Dear AHCA/NCAL Advocate:
Both the House and Senate have completed committee work on their health care reform proposals and are now preparing for passage in their respective chambers. Today, we are calling upon all AHCA/NCAL members to contact their legislators and tell them how these proposed Medicare cuts will impact skilled nursing facilities.
Updated letters are now ready for your use on our website. Even if you've already sent a letter, we need you, your staff, family members, and residents to renew your grassroots advocacy TODAY.
SNFs face serious cuts as part of health care reform and when combined with the $12 billon cut already imposed by CMS' SNF PPS final rule, our ability to provide quality care is undermined by the projected loss of as many as 50,000 jobs in 2010.
Throughout the remainder of the health care reform debate, we will all need to send a continuous stream of letters to Capitol Hill if we are to preserve the resources necessary to provide quality care and meet the needs of our patients and residents. We expect the debate on health care reform to continue until the end of the year and in large part, our success depends upon YOU!
Write to your Member of Congress today!
Thank you for your continued efforts in our "Save Our Seniors" campaign.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
CHRISTMAS GIFT BOXES
Each year at during the Christmas holiday season, St. Francis donates gift boxes to those who are in need. We fill these boxes with presents and the food items to fix a traditional holiday meal.
We are asking our friends and families to help up us with this wonderful opportunity to spread love and good cheer to our fellows.
Below is a list of needed food items for those who want to contribute to this endeavor.
You may bring in donated items and leave them in the holiday collection boxes by the front desk. Collection boxes will be set out on November 10th.
Pease do not contribute bulk food items, fresh foods or food items that have expired use dates- we are unable to use these items.
Items needed for a Holiday Meal,
Turkey Stuffing Mix
Turkey Gravy Mix
Instant Mashed Potato Mix
Cranberry Sauce- Canned
Pie Crust Mix-Dry
Canned Pumpkin or Cherry Pie Filling
Canned Peaches or Pears
Canned Yams or sweet potato
Martinellis Sparkling Cider
Black Olives- Canned
Thank you for you generous participation in helping to spread the joy of giving during this holiday season.
We are asking our friends and families to help up us with this wonderful opportunity to spread love and good cheer to our fellows.
Below is a list of needed food items for those who want to contribute to this endeavor.
You may bring in donated items and leave them in the holiday collection boxes by the front desk. Collection boxes will be set out on November 10th.
Pease do not contribute bulk food items, fresh foods or food items that have expired use dates- we are unable to use these items.
Items needed for a Holiday Meal,
Turkey Stuffing Mix
Turkey Gravy Mix
Instant Mashed Potato Mix
Cranberry Sauce- Canned
Pie Crust Mix-Dry
Canned Pumpkin or Cherry Pie Filling
Canned Peaches or Pears
Canned Yams or sweet potato
Martinellis Sparkling Cider
Black Olives- Canned
Thank you for you generous participation in helping to spread the joy of giving during this holiday season.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Santa's Chimney
Happy Holidays everyone!
As we get into this busy time of year, it’s important to think of those who are struggling to make ends meet. It is a Holiday Tradition here at St. Francis to reach out to our community by providing boxes of food and gifts for families in need.
On the back of this letter is a simple form I would like you to complete if you know of a family which needs help to make the holidays happier. There is space for listing two families, but please feel free to copy the form or pick up another one at the front desk if you know of more than two families that need help. We are taking the information provided regarding families in need and creating a “Santa’s Chimney” at the front hallway. We will create a paper stocking for each child (names will be kept confidential) using the information you provide on the form. Then, we hope that people will choose a stocking to “adopt” and buy gifts for the child on that stocking.
Please have these forms completed and turned in to Tonja Myers or Mary Jenkins by November 20th. (Sooner is better!)
If you adopt a stocking, please have gifts purchased and turned in to Tonja Myers or Mary Jenkins by December 4th. Please keep gifts unwrapped, but labeled with the child’s age, gender, and family number (it’s on the stocking).
THEN we can all gather in the Dining Room on December 11th at 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the Season by wrapping gifts and assembling boxes of food and gifts for the families. Thank you for your help and input.
Sincerely,
Tonja A. Myers
Santa’s Chimney
Family Name/Contact:____________________________________________________
Family members: (List gender, age and clothing sizes for each child; include any special needs or requests for each person.) Tell us how many adults (over 18) so we can include them in the total family size. Number of Adults: Men:_____ Women: ______
Children Information:
Gender Age Clothing Sizes Special Needs/Requests (Use the back if needed)
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________ ______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
Please tell me why this family needs help this year: ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Will this family receive Holiday assistance from any other agency? Please list agencies if known:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Your name and phone number, in case we have questions:________________________
________________________________________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Name/Contact:____________________________________________________
Family members: (List gender, age and clothing sizes for each child; include any special needs or requests for each person.) Tell us how many adults (over 18) so we can include them in the total family size. Number of Adults: Men:_____ Women: ______
Children Information:
Gender Age Clothing Sizes Special Needs/Requests (Use the back if needed)
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________ ______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
Please tell me why this family needs help this year: ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Will this family receive Holiday assistance from any other agency? Please list agencies if known:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Your name and phone number, in case we have questions:________________________
________________________________________________________________________
As we get into this busy time of year, it’s important to think of those who are struggling to make ends meet. It is a Holiday Tradition here at St. Francis to reach out to our community by providing boxes of food and gifts for families in need.
On the back of this letter is a simple form I would like you to complete if you know of a family which needs help to make the holidays happier. There is space for listing two families, but please feel free to copy the form or pick up another one at the front desk if you know of more than two families that need help. We are taking the information provided regarding families in need and creating a “Santa’s Chimney” at the front hallway. We will create a paper stocking for each child (names will be kept confidential) using the information you provide on the form. Then, we hope that people will choose a stocking to “adopt” and buy gifts for the child on that stocking.
Please have these forms completed and turned in to Tonja Myers or Mary Jenkins by November 20th. (Sooner is better!)
If you adopt a stocking, please have gifts purchased and turned in to Tonja Myers or Mary Jenkins by December 4th. Please keep gifts unwrapped, but labeled with the child’s age, gender, and family number (it’s on the stocking).
THEN we can all gather in the Dining Room on December 11th at 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the Season by wrapping gifts and assembling boxes of food and gifts for the families. Thank you for your help and input.
Sincerely,
Tonja A. Myers
Santa’s Chimney
Family Name/Contact:____________________________________________________
Family members: (List gender, age and clothing sizes for each child; include any special needs or requests for each person.) Tell us how many adults (over 18) so we can include them in the total family size. Number of Adults: Men:_____ Women: ______
Children Information:
Gender Age Clothing Sizes Special Needs/Requests (Use the back if needed)
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________ ______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
Please tell me why this family needs help this year: ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Will this family receive Holiday assistance from any other agency? Please list agencies if known:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Your name and phone number, in case we have questions:________________________
________________________________________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Name/Contact:____________________________________________________
Family members: (List gender, age and clothing sizes for each child; include any special needs or requests for each person.) Tell us how many adults (over 18) so we can include them in the total family size. Number of Adults: Men:_____ Women: ______
Children Information:
Gender Age Clothing Sizes Special Needs/Requests (Use the back if needed)
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________ ______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
______ ____ _____________ ____________________________________________
Please tell me why this family needs help this year: ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Will this family receive Holiday assistance from any other agency? Please list agencies if known:__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Your name and phone number, in case we have questions:________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Is it time to give up the car?
Giving up driving, for all or part of the time, doesn't have to equal a loss of mobility. Transportation alternatives are available in your community and they may save you money.
As we saw in the previous article, the normal physical changes of aging can make driving unwise beyond a certain point. Hearing loss, vision problems, decreased reaction time, memory loss, and lessened manual dexterity are all limitations that tend to increase as a person ages. There may come a point when any one of these conditions or a combination of several make it difficult and risky to keep driving.
Some older drivers become increasingly nervous about their driving ability, and consequently become less mobile in the community. Some keep driving until an incident occurs—a scare, a minor accident, or worse—and then quit driving abruptly, without having made plans for what they will do without the car. And others are in denial, refusing to face up to limitations until family members or the department of licensing step in.
It doesn't have to be that way. When you first begin to have concerns about your driving, that is the time to begin planning your post-driving strategy. Think of this as just another challenge to be addressed, and then use your best problem-solving skills to keep yourself active and mobile.
Giving Up Driving Doesn't Mean Giving Up Mobility
The first thing to do when considering becoming a non-driver is to add up what owning and maintaining a car costs you. Car payments, insurance, repairs, gasoline, parking fees all these should go into your calculation. For most people, the total is considerable. Think of those dollars as money available to you for alternative transportation.
Knowing you have this "transportation allowance" available to you, begin to calculate your alternatives:
Do you live on or near a bus or rapid transit route? Where are the places you can conveniently travel using public transportation? If you've never explored your local bus, subway or light rail, take a field trip! Just hop on and take a ride some day, making sure you know how to return to the same spot. Look for grocery stores, dry cleaners, other shopping possibilities along the route.
Do you have family or friends who might enjoy giving you a ride to church, to your doctor's office, to the barber or beauty shop, on a weekly shopping trip?
Is there special transportation for seniors in your area? Where will they take you? How convenient is it? How much lead time is needed to use this service?
How much do cab rides cost to your usual destinations? Will a cab company take "standing assignments" on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Once you have figured out how the first three modes of transportation will work for you, use taxis cabs to fill in the blanks.
Don't forget walking! We get in the habit of driving, even though some local destinations are close enough to provide a little extra exercise.
With this kind of planning, many seniors lose their anxiety over giving up driving. It still may not be easy, but having a workable plan for getting where you want to go is a major step forward. When the time comes to put away the keys, be creative in your approach. You might try these suggestions:
Leave your car in the garage for a while and see how you get along not using it.
Set a trial period during which you will try out transportation options.
Give your car as a gift to a favorite charity or to a grandchild.
Sell the car and set the money aside to increase your transportation fund.
Take advantage of planning for being a non-driver if that time comes. Be proactive; don't wait for circumstances to make decisions for you. If you're honest with yourself, you will know when you need to begin making plans. Giving yourself an extra margin of safety is the right thing to do for other drivers on the road, and it can, above all, be a gift to yourself and your family!
What's the Role of Family?
Don't let the topic of driving safety become a "taboo" subject in your family. Seniors have the right to make their own decisions as long as they're able, including the decision to keep driving. But family members have the right—and the responsibility—to be concerned about the safety of their loved one and of strangers who might be hurt in an accident. There is obvious potential for conflict here, but you shouldn’t let it reach that point. Be willing to talk candidly about the issue, and be open to some risk-reducing compromises. Work together to create a plan that respects while it protects.
Learn More About Alternate Transportation Strategies
The National Center on Senior Transportation website offers information for older adults, caregivers and transportation providers to promote the greatest independence and mobility for seniors in the community.
For more senior driving safety resources, visit the Aging in Stride "Online Resource Center," and see "Safer Driving Courses and Information" under the "Staying Safe and Secure" heading.
By Joyce Remy, Editor, and Dennis Kenny, Co-Author, Aging in Stride–Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving. Copyright, 2009.
As we saw in the previous article, the normal physical changes of aging can make driving unwise beyond a certain point. Hearing loss, vision problems, decreased reaction time, memory loss, and lessened manual dexterity are all limitations that tend to increase as a person ages. There may come a point when any one of these conditions or a combination of several make it difficult and risky to keep driving.
Some older drivers become increasingly nervous about their driving ability, and consequently become less mobile in the community. Some keep driving until an incident occurs—a scare, a minor accident, or worse—and then quit driving abruptly, without having made plans for what they will do without the car. And others are in denial, refusing to face up to limitations until family members or the department of licensing step in.
It doesn't have to be that way. When you first begin to have concerns about your driving, that is the time to begin planning your post-driving strategy. Think of this as just another challenge to be addressed, and then use your best problem-solving skills to keep yourself active and mobile.
Giving Up Driving Doesn't Mean Giving Up Mobility
The first thing to do when considering becoming a non-driver is to add up what owning and maintaining a car costs you. Car payments, insurance, repairs, gasoline, parking fees all these should go into your calculation. For most people, the total is considerable. Think of those dollars as money available to you for alternative transportation.
Knowing you have this "transportation allowance" available to you, begin to calculate your alternatives:
Do you live on or near a bus or rapid transit route? Where are the places you can conveniently travel using public transportation? If you've never explored your local bus, subway or light rail, take a field trip! Just hop on and take a ride some day, making sure you know how to return to the same spot. Look for grocery stores, dry cleaners, other shopping possibilities along the route.
Do you have family or friends who might enjoy giving you a ride to church, to your doctor's office, to the barber or beauty shop, on a weekly shopping trip?
Is there special transportation for seniors in your area? Where will they take you? How convenient is it? How much lead time is needed to use this service?
How much do cab rides cost to your usual destinations? Will a cab company take "standing assignments" on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Once you have figured out how the first three modes of transportation will work for you, use taxis cabs to fill in the blanks.
Don't forget walking! We get in the habit of driving, even though some local destinations are close enough to provide a little extra exercise.
With this kind of planning, many seniors lose their anxiety over giving up driving. It still may not be easy, but having a workable plan for getting where you want to go is a major step forward. When the time comes to put away the keys, be creative in your approach. You might try these suggestions:
Leave your car in the garage for a while and see how you get along not using it.
Set a trial period during which you will try out transportation options.
Give your car as a gift to a favorite charity or to a grandchild.
Sell the car and set the money aside to increase your transportation fund.
Take advantage of planning for being a non-driver if that time comes. Be proactive; don't wait for circumstances to make decisions for you. If you're honest with yourself, you will know when you need to begin making plans. Giving yourself an extra margin of safety is the right thing to do for other drivers on the road, and it can, above all, be a gift to yourself and your family!
What's the Role of Family?
Don't let the topic of driving safety become a "taboo" subject in your family. Seniors have the right to make their own decisions as long as they're able, including the decision to keep driving. But family members have the right—and the responsibility—to be concerned about the safety of their loved one and of strangers who might be hurt in an accident. There is obvious potential for conflict here, but you shouldn’t let it reach that point. Be willing to talk candidly about the issue, and be open to some risk-reducing compromises. Work together to create a plan that respects while it protects.
Learn More About Alternate Transportation Strategies
The National Center on Senior Transportation website offers information for older adults, caregivers and transportation providers to promote the greatest independence and mobility for seniors in the community.
For more senior driving safety resources, visit the Aging in Stride "Online Resource Center," and see "Safer Driving Courses and Information" under the "Staying Safe and Secure" heading.
By Joyce Remy, Editor, and Dennis Kenny, Co-Author, Aging in Stride–Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving. Copyright, 2009.
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