DO RCHESTE R C OUNTY COM MISSION ON THE AGI NG, IN C. V O LU M E 1 9, I S S U E 7 Pleasant Thoughts J U LY 20 12 Front Yard Picnic - July 4th On July 4th, Medical Adult Day Care will be celebrating with a Front Yard Picnic. Shelley Abbott and Tina Krahn will be performing a mini-concert to celebrate the Fourth of July. Open to the Public! FREE Admission. Everyone is Welcome. Bring your lawn chair and picnic lunch and hot dogs will be on sale for $1.00. will provide the refreshing iced tea and the entertainment. Shelley was the Entertainment Chairperson and emcee for the 18th Annual Senior Celebration in May where an estimated 2500 people attended to hear the music and Shelley Abbott (right) and Tina Krahn in a previous year enjoy the entertainment. celebration on the Fourth of July. Friends of Volunteer Recognition Every day and in every way, Friends of volunteers make a better place for participants. The Friends of has grown to over 200 volunteers. Coordinating all of these people to meet the volunteer jobs is the job of our volunteer Volunteer Coordinator, Jane Hessler. The words job and volunteer is an oxymoron if you consider that job implies payment while volunteer means unpaid. Volunteers are essential to. Volunteers pick up the jobs that allow the staff to spend more time with the participants. Volunteers stretch diminishing dollars; but, they never substitute for staff or take someone s job. Volunteers do not provide toileting, feeding, bathing, medical services, personal services etc; these services are provided by paid qualified staff. Volunteers are like icing on the cake for the participants. On behalf of, the unpaid Volunteer Coordinator wants to thank the Volunteers. She is planning a late afternoon Celebration of Volunteers on July 18th at 3:00. Rather than mailing out invitations, we will call to ask you to attend, and who knows, volunteers may be calling to invite other volunteers to stop by and enjoy some refreshments and let us officially say, Thank You. Friends of recognized in 2011. Pictured is Jane Hessler volunteering at Pleasant Day on AARP National Day of Service on May 10, 2012. She was chosen as the Eastern Shore Region Winner in the AARP State s Andreus Award competition.
Pleasant Thoughts Page 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Not Just Another Day Saturdays!! Don t we all look forward to Saturday; to do what we need or want to do; to have two days off in a row; to sleep in; to go to a movie; and even if it is work, it is work we decide to do and while we may not get paid for it, the accomplishment is the reward. The garden Jackie J. Vickers is weeded, the porch is cleaned, the clothes are washed and folded, the oven is cleaned, the windows are sparkling, the lawn is mowed; jobs that usually can t be accomplished after work. Or maybe a day to read a book, go shopping, go to the beach; just to slow down and get some me time to unwind. However, if you are a 24-hour family caregiver, Saturday is just like every other day of the week, with the exception that it is not special to you. If you work at a job out of the house, you do the same thing on the weekend that you do when you come home from work each day. Now for two full days, that just happen to be Saturday and Sunday, you are being a 24-hour caregiver. If you are a stay-at-home caregiver, the weekend is just another day. Either way, you will not have any down time. Studies show that family caregivers have more stress, spend less time with family and friends, have declining health, begin taking medications, spend less time at work and use alcohol and prescription drugs more frequently. If the caregiver doesn t take care of themselves and gets sick, then who is going to take care of the family member? The best gift that you can give the person you are caring for is keeping yourself healthy. Saturdays at can give you the respite of having a day for yourself. is open every Saturday from 8:00 to 4:00. Saturdays are special at. It is a quieter day, a more laid-back day since there are no appointments for physician visits and lab work, no visits to or from agencies, a Saturday ambiance of relaxation, nothing to hurry to or from. There is a nurse providing the medical component and certified nursing aides providing assistance, transportation, activities and other services as needed. Breakfast, lunch and snack are served and transportation is provided. Medications, treatments, toileting, assistance as needed, all of the medical adult day care components as a weekday but with a Saturday attitude. There is a spontaneity that is not possible during the week. The unplanned invitation to a Church picnic, the donation of items from bread to canned goods that Saturday participants take home with them, people/musicians, etc. stop in to visit, the great, great yard sales, the riding trips to see ships docked at Long Wharf, to feed the sea gulls, to see sail boats or speed boats racing, and so much more. It doesn t cost any more to attend on Saturday than a weekday. You can have a day off without guilt, knowing your family member is being taken care of in a Place like Home under the watchful eyes of trained professionals. The peace of mind and the respite for the caregiver cannot be calculated. Caregivers: Saturdays are for you! Pleasant Thoughts Is a publication of The Dorchester County Commission on the Aging, Inc. for the general public and members of the Medical Adult Day Care Center A Place Like Home 2474 Cambridge Beltway ~ Cambridge, MD 21613 410-228-0190/410-476-3100 www.pleasantday.com care@pleasantday.com Edited by Betty Ruark editor@pleasantday.com Robert has found a new home, a gift from an admirer.
Pl ea sa nt Th ou g hts Pa ge 3 Flag Day Celebration celebrated National Flag Day on June 14th with patriotic games, crafts and music. The worn flags outside were replaced by a new Maryland flag and a new US flag provided by Senator Rich Colburn. Participants, around the flagpole, recited the Pledge of Allegiance as the flag was being raised. Several veterans participated in the raising of the flag. Grandma s Garden The Dorchester County Commission on the Aging, Inc. Board of Directors Medical Adult Day Care Center Hubert Trego, President Tom Wilson, Vice President Jean Laughery, Secretary Colleen Curran-Bromwell, Treasurer Ivory M. Buck Howardene Brem Steve Disharoon Jane Hessler Kelly Jackson Barbara Marsh Sam Shelley Philip D Adamo - Lifetime Helen Combes - Lifetime How many of you remember Grandma s Garden? I bet a few of you do...as the story goes, each year when the flowers begin to show off many colors, Grandmas would have an abundance of flowers in their garden, so what did they do? They would share the flowers with others to plant and then a new grandma s garden was born, and so on. Until everyone had a grandma s garden. Well, now at Pleasant Day we have a Grandma s garden. We started in the early Spring, trimming, moving, planting and more planting, adding top soil and then mulch..oh, did I forget...more PLANTING! Thanks to some of the staff and a participant or two, it is taking shape. So, if any one ever has an abundance of perennials in their gardens they would like to share, we will keep planting. Article by Monnie Whaples, HR Manager
Pleasant Thoughts Page 4 Happenings at A rose of sharon and a crepe myrtle tree were donated by Maritza Sanchez to be planted at on Arbor Day. Doris Green and Chris Wolff, participants, are pictured with Danny Seabrease, Maintenance Assistant and Clay Tobin, RN. Nursing Students from Cambridge South Dorchester High School, under the leadership of Lisa Lewis, RN visited. The students served breakfast, unloaded buses, painted fingernails and socialized with participants. participants, staff, and volunteers attended a Delmarva Shorebirds game. Evelyn Allen (right) poses with Sherman the Shorebird. Sherman and several Delmarva Shorebirds players will be visiting in August. Ethel Rippons hadn t picked up a guitar in many years but she joined in guitar class with Mike Elzey and wants to do it again. Left: Esther Braxton, Marie Trice, and Loretta Robinson are showing off their Mother s Day flowers while enjoying the activities. The flowers were crafted by volunteers Pat Gardner and Audrey Creighton. Left: participants were treated to fresh asparagus donated by Bob McClain. Elsie Baker says thank you for the special treat. Right: Pictures were taken for the Spring Pics Activity in May. The pictures taken were then made into a refrigerator magnet. James Wright poses for his picture. Above: Patricia and Donald Brown will be celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary on July 11. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Brown!
Pleasant Thoughts Page 5 More Happenings The North Dorchester Middle Show Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Pete Singleton, and the Show Choir, under the direction of Ms. Amy Martin, performed at. WECA docents arranged tours of historic Cambridge for Pleasant Day participants. Larry Sparks, (inset) participant, said I ve lived in Cambridge all of my life and never knew those stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Pat & Toby Charles Paparella of WBOC Travels with Charlie filmed ceramics class and nursing skills at for an on air episode. Corporal Horsman & Max Crystal & Doodles Corporal Patton & McGruff Crystal & Doodles Right: Evangeline Quarles pets one of the dogs at the Fun Dog Show at Sailwinds Park. Dog Appreciation Month was in April. Pictured left are dogs and their owners who visited after the May newsletter deadline. Above center: Corporal Patton, of the Cambridge Police Department, also presented safety tips information. Far Left: Corporal Horsman of the Dorchester County Sheriff s Department led Max in a demonstration to sniff out explosives. Left: During a painting craft activity, Minnie Farrare painted a bird house. Right: Cindy Payne wears the Goofy hat she made to celebrate Disney s Goofy s 80th birthday. Right: Chad Malkus, ESQ, local attorney, talked with participants about issued relating to seniors: advance directives, durable power of attorney for health care, and living wills. Many good questions were asked and answered.
Pleasant Thoughts Page 6 Love our Nurses Training Pays Off Left: Clay Tobin, RN, Director, is shown with Missy LeCompte, Activity Coordinator, as he is recognized during National Nurses Week. Below: Deb Collins, RN (left) and Mitisha Wallace, LPN, show off their mugs received as a thank you during National Nurses Week. Amyia Johnson receives a certificate from Ray Parker while Missy LeCompte receives a certificate from Jackie Vickers. The theme for National Nurse s Week, May 6-12, 2012, was Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring. Pleasant Day nurses were recognized and thanked for all they do; every day advocating, leading and caring for Pleasant Day participants. nurses were presented with certificates and mugs filled with flowers as a thank you. The mugs were painted in ceramics class and were personalized individually for each nurse and labeled We our Nurses. The flower arranging was done as an activity, learned from flower arranging with the Dorchester Garden Club. Not available for the presentation were nurses Mary Elliott, RN and Lisa Lewis, RN. Thank you from all of the participants. On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, returning to the Center after taking Medical Adult Day Care Participants to their homes, Missy LeCompte, Activities Coordinator and Amyia Johnson, C.N.A./Driver, noticed a car on the side of the road, parked but almost in a ditch, with a gentleman slumped over the steering wheel. After pulling the bus over, they approached the male driver, who appeared to be in his mid-50 s, and found him to be unresponsive. All Medical Adult Day Care staff, as well as all Drivers, are certified in CPR, First Aid and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use. While Ms. Johnson retrieved the first aid kit from the bus, Mrs. LeCompte stayed with the victim and called 911. Within a very short period of time, E.M.S. arrived and took over. According to the first responders, the gentleman appeared to be in a diabetic coma. The two heroes are presented with Certificates from Ray Parker, Facilities-Safety Manager and Jackie Vickers, Executive Director. Who knows what may have happened had these two heroes not been willing to become involved? While the gentleman s identity is unknown, hopes he is recuperating and doing well. Article by Ray Parker, Facilities-Safety Manager July is National Ice Cream Month Mary Elliott, RN Lisa Lewis, RN Thank You!! July is National Hot Dog Month. The public is invited to join on July 4 for the Front Yard Picnic with hot dogs for $1.00.
Pl ea sa nt Th ou g hts Love our CNAs Pa ge 7 Than k You! CNAs were recognized and thanked during National Certified Nursing Assistants Week, June 14-June 21. Picture above are (left to right) CNAs Missy Atkinson, Mildred Jews, Courtney Stouffer, Deb Collison, Shirley Dail, Barbara Barnes, Carolyn Sharpe (in front), Amyia Johnson, and Renaye Murray. Pictured right are Dawn Pinder (top) and Marie Beasely (lower). The mugs were painted by participants in ceramics class and filled with flower arrangements by participants. Thank you to all of the CNAs. Nurses Corner by Clay Tobin, RN, Director Sun/Summer Safety Most everyone enjoys summer time for many different reasons. Daylight lasts longer, the weather is pretty and warm, most springtime allergies have died down and it is a perfect time to go outside to engage in many activities. But along with the beauty of summertime comes many hazards. Sunburns, increased risk of skin cancer, heat related illnesses, insect bites, bee stings, and many others just to name a few. Here are some tips to keep your summer as safe and fun as possible: 1) Maintain adequate hydration with water while outdoors, avoid alcohol, and limit caffeinated drinks. 2) Use sunscreen on exposed areas while outdoors to minimize potential burns. Also wear light clothing and wearing a hat is advisable. 3) Avoid direct sunlight from 11:00 AM 2:00 PM, which are the hottest times of the day. 4) Wear insect repellent if the insect population is high, and be cautious of bees especially if you have allergic reactions to these insects. If you have allergies to bees make sure you have an epi-pen if prescribed or Benadryl available if a sting occurs. 5) Avoid the side shoot of lawnmowers in action as they can propel rocks and other objects to cause injuries. Always keeps hands and feet away any lawn mower blade in motion. 6) Always use grills outside. Check for leaks with propane tank and hoses, and if a leak is found, turn off the gas and have unit fixed before operating. 7) During excessive heat periods, spend more time in airconditioned places. This is especially important for children, older adults and those with respiratory problems. 8) Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Here at we maintain cool indoor temperatures when it is hot outside, we start our buses early so that the AC has time to cool the cabin for our participants, many staff member pitch in to assist with our participants getting on the bus in the afternoon to go home, and we stay indoors until buses are ready to load. We do these things to insure our participants' safety and comfort. REMEMBER, summer can be fun in the sun, but also a dangerous time. Be smart about the dangers and I hope this is a great summer for all.
Registered Charity Identification Numbers: 501(c)(3) Maryland Charity- #91 Maryland Charity Campaign- #2415 Dorchester County Commission on the Aging, Inc. Medical Adult Day Care A Place Like Home 2474 Cambridge Beltway Cambridge, MD 21613 Return Service Requested Medical Adult Day Care Your Care is our Business Find the hidden frog! This is not the hidden frog What s Up with Missy? July brings red, white, and blueberries (see calendar for blueberry goodness days)! This month at Medical Adult Day Care a huge celebration for the Fourth of July will be held on the new back/side parking lot including a picnic and entertainment with Shelly Abbott. Other festivities include: being outdoors, summer safety, bikinis, not forgetting, sugar cookies, country music, fruit, sport clichés, Christmas in July, wildlife, prescriptions, British American English, junk food, Red Tails the movie, going to the pool, the Olympics, Candy Bar Day, being in love, things to do list, and the Adkins Arboretum. The Front Yard Picnic on July 4th with Shelly Abbott is open to the public and is free. All we ask, is for you to bring your own chair. Hotdogs will be on sale for $1.00 and iced tea and ice pops are free. Please join us as we celebrate America s Independence. As always thank you and have a Pleasant Day! Chris Wolff is watering the hanging plants on the side porch. Medical Adult Day Care Center PLEASANT DAY is: MEDICAL Attendance is prescribed by your physician Nurses are on duty 100% of time Nurses provide medical services and treatment Nurses are in contact with your doctor Nurses administer medications & observe for effects ADULT Any adult who needs regular medical help DAY Opens at 8:00 Closes at 4:00-6 days a week No beds - No one stays overnight CARE Help with toileting, bathing, eating, walking Providing support, stimulation and exercise Nurturing staff who are State certified and licensed CENTER A fresh, clean, home-like setting providing coordinated care so that: You continue to live in your home or with family You don t have to go to a nursing home You attend as many days as you like You help your loved ones to help you