Nancy's Welcome Mats & Neighborly Chats

Happy Independence Day!


This month instead of an article from me, I have asked Mark Lee, President of The Paragon, to inform you about House Bill #444.
Stay cool—Until next month,
God Bless you,
Nancy

At the request of our state trade association, Kentucky Assisted Living Facilities Association (KALFA), House Bill 444 was introduced by Representative Susan Westrom (Lexington) on February 16. It passed both the House and the Senate unanimously, and Governor Beshear signed it on March 30. The new law takes effect on July 15. The changes to the law are very significant, and positively impact seniors residing in assisted living communities across the Commonwealth.

Some of the highlights are:
Now medications may be stored in a manner requested in writing by the resident or resident’s designee and that is permitted by the assisted living community’s policies. Current law has mandated that the resident always have access to his or her medications. This important change will permit, but not require, a resident or the resident’s representative to ask The Paragon to retain the key to the medication drawer in the apartment, rather than the resident having it. If a resident is concerned about forgetting whether he or she took medications at a given time and, as a result, perhaps being at risk of mistakenly over-medicating, the most appropriate solution may be to request that The Paragon retain the key and assist at the appointed times.

Additionally, if medications are in unit dose packaging or are placed in a pill organizer by the resident, or a designated representative or licensed health care professional not affiliated with the assisted living community (usually a pharmacy), our staff members will be able to remove the medication and hand it to the resident. Resident Assistants will also be able to apply over-the-counter lotions and ointments. They will be able to guide a resident’s hand, as well as steady it, when the resident is self-administering medications.Prior to the new law, staff members could only steady the hand, not guide it.

We will have copies of the changes to the law available if you would like to read them for yourself. I drafted the bill and worked with a small group of other assisted living leaders across the state to accomplish this much-needed re-write of Kentucky’s assisted living statute. We also worked closely with the Department for Aging and Independent Living in Frankfort to develop changes to the regulations necessitated by the new law. Those changes have been filed but won’t take effect until September. Between now and then, we will continue getting more details to you. We believe that these changes will benefit many residents of The Paragon.

The Kitchen Korner

Summer is definitely here! Fresh fruits and vegetables are available and lighter items such as fresh spinach and fruit salads, cantaloupe, watermelon and fresh tomatoes stuffed with chicken /tuna salad will be on the menu. We’re firing up the grill – so start looking for grilled entrées on the menu.

As a great side dish for summer, this recipe comes highly recommended. It’s now on The Paragon’s menu!

Creamy Dill Cucumbers (ready in 15 minutes or less)
1 cup milk 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 envelop ranch salad dressing mix
2/3 cup sliced red onion, separated into rings
2 tablespoons dill weed

In a small bowl, combine the milk, mayonnaise, sour cream, dressing mix, dill, celery seed and pepper. Stir in the cucumbers and onion. Great substitute for cold slaw! Yield: 8 servings
Until next month,
Enjoy! Your Paragon Kitchen Staff, Shirley, Jennifer, Kristin and JoNell

News From The Ice Cream Parlor

Happy summer to all! July is the time for outdoor summer fun, festivals, vacations, swimming, fireworks, cookouts and to celebrate our freedom. So get out of your suites and let’s have some fun this month! Did you know that this month is also considered the half way point of 2010? Time really does fly when you’re having fun!
I am interested in knowing why you are proud to be an American. If you would please stop by the Ice Cream Parlor and pick up your paper to finish the sentence, “ I’m proud to be an American because….. _” I would like to post these on our bulletin board and maybe even in next months’ newsletter.
I am really excited about our Paragon quilt that is in the making! This is a project that I have wanted to get started since I came on board at The Paragon. It makes me so happy to see all the residents that have shown interest in this project. A big “Thank you” goes out to Linda Scott for helping get this project started.
The ladies from Peebles are coming back again this year for a style show! The show is scheduled for July 15th at 3:30. Store models will be in the Dogwood Room to model their clothing. Please encourage your family and friends to come and join us, refreshments will be served. The Peebles representative will be informing the residents, guests and staff about an incentive program to receive a percentage off items in their store.
Our next Resident Town Meeting is scheduled for July 26th at 11 a.m. in the Dogwood Room. We will update you on any Paragon news and we would appreciate it if you would voice any concerns you may have during that time.
I hope each of you have a safe and happy July. Please pay attention to the heat advisories during these summer months. Make sure you keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids during this time!
Until next month…..
Sherry

Notes From The Resident Care Coordinator

Extreme Heat a Deadly Risk for Older Adults

As the temperatures rise, older adults become more vulnerable to heat-related health issues because their bodies don't cool down as quickly as younger people.

"Sometimes, older people may not feel hot when the temperature is dangerously high and are also less likely to feel thirsty, which means their bodies have lost too much water," Dr. John B. Murphy, president of The American Geriatrics Society, said in a prepared statement .

Some precautions to take in extreme heat:
Stay in the air conditioning, whether home or out and about.
Fans do not adequately cool down the body during intense heat waves.

Avoid extended periods of sun exposure, walking long distances, lifting heavy objects or other strenuous activities.

Drink plenty of water and other nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated drink beverages. If one's urine is a light yellow color, enough water is being taken into the body, but if it's darker, the body needs more water.

Take cool showers, baths, or sponge baths.

Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and hats.

Common heat-related health problems to watch for include:
Dehydration: Signs include weakness, headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion and passing out.
Heat stroke: A body temperature of or above 103 degrees; red, hot and dry skin; a fast pulse; headache,dizziness, nausea or vomiting,confusion and passing out.
Heat exhaustion: Heavy sweating or no sweating, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, paleness, cold or clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting and .

With the temperatures staying in the high 90’s, we all must be aware of heat consequences and heed these precautions.
Stay Cool!
Until next month,
Ruth
This article was taken from an article written in “Everyday Health"