report any changes in your body and lifestyle. Heart disease can also present itself very differently in women than in men. For example, heart attack symptoms are very different between the two genders with chest pain being a common symptom in men and women commonly having symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, and jaw pain. It’s important to understand all of the possible symptoms. Symptoms of a heart attack can commonly include: Chest pain Shortness of breath Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back Symptoms caused by abnormal heartbeats or arrhythmias can include: Fluttering in your chest Racing heartbeat (tachycardia) Slow heartbeat (bradycardia) Chest pain or discomfort Shortness of breath Lightheadedness Dizziness Fainting (syncope) or near fainting Symptoms caused by other types of heart disease can include: Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis) Swelling in the feet, legs, abdomen or areas around the eyes Fever Shortness of breath Dry or persistent cough Skin rashes or unusual spots Fainting (syncope) Seek emergency medical care if you have any of these heart disease symptoms: Chest pain Shortness of breath Fainting Heart disease like many other conditions are more manageable when they are detected early, so speak to your physician about any concerns or if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. If not detected early, heart disease can result in many complications including: Heart failure Heart attack Stroke Aneurysm Peripheral artery disease Sudden cardiac arrest While there are causes and risk factors such as genetics for some types of heart disease, there are still things you can do to help manage, treat, and sometimes prevent further complications. Be sure to follow our blog next week to find out what you can do to help protect yourself against many types of heart disease. For more information on Go Red for Women, visit www.goredforwomen.org. We can’t wait to see you in your red on Friday! Source: https://www.goredforwomen.org/fight-heart-disease-women-go-red-women-official-site/about-heart-disease-in-women/

Most of the time a hospital stay is unplanned and can be very stressful physically, mentally, and emotionally. There are many ways to improve your time in the hospital, and if your stay is a planned one for an upcoming surgery for example, then there are definitely a few things you can do to help yourself become more prepared. With these important tips, you can be mentally and emotionally ready for your stay, thus reducing stress and anxiety and maybe even the opportunity to recover at an even faster rate. Don't wait until the day of your surgery to ask the burning questions that you truly need answered. Be prepared. Be informed. If you are scheduled for surgery and have questions that were not answered by the doctor, then call the doctor's office back. You don't want to get an answer you don't like immediately before the procedure and then have to make a quick decision. Gather the information that you need in advance of your surgery so that you know you have made the right decision before you go to the hospital. Surgeries are canceled all the time because the patient wasn’t prepared or didn’t follow preoperative instructions. Make sure you are fully informed. If you need to and are able to, take care of all financial obligations prior to your hospitalization. If your bills are due at the time of hospitalization, paying them beforehand can take much stress off you and lead to less worry. Make the important phone calls to your insurance company. Ask questions beforehand about your procedure and the costs so you know what you are getting into. Make arrangements with your employer about taking time off and if you are able to utilize paid time off. Know your options before going home so you can plan accordingly. If your insurance allows and it is needed, inpatient rehab can be very beneficial to many especially if you need orthopedic care, amputation care, or comprehensive recovery from surgery. If you plan to go straight home from the hospital, you may need to arrange for help at home. There are services such as home health and hospice that your hospital case manager can assist you with setting up. If you have the family support, then arrange for them to assist you at home for the time needed. Making these arrangements well in advance if you are able to do so will ease your mind of knowing you have the help that you need when you need it. Make a list of the things that must be accomplished during your hospitalization. Do your pets need to be fed? Can your children carpool with friends? Are there plenty of groceries in the house before you return? Do you have clothes clean for your return? Keep in mind, there is the possibility of have lifting restrictions for some time after hospitalization and therefore, ordinary tasks might become a little more complicated. It may be hard to do beforehand not knowing the length of your hospital stay, but have a plan for who may be able to transport you home. You may be able to drive yourself to the hospital, but most of the time it is best to have someone else drive you home. Keep your driver posted throughout the hospital stay of your expected date and time of release. Bring an accurate and updated medication list with you. Even better, bring the actual medication bottles. Nothing leaves you more vulnerable to hospital errors than to have your doctor give you medication you haven’t taken in months or for you to miss medications that haven’t been updated in years. Bring entertainment. If you are in the hospital, the most important thing you need to focus on is rest and recovery until you are well enough to go home. With that being said, there are many hours in the day that can leave you feeling bored and restless. Utilize this time to catch up on the news, read a book, listen to music, work on puzzles, finish your knitting. Be careful of the activities you choose because you want to keep them stress free and relaxing. It’s probably not the best time to balance your checkbook and catch up on work. Don’t forget to bring your PHONE CHARGER! It’s one of the most forgotten and needed items. If you are going to be in the hospital, you may as well be comfortable. Bring your favorite pajamas and bath robe, your pillow and blanket. Hospital gowns are very revealing so it will be nice to have some full coverage. Bring your toiletries for bathing and your slippers for taking a stroll down the hall if you are able to. It’s probably best to leave large sums of money and valuables at home. Have your people with you. You may not want them there at all times, but before and after a surgery and when speaking to doctors having an advocate there for you can help in a number of ways. They can make sure you are comfortable, ask questions to the doctors you forgot to ask, help you make decisions about treatment and speaking for you if you aren't able to speak for yourself. Ask to see the hospital’s version of your medication list once it has been typed into the EMR (or handwritten into your paper chart), then proofread it carefully and make the necessary corrections. This will increase your chances of getting the right medications at the right dose and time. During your hospital stay, write things down. You may have questions for the doctors. Usually doctors only come to see you once a day. How many times have we let the doctors come in and we completely forget all the questions we had been wanting to ask? Prior to the doctor coming in, the nurse may be able to answer the majority of your questions. Ask any unanswered questions and never leave still wondering. If you don’t understand, ask again. Medicine is complicated and doctors sometimes forget you haven’t studied it. Write down things to help the doctors. Sometimes you may be asked to assist with writing down times and amounts of intake and output. Be patient. Your doctors and nurses are not uncaring because they don’t do things exactly as you wish or respond to your every need or request with immediacy. There are many patients in the hospital, some sicker than others. There is no protocol for making everyone happy. They will try their hardest, but remember to be patient. If there truly is a problem, you have resources to report such problems. Be nice. Be nice to your doctors and nurses. They are working their hardest to care for you and they understand you are sick and in pain, but try to be nice. You don’t want it passed through the nurse report that you are the patient no one wants to have. Know that it’s ok to make visitors leave. You may feel you are being rude, but you are not. You are in the hospital to get well, and rest and relaxation are always an important component to that. If you don’t like to be the mean guy, then have your nurse place a sign on your door that states no visitors or have he/she only allow a short time frame of visiting. While some visitors may be there to be supportive and loving, there are many who don’t know when to leave. If you are a visitor yourself, always be quiet and calm and ask the nurse and patient if visiting if allowed and/or wanted. You never want to make the patient feel as if they have to entertain you. Avoid stress. Stress increases pain. Whatever stresses you the most, just avoid it at this time. If visitors stress you out, make them leave. If getting updates about how your children are doing helps you feel relaxed, arrange for a family member to do so frequently. Sometimes just turning off the cell phone can help, while for others it is a stress reliever. Bottom of Form Source: https://www.verywell.com/things-to-have-at-home-after-your-surgery-3156905

For many of you, the holidays were a bittersweet mixture of moments and emotions. Every year the holiday season is often tough for many families due to recent deaths of loved ones, family, and friends. The “firsts” following the death of a loved one are typically rough for those of us left behind. There are times in life it seems that words are just not enough. This may feel true, but it’s still extremely important to find support in your grief and lean on another in times of pain and hurt and while sorrow may linger, remember to find thankfulness in each present moment. Treasure the ones still with us here today. Remember that it’s always ok to laugh, remember, cry, pray, but don’t forget to be thankful for the moment. Be intentionally attentive to each moment. Look to see. Listen to hear. Touch to feel. Speak to connect. Love to care. And be thankful for the moment. You have the freedom to choose whether to merely endure life or to enthusiastically embrace life. Vow to squeeze the LIFE out of every moment. To seek the sacred in the ordinary. To greet every day with an open mind and open heart. To invest in people. Choose to be thankful for THIS moment and to use it for the betterment of yourself and others. Source: https://preferhome.com/blog/grief-journey-thankful-for-the-moment/

This Thursday, January 12th is National Pharmacist Day! It is a time to recognize these professionals for their important role in the medical industry. The first pharmacy school was established in 1821 in Philadelphia, but it wasn’t until June of 1852 that Pharmacy became a separate profession from medicine. Have you ever really stopped to think about what your pharmacist actually does? We know they provide us with our medications when we are sick, but what exactly does that entail? Pharmacists have a variety of responsibilities of which include, but are not limited to: Ensuring the quality of medications supplied to patients Ensuring that the supply of medications is within the law Ensuring that the medications prescribed to patients are suitable Advising patients about medications, including how to take them, what reactions may occur, and answering any related questions Other important responsibilities that are sometimes overlooked include: advising other healthcare professionals about safe and effective medication use, as well as supply and cost of medications responding to patients' symptoms and advising on medications for sale in their pharmacies providing services and education to patients, such as smoking cessation, blood pressure measurement and cholesterol management supervising the production and preparation of medicines and assessments of quality of medicines before they are supplied to patients from pharmaceutical manufacturers At Mitchell-Hollingsworth, we very much depend on our pharmacists as they fill and provide many medications each and every day. Next time you visit your local pharmacy, take a moment to thank your pharmacist for all they do. Let them know you appreciate their patience and attention in handling our medications and continually working to keep us healthy! Source: http://www.pharmacyregulation.org/raising-concerns/raising-concerns-about-pharmacy-professional/what-expect-your-pharmacy/what-does-0

January is National Blood Donor Month! It’s a great time to bring awareness to the importance of giving blood. It’s also a time that donation is at its lowest due to the holidays, traveling, illness, and winter weather. Donating blood is about supporting life and helping to ensure a steady blood supply for patients in need. It’s very important to do so because even with the technological advances in this day and time, we still are not able make or create blood. There is no substitution. Blood is constantly being used in new and improved surgical procedures and unfortunately can only be stored and saved for a short period of time. Blood contains 3 components that can help people in different ways and up to 3 people at a time. Blood includes red blood cell concentrates that can be kept for up to 42 days. Plasma is the second component that can be stored for up to a year. Platelets are the third component, have a very limited life, and can only be kept for 5 days. There are also 4 types of blood; A, B, AB, and O. A person’s blood type is distinguished by tiny markers known as antigens which cover the blood cell surface. Type A blood has A antigens, Type B blood has B antigens, Type AB blood has A and B antigens, and Type O blood has neither A or B antigens. In addition to A and B antigens, there is also a Rh antigen. Individuals who have this antigen are Rh positive and those without it are Rh negative. The combination of blood type A, B, AB, or O in addition to Rh would make someone Type A positive, Type B positive, and so forth. Without the Rh antigen, their blood would be Type A negative, Type B negative, and so forth. Blood types must be matched between the donor and recipient to be considered a safe transfusion. Blood type O- can receive type O- Type O+ can receive O+ or O- Type A- can receive A- or O- Type A+ can receive A+, A-, O+, or O- B- can receive B- or O- B+ can receive B+, B-, O+, O- AB- can receive AB-, A-, B-, O- AB+ can receive AB+, AB-, A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O- Type O- donors are known as universal donors and can give blood to anyone. This type of blood is in high need because it is the one used in emergency situations when the recipient blood type is unknown. Type O+ is the most common blood type with Type A being the second most common. Type AB is the scarcest type of blood, but these donors are known as universal plasma donors because their plasma can be given to anyone and is the one used in emergency situations when blood type is unknown. Blood is in constant need in our hospitals, so therefore, donation is in constant need. The need for blood is usually not planned so it is important that blood is adequately stored at all times. Rarely does someone expect to receive a blood transfusion and if there were none available at the time of need, the consequences could be fatal. It is needed in surgeries, for cancer patients, for battlefield injuries, and many others with related blood disorders or diseases. Transfusing blood is an essential part of healthcare today and it is up to us to provide and meet the needs. Blood can only be given a couple times a year and needs to be spaced months apart and only after consultation with your primary care physician. Before the donation, you will also receive a mini health screen that can provide information about your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin level. If volunteering and giving back is on your New Year’s Resolution list, then simply giving blood is a perfect way to do so. It only takes about an hour’s worth of your time and you can leave knowing you might just have saved a life or even 3! Don’t forget to prepare by eating well and staying hydrated! You’ll also need your driver’s license and list of medications. Be sure and check with your physician prior to donating to make sure you are healthy enough to do so. Source: http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/donors/about_blood.aspx

Influenza (the flu) can be an awful experience no matter your age or general health. It has been recognized for many years that people 65 years and older are at an even greater risk of complications from the flu that can lead to hospitalization or even death. The reason for this is because healthy adults’ immune defenses become weaker with age, therefore, people 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of the disease. Because of this and the risks to the elderly, senior flu prevention is especially important. Seasonal flu is one of the most contagious illnesses. It is spread by respiratory drops through coughing and sneezing. Someone with the flu may touch something such as a door knob, telephone, or shopping cart. Then another person touches these same things and may transfer those drops to their mouth or nose. It’s not enough to just stay away from people who are sick because people may be contagious a day before they develop any noticeable symptoms and for up to 5 days after becoming sick. Flu symptoms include: Fever Chills Runny or stuffy nose Headache Sore throat Cough Fatigue Muscle pain Occasionally nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Due to their vulnerability, senior adults often develop complications once they get the flu. Most hospitalizations and deaths from the flu are also related to pneumonia and other respiratory disorders. Some common conditions that can be exacerbated by the flu include: Congestive heart failure Diabetes Renal failure Dehydration Pneumonia Asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory conditions Call your doctor immediately if any of the following occur: Shortness of breath Symptoms don’t improve after 3-4 days After flu symptoms improve, you suddenly develop signs of a more serious problem including nausea, vomiting, high fever, shaking chills, chest pain, or coughing with thick, yellow-green mucus Once you get the flu, there are only a few things that can be done to treat it. Seek medical advice quickly. A doctor may prescribe Tamiflu or Relenza, both anti-viral medications which can keep the flu virus from spreading inside the body and shorten the duration of symptoms. Both of these must be taken within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms for optimal results. Neither is a substitute for the vaccine as they do not prevent the virus. Rest Drink plenty of fluids Stay away from others to prevent the spread of the virus What to do to help prevent the virus: Get vaccinated Practicing good hand hygiene by washing hands frequently Cover nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing and immediately wash hands after Stay away from people who are sick Flu season typically runs from October through the end of February, but some years it runs into March and April. Most seasons flu activity peaks in January or later. The flu virus changes every season, so every year the vaccine contains different strains of the virus. This is why it is important to receive a vaccination every year. Getting a flu shot one year and not the next will not protect you from that year’s particular strain. Your body’s response from the vaccination declines over time and the virus itself is constantly changing so the formulation of the vaccine is reviewed and updated each year to best match the prevalent virus. When you receive the flu vaccine, it causes antibodies to develop in your body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide the protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine. Since it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop, it’s smart to get vaccinated before the virus shows up in the community. The flu shot is recommended for everyone six months and older. The more people who get the vaccine in your community, the more the virus can be contained. There is now a newer high dose vaccine that helps create a stronger immune response in the patient’s body and is approved for use in people 65 years of age and older. It contains about 4 times the amount of antigen as the regular flu shots. Please speak with your primary care physician about this new vaccine and it availability. A common myth is that the flu vaccine “gives” you the flu. It is not possible to get the flu from the injectable flu vaccine, which is made from a killed virus. There is also a version that contains no flu vaccine viruses at all. Most flu shots are given in the arm muscle with a needle. Some may experience a sore arm for a couple days and possibly fatigue, aches, and fever, but these are mild and short-lived. The nasal spray flu vaccine does contain live viruses that are weakened and therefore cannot cause the flu, but is not recommended for use during the 2016-2017 season. It is still possible, however, to get the flu even if you have been vaccinated. The ability of the vaccine to protect a person depends on several different factors including the age and health of the person being vaccinated, and also the “match” of the vaccine to the virus. Scientists study the viruses six months in advance and choose which to include in the vaccine. It’s difficult to determine which flu virus will predominate during a given season. Even in years when the vaccine is not exactly matched, the vaccine can help provide some protection against other strains and possibly decrease the severity of the virus. The flu vaccine can: Keep you from getting sick with the flu Reduce associated complications Make your sickness mild if you do still get the flu Protect the people around you who may be more susceptible such as young children and the elderly Allergic reactions are rare due to the vaccine, but it should be known that if you have an allergy to eggs, you may have an allergy to the flu vaccine. The vaccine contains traces of egg protein because the virus is grown in eggs. Please discuss this with your primary care physician as there are still options for receiving the flu vaccine. While we may be midway into our flu season, it is still not too late to receive your flu vaccine. As previously stated, in most communities the flu virus rates spike in January and February, so there is still time. Get vaccinated and get protected! Source: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Merry Christmas from Mitchell-Hollingsworth and the Summit Rehab! We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a blessed time with family. Don’t forget the REASON for the season! Thank you to our nurses, CNA’s, and staff for spending your Christmas with our wonderful residents. You are their families and their friends and they are thankful you are in their lives. To spread a little Christmas cheer to our nurses, we wanted to share this great “Night Before Christmas” poem written just for nurses by Scrubs Mag. "Night Before Christmas" by Scrubs Mag ‘Twas the night before Christmas and night in the ward I glanced at the names that graced the white board. The charts were all piled on the desk without care In the hopes I’d have time to see what was there. The patients were restless, moving about in their beds While call bells went off, causing pain in my head. Charge nurse in scrubs, I with my lab coat Waited for the effects of our latest coffee jolt. When way down the hall, there arose such a clatter! We ran from the office to see what was the matter. Away down the hall, I flew like a flash Clipped my knee on a wheelchair, my teeth I did gnash. The light in the hall, turned low for the night Showed me a scene that gave me a fright. Because what to my fearful eyes should appear A lonely walking patient, coming ever so near. The patient stumbled forward, an IV in his hand Trailing behind, a catheter bag, a train so grand. Now Nurse! Now Doctor! Now anyone here! Come on anybody, I want me some beer! Along he went to the top of the hall, My colleague and I were afraid he would fall! By his side I did go, to help calm him down He greeted my presence with an obvious frown He called for a chair and then again for a beer We quietly told him, “Sorry, we don’t serve that here.” And then, in a twinkling, I heard in a room A lady calling, she needs a broom! A crash we then heard, the patient came to the door Come, see what’s a mess, see on the floor! I left the beer drinker to go have a peek The sight on the floor made me send out a shriek. I went to the phone: “Get me housekeeping, please! I need your help now, I’m starting to wheeze!” The patient was moved to a room that was clean I thought of the patients I hadn’t yet seen. The patients got settled, the call bells stopped beeping Midnight was coming, we felt the time creeping. IVs we did check and vital signs we did take Wondering if this Christmas, we’d both get a break. Back down to the desk, we had paperwork to do Looked at the clock, still plenty of night to get through. We went through chart after chart, the orders we checked When the call bells went off, down the hallway we trekked! Midnight was coming, Christmas Eve would soon end We wondered if admin would mind if some rules we would bend For the holiday season is the time for some fun As long as our patient work was all done! We went back to the desk, just for a moment or two When we found treats on the desk—from where and from who? The treats, they were good and touching to get But from where they arrived, we hadn’t found yet. We heard sounds of someone running out of sight And heard very clearly, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!” Source: http://scrubsmag.com/twas-the-night-before-christmas-for-nurses/

Mitchell-Hollingsworth strives to ensure that rights as a resident of our facility are preserved. We provide our residents with a handbook on admission of the rights as a resident. We also have those rights posted in our facility. We have many questions asked when it comes to resident rights so we wanted to share a part of what is included in the handbook on admission. Last week’s blog covered the first section of our facility’s resident rights. This week is a continuation of those rights. If you have any questions at all about these, please feel free to call us at any time. As a resident, you have a right to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication with and access to persons and services inside and outside of the facility. You have a right to be free of interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal from the facility in exercising your rights. In order to protect your rights and to enhance the quality of care you receive; you should become familiar with your rights and all policies and rules governing your conduct and responsibilities during your stay in the facility. The facility will notify you and your responsible party of any change in your rights under federal or state law or applicable regulations. MEDICAL CONDITION You have the right to be fully informed of your medical condition in a language you can understand. In the event of a significant change in your physical, mental, or psychological status, an accident involving you which results in injury and has the potential for requiring physician intervention, a need to alter treatment significantly, or a decision to transfer or discharge you from the facility, the facility will inform you, consult with your physician, and notify your legal guardian, if one has been appointed. However, if your life is in jeopardy, you will be transferred immediately. You have the right to refuse to participate in experimental research and to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law after being informed of the medical consequences of such refusal, and to formulate an Advance Directive as discussed in our handbook. You have the right to choose your personal attending physician, to be fully informed in advance about care and treatment and about any changes in your care and treatment that may affect your wellbeing, and to participate in planning such care and treatment (unless you have been adjudged to be incompetent or are otherwise incapacitated under state law). MEDICAL RECORDS AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION Information contained in your medical records is confidential and will not be disclosed to unauthorized persons without your written authorization or the written authorization of your legal guardian, except as required or permitted by law or as set forth in our handbook. The facility originates and maintains numerous medical, billing, and other related records which contain information identifying you and describing your health history, symptoms, examination and test results, diagnosis, treatment, and plans for future care. This information may be used and disclosed by the facility in the course of your treatment, in obtaining payment for services provided to you, and in the facility’s other health care operations. The facility will provide you with a copy of the facility’s “Notice of Information Practices” which provides a more complete description of the manner in which the facility may use and disclose protected health information about you. Upon an oral or written request, you and your legal representative are entitled to review, within 24 hours of request (excluding weekends and holidays), all records maintained by the facility pertaining to you, including your current clinical records. After you or your legal guardian have reviewed your records, you and your legal guardian have the right to purchase copies of the records or portions of the records. Such copies will be provided within 2 business days after your request. The facility may charge you a reasonable fee for such copies. NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES You and your responsible party have the right to be informed of any changes in your room or roommate assignment, as well as any change in your rights under federal or state law or regulations. In the event that a decision is made to transfer or discharge you from the facility, the facility must inform you, consult with your physician, and notify your responsible party. PERSONAL FUNDS You have a right to manage your own personal funds. The facility will, at your written request or the written request of your responsible party, hold, safeguard, manage, and account for your personal funds deposited with the facility as follows: PETTY CASH- A small amount of cash will be retained in the business office during normal business hours and will be available to satisfy residents’ personal account withdrawal requests. If you need a large sum of money, please notify the business office as soon as possible so they can make the funds available for you. A small amount of cash will be retained at the Nurse’s station after hours and on weekends to satisfy a resident’s personal account withdrawal requests when the business office is closed. INTEREST-BEARING ACCOUNT- For funds in excess of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) ($100 for Medicare residents), the facility will deposit funds in an interest-bearing account that is separate from any of the facility’s operating accounts and that credits to you all interest earned on your account. The facility will maintain a system that assures a complete and separate accounting, according to generally accepted accounting principles, of your personal funds which are entrusted to the facility. The system maintained by the facility will preclude any commingling of your funds with the funds of the facility or with the funds of anyone else. Your individual financial records will be available to you through quarterly statements and upon the written request of you or your responsible party. If the amount in your account, in addition to the value of your nonexempt resources, reaches the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) resource limit for one person, you may lose your eligibility to Medicaid benefits. If you receive Medicaid benefits, the facility will notify you when the amount in your account reaches Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) less than the SSI limit for one person as determined by federal law. In the event of your death, the facility will promptly give a full accounting of any personal funds deposited by you with the facility to the individual administering your estate, and will pay the funds to the individual administering your estate within thirty days. The facility will assure the security of all personal funds deposited with the facility and will not impose a charge against personal funds for any item or service for which payment is made under Medicare or Medicaid. The facility may, with your written authorization, withdraw funds from your personal account to pay for any and all charges by you to the facility, including charges for Non-covered items and service requested by you or your responsible party. All charges will be paid directly to the facility out of your trust account at the time that the charges become due. PERSONAL PROPERTY You have the right to retain your personal possessions, including some furnishings and appropriate clothing, as space permits, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights or health and safety of your or other residents. Because of the limited space available, please obtain permission from the facility before bringing furniture. You and your responsible party are responsible for the provision of certain personal comfort items, clothing and petty cash for incidental expenses. All your clothing and other personal items (i.e. eyeglasses, hearing aid, etc.) should be clearly marked to indicate you are the owner. It is your responsibility and your responsible party’s responsibility to notify the facility of any personal items, including but not limited to personal wheelchairs, walkers, and other special equipment, brought to or removed from the facility so that they may be appropriately labeled. The facility does not have storage space for personal items belonging to persons who no longer reside at the facility. In the event, you are discharged from the facility, or pass away while a resident of the facility, you or your responsible party should make arrangements to promptly remove your personal items form the facility. The facility will retain your personal items for a maximum of thirty (30) days after you leave the facility. If you or your responsible party do not remove your personal items within that time, the facility will dispose of the items not removed. The facility strongly discourages you from keeping valuable jewelry, papers, large sums of money, or other personal items considered of value in the facility. The facility will take ordinary precautions to protect your property in the facility, but will not assume any responsibility for the loss of the same for any reason. When cleaning your room. Pease use the following guidelines: Please leave only seasonal clothing (spring/summer or fall/winter). Due to limited space, there is not enough room to store out of season or unused clothes. Please throw away or remove from resident’s room reading materials that are old and no longer used. Please remove any excess powder, lotion, shampoo, cologne, soap, hair brushes, etc. Please remove excessive artificial flower arrangements. Also, please remove spent fresh floral arrangements. Leftover vases will be removed by the facility unless requested otherwise. These vases are used by the Activities Department. Make sure all snacks left in resident rooms are in sealed plastic containers to prevent insect problems. Please remove old corsages, cards and outdated holiday decorations such as Christmas and Easter decorations. Leave only current decorations. Please remove excessive pictures. Please remove excessive damaged furniture in bedrooms. We ask that you do not tape things to the walls because this pulls paint off the walls. Please do not set anything on air conditioner and heater units. Please do no set anything other than live plants in the window sills. Please do not put anything other than suitcases on the top of closets. When new clothing is brought in, please borrow a waterproof laundry marker at the nurse’s station and put the residents name inside the garment, or request assistance with this. We hope that you will help in our effort to keep the building neat and clean. We want to make it a pleasant environment for all the residents. Many residents have expressed a desire to keep their rooms neat and attractive. We would appreciate your help in this. PRIVACY You have the right to personal privacy, including privacy in accommodations, medical treatment, written and telephone communications, personal care, visits, and meetings of family and resident groups. Whenever possible, the facility will provide private rooms, if requested, either as accommodations or for group meetings. The facility cannot, however, guarantee that a private room will be available. REFUSAL OF CERTAIN TRANSFERS You have the right to receive advance notice about any change in your roommate or room assignment and to receive an explanation of the need for such a change. You have a right to refuse a transfer to another room in the facility under certain limited conditions. You have the right to refuse a transfer to another room within the facility, if the purpose of the transfer is to relocate you from the distinct part of the facility that is a skilled nursing facility to a part of the facility that is not a skilled nursing facility, or to relocate you form the part of the facility that is not a skilled nursing facility to a distinct part of the facility that is a skilled nursing facility. Under certain circumstances, your decision to refuse a transfer to another room may result in a substantial charge to you which will not be covered by Medicaid or Medicare. RELIGIOUS SERVICES Attendance at religious services is strictly voluntary. Any resident who desires his or her minister to conduct a service at the facility should place their request with the facility’s Director of Pastoral Services. If you desire to counsel with a minister, the social services designee or the Director of Pastoral Services will contact a minister of your choice. RESTRAINTS You have the right to be free from any physical or chemical restraints imposed for purpose of discipline or convenience and not required to treat your medical symptoms. If the shift supervisor determines it is necessary to use a physical restraint to immediately protect you from injuring yourself or others, the facility will select the least restrictive restraint possible. Your physician will be notified as soon as possible. Under no circumstances will the facility use chemical restraints without a specific order form a physician. CHEMICAL RESTRAINTS Psychotropic medications will be administered only with an order from your physician. If chemical restraints are ordered routinely, you will be monitored closely for adverse effects and changes in your physical and mental status. A licensed member of the facility’s personnel shall determine usage on a “PRN” basis in accordance with the physician’s orders. This decision must be fully documented on the nurse’ s notes according to the following criteria: Danger to self or others (combative or aggressive behavior) Behavior that deviates from the resident’s normal behavior that constitutes emotional discomfort The documentation also shall include the name and dosage of the medication, dosage time, and route of administration. Follow-up documentation is required. The physician shall be notified of persistent problems and/or within 8 hours after an emergency dose of any psychotropic dug is administered if your inappropriate behavior has not improved. Continued use shall be revised at least quarterly by the facility consultant pharmacist. PHYSICAL RESTRAINTS The facility will only apply physical restraints to prevent injury to yourself or others with a physician’s order. The physician’s order should include the type of restraint to be used, when it is to be used, and when the restraint is to be released. The restraints are routinely released every 2 hours for 10 minutes for a change in position, or for giving personal care. SELF ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS You may self-administer drugs if the facility’s interdisciplinary team has determined that this practice is safe. SURVEY RESULTS You have the right to examine the results of the most recent standard survey of the facility conducted by federal or state surveyors, and any plan of correction in effect with respect to the facility. You also have the right to receive information from agencies acting as client advocates and to contact these agencies. TELEPHONE You have the right to reasonable access to a telephone where private calls can be made without being overheard. There is a telephone at the facility which has been specially adapted for residents who are hearing impaired. The locations of the facility’s telephones are shown on the map of the facility which is in our handbook. WORK You have the right to refuse to perform services for the facility. You may, however, perform services for the facility, if you so choose, your physician approves, and positions are available. If you perform services for the facility, you will be paid for those services at the prevailing rate, unless you agree in writing to perform the services on a voluntary basis. For more information or a copy of our resident’s rights, please contact our facility at 256-740-5400.

Mitchell-Hollingsworth strives to ensure that rights as a resident of our facility are preserved. We provide our residents with a handbook on admission of the rights as a resident. We also have those rights posted in our facility. We have many questions asked when it comes to resident rights so we wanted to share a part of what is included in the handbook on admission. As a resident, you have a right to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication with and access to persons and services inside and outside of the facility. You have a right to be free of interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal from the facility in exercising your rights. In order to protect your rights and to enhance the quality of care you receive; you should become familiar with your rights and all policies and rules governing your conduct and responsibilities during your stay in the facility. The facility will notify you and your responsible party of any change in your rights under federal or state law or applicable regulations. The facility strives to promote care for residents in a manner and in an environment, that maintains or enhances each resident’s dignity and respect, in full recognition of his or her individuality. The facility encourages interaction among its residents. All residents have the right to organize and participate in resident groups within the facility. You will be given the opportunity to choose activities, schedules, and health care consistent with your interests, medical assessment, and plans of care. You will also be afforded the opportunity to interact with members of the community both inside and outside the facility and to make choices about aspects of your life in the facility that are significant to you. You also have the right to participate in social, religious, and community activities that do not interfere with the rights of other residents in the facility. ABUSE You have the right to be free from verbal, sexual, physical and mental abuse, corporal punishment, and involuntary seclusion. The facility will not knowingly employ any individual who has been found guilty by a court of law of such offenses. Any alleged abuse of a resident will be promptly investigated by the facility pursuant to the facility’s abuse policy. ACCESS AND VISITATION Your visitors are welcome as long as they abide by the facility’s rules for visitors as posted in the facility. Visiting hours are from 8:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M. Immediate family members may visit at any time they wish. Your family has the right to meet in the facility, and also has the right to meet with the families of other residents. To the extent practical, the facility will provide private space for family groups and other visitors to meet. In order to facilitate group meetings, the facility designated a group leader who is available to provide assistance to resident and family groups and respond to written requests from such groups. You have the right to refuse visitation by family members or other persons. You have the right to immediate access to any representative of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, any representative of the State of Alabama, your attending physician, the Alabama Long Term Care Ombudsman, any representative of the agency responsible for the protection and advocacy system for developmentally disabled individuals, any representative of the agency responsible for the protection and advocacy or mentally ill individuals, immediate family members and other relatives, and, subject to reasonable restrictions, any other persons who are visiting with you with your consent. Information concerning how to contact certain of these representatives appear in our handbook. ACCOMMODATION OF NEEDS You have the right to reside and receive services in the facility with reasonable accommodation of individual needs and preferences, except when your health or safety or the health and safety of other residents would be endangered. You have the right to communicate in your own language and to receive assistance if you have a sensory impairment. BED HOLD You have the right to be informed in writing of the facility’s bed hold policy for temporary absences from the facility. A resident who is eligible for Medicaid assistance and who wishes to return to the facility after being discharged must be readmitted to the facility as soon as a non-private room is available. For further information on the facility’s bed hold policy, see our handbook. CORPORATE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM A Corporate Compliance Program (the “Program”) assists the facility in complying with applicable laws and regulations. The Program contains a Code of Conduct that establishes operational guidelines for the facility. The Code of Conduct states that the facility will provide quality resident care in a manner that promotes dignity and quality of life, in addition to complying with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning billing, reimbursement, discrimination, and documentation of operations. If you are concerned about any aspect of the facility’s compliance with any applicable law or regulation, you may call the Compliance Program hotline at 1-800-823-9474. If you have any questions about the Program, please contact the facility’s administrator, who serves as the compliance officer for the facility. FACILITY RULES You have a right to receive a copy of all of the facility’s rules (which are in our handbook) and to be informed about any changes in the facility’s rules. FACILITY SERVICES AND CHARGES You have right to be informed about the services offered by the facility and the charges for those services. You also have the right to be informed of any changes in the services offered by the facility or in the facility’s charges for its services. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE You have the right to be informed about your rights to financial assistance under Medicaid and Medicare, and to receive information about how to apply for assistance from the Medicaid and Medicare programs. FREE CHOICE You have the right to choose your health care facility and your personal attending physician and to be fully informed in advance about care, treatment, and any changes in that care and treatment that may affect your health and wellbeing. You also have the right to participate in panning your own care and treatment and any changes in such care and treatment. GIFTS AND GRATUITIES You should not provide gifts or gratuities of any kind to employees. Employees are paid by the facility. Furthermore, employees are subject to dismissal for accepting cash gifts or gratuities from you or your family. INDEPENDENCE You have the right to continue to make choices and independent personal decisions. You have the right to continue to exercise all of your rights as a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of Alabama, including your right to vote in elections. You have the right to participate in community activities both inside and outside the facility as well as the right to organize and participate in resident groups and organizations. You also have the right to participate in social, religious, and community activities of your choice, as long as they do not unreasonably interfere with the rights of other residents. LEGAL RIGHTS The facility has instituted a grievance procedure for resolving any resident complaints about facility practices. A copy of the produces for resolving resident complaints about facility practices and for suggesting changes in the policies and the rules of the facility appears in our handbook. You have the right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal. The facility will investigate and attempt to resolve all grievances promptly, to the best of the facility’s ability. You are urged to bring any grievances concerning facility practices to the attention of the facility’s administrator and to seek redress for such practices through the facility’s grievances procedure. You have a right to file a complaint with the Alabama Department of Public Health, Divisions of Health Care Facilities concerning any abuse or neglect or any misappropriation of your property in the facility. You also have the right to contact the Alabama Department of Human Resources, or the Alabama Ombudsman Program. For the name and number of these state agencies and your local Ombudsman, and for information on other officials you have the right to contact, please refer to our handbook. MAIL You have the right to privacy in written communication, including the right to send and promptly receive mail that is unopened and the right to access to stationary, postage, and writing implements, though the facility may charge a reasonable fee for these items. MARRIED RESIDENTS If your spouse resides in the facility, you have the right to share a room with him or her and you and your spouse both consent to the arrangement. Keep following our blog for Part 2 of Resident’s Rights. If you have any questions or would like a paper coper of our handbook, please contact our facility at 25-740-5400.