The Park Bench
October
Birthdays
October 2016
Allen H. - 2nd
Viola H.– 5th
6 Halloween Spooky Facts
Chuck S. - 25th
1. The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven,
who broke the world record in 1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin.
2. The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North
America occurred in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada.
3. Ireland is typically believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.
Inside This Issue:
Spooky Facts
1
Active Aging
Week Fun
1
Nursing
Notes
2
Executive
Directors
Desk
2
Employee of
the Month
2
Meet the New
Tenant
3
Maintenance
Minute
3
Tenant of the
Month
3
Welcome!
3
Halloween
Word Search
4
4. Both Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed
Halloween capitals of the world.
5. The first Jack O’Lanterns were made from turnips!
6. Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween
has been around for over 6,000 years.
Active Aging Week Fun
I would like to extend a BIG thank you to all staff and tenants for their
assistance during this busy week. The teamwork was great to see and
very much appreciated! Thank you to all tenants for participating and being great
sports. Together, we made Active Aging Week 2016 a success!
Maplewood State Park
Mall Walk 2016
Page 2
Nursing Notes with Julie
Getting the flu can be a nasty experience, no matter what your age or general health,
and each year flu shots are a major public health initiative. But, because of the risks to
the elderly, senior flu prevention is especially important. Seniors in their seventies and
eighties are at higher risk from the flu than seniors in their sixties, because of declining
immunity to illnesses as they age. Seasonal (or common) flu is one of the most highly
contagious illnesses. It is spread by "respiratory drops"-coughing and sneezing. Someone may touch something with the flu virus on it-such as door knobs, telephones or
shopping cart handles-then unwittingly touch their mouth or nose. Flu symptoms include fever, chills, runny or stuffy nose, headache, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue,
and muscle aches. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are sometimes present, but rarely prominent. Another common complication of the flu is
dehydration, so drinking plenty of fluids is especially vital for the elderly. Once someone gets the flu, the only real "cure" is to rest and drink
plenty of fluids. While otherwise healthy adults can be laid low by the
flu for a full week, senior citizens are at risk for becoming much sicker.
They are more vulnerable, once they get the flu, to develop complications. During flu season, practicing good hygiene can help people avoid
catching or spreading the flu. Wash hands frequently, especially after
touching door knobs and stair rails in public places. Always cover nose
and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and immediately wash hands afterward. And, of
course, stay away from people who are sick.
Executive Director’s
Desk
“I’d like to thank everyone for their
participation in Active Aging
Week. Nikki did a wonderful job
planning and organizing the different
events that took place during the last
week of September to promote Active
Aging for Seniors. Active Aging
week takes place towards the end of
September every year, so be sure to
mark your calendars. With Fall fast approaching,
be on the look out for various events or parties that
we will be hosting. We encourage everyone to
take advantage of these fun events as we usually
have free food, giveaways, and even prizes. As
always, I welcome any suggestions and or
comments to make Park Gardens feel like home.”
Employee of the Month
Our Employee of the Month
nomination goes to Nikki
Rodriguez.
Nikki has been employed with
Park Gardens since May 2015.
She was nominated for helping
out in different departments
within the facility.
Page 3
Tenant of the Month
Meet Our New Tenant
Earl Hustad–
Room 201
Earl was born in Battle Lake,
Minnesota. He and Jo have
been married for 57 years.
Together they have two children; Jodi and Randy., and
three grandchildren, all girls!
Earl worked as a dairy farmer from 1946 to
2010. He worked together as partners with his
brother and they still remain good friends
today! Earl enjoys wood carving, sports
(Vikings, Twins), and visits from his family.
He and Jo have been tenants at Park Gardens
for almost 2 years.
Welcome!
Say hello to Erin! We
are very excited to introduce her as our new
Housekeeper! We are
happy to have you
Erin, welcome to the
Park Gardens family!
Barbara Norgren
Room # 211
Maintenance Minute
with Mark
October is fire prevention
month, which gives us a good
opportunity to offer some
simple reminders. Please do
not use your stove top as a
counter and place flammable
items on it. Burner knobs can
get bumped and accidentally
turned on, which could ignite items placed on the
burners and stove surface. When you are done using
the stove or oven, double check to make sure the burners or oven is off. If you use the clothes dryers, make
sure you clean out the lint trap after every load. If you
have an extra heater in your apartment, please shut it
off when you leave. If there ever is a fire in your apartment, leave immediately and go to the main lobby and
pull the fire alarm by the front door. If you are on the
second floor, pull the fire alarm by the main staircase
and wait for assistance in the dining room if you can’t
get down the stairs by yourself. Never use the elevator
during any fire emergency. If the fire alarm is going
off and the fire is not in your apartment, stay in your
apartment and wait for assistance. If it becomes necessary to evacuate, staff will come and help you at that
time.
...because the journey matters
215 E Skogmo Blvd.
Fergus Falls, MN
56537