Five Spring Cleaning Safety Tips
Spring is when we anticipate a
Nice Things We Hear…
To Bev & all of the staff at
Compassionate Care,
Thank You...Thank You…
We have felt and so appreciated
your support and kindness
through the care of our parents.
Jan E.
Visit us on line!
www.compassionatecareofmn.com
Life Connection Event
Friday, April 17th
8 am to 4 pm
Willmar Civic Center
Shedding a Light on
Memory Loss
Tuesday, April 28th
5:15 to 7:30
Vinje Lutheran Church
Additional information is
located on the second page.
renewal of not only our spirit but also
our environment. We begin thinking of
outside plantings to thoughts of
refreshing the interior of our home.
As you look at some of the areas in
your home this Spring, keep in mind
that Compassionate Care would be
happy to assist you with some of your
“light housekeeping” needs from
organizing and cleaning closets to
cleaning out kitchen cupboards and
drawers. Know that Compassionate
Care is happy to assist in some of the
hard-to-reach areas as long as it does
not require stepping up on a chair or
climbing a ladder. While the safety of
our clients is always of the utmost
importance, the safety of our staff is
also very important.
Consider the following Five Spring
Safety Tips when contemplating ways
to refresh and renew your home.
1. Clean Up Clutter: Trips and falls are
likely to happen when you accumulate too much “stuff.” Reduce the
risk by removing unnecessary and
obstructive items from your regular
walking path and place them in storage, or maybe it is time to take a trip
to The Good Will. Make maintaining
a clear walkway in every room of the
house or apartment a top priority.
Remove throw rugs which are a
hazard to tripping and falling. In the
kitchen, remove infrequently used
appliances off the counter, organize
cabinets, create front row spaces for
frequently used items, and clear out
the refrigerator and pantry of stale
food.
2. Never Try to Move Heavy Objects or
Furniture on Your Own: Don’t
stand on a chair or ladder to clean
hard to reach spots or change light
bulbs. Use cordless cleaning tools
and light weight equipment
which are easier to use.
3. Check the Medicine Cabinet: Are
medications labeled and stored in
their proper containers? Do you have
old prescription drugs mixed in with
the new? These common practices in
homes pose potentially dangerous
health hazards. Whereas some medications still retain their potency after
expiration dates, many do not and
should be disposed of. Old liquid antibiotics, drugs comprised of organic
ingredients and those requiring refrigeration should be safely discarded.
4. Have an Emergency Plan in Place: In
case of an emergency such as a fall or
a kitchen accident, do you have important numbers on speed dial?
Know who to call in an emergency and
have your phone programmed accordingly. If you reside in an assisted
living community, be sure you understand how the emergency response
system works. Just like when you
were living in a neighborhood, look
out for others and know who to go to
for help.
5. Monitor your Smoke Alarm System,
Fire Extinguisher and Emergency Kit:
Periodically check your smoke alarm
system and carbon monoxide detectors; run a test to ensure batteries for
detectors are functional. Every home
should have at least two handheld fire
extinguishers (one in the kitchen for
sure). Check the expiration date and
remind yourself to monitor the device
every once in a while.
From the United Methodist
Independent Living Blog
Spring Greetings from Bev
Spring is always a very busy time at Compassionate Care. We continue to meet with each of
our clients regarding the Minnesota Department of Health’s required licensing changes. The
beauty of our meetings is the one-on-one time with you. Thank you for the many kind
comments you have shared about the service we offer. We value our relationship with you,
and it amazes me that some of you have been with us since the beginning….13 years!
The 16th Annual Life Connection event will take place on Friday, April 17th, at the Willmar Civic Center from
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are offering free golf cart rides from the parking lot to the building again this year. Please
stop by our Compassionate Care/Compassionate Cottage booth to say hello! There will be prizes and a fun
day of events taking place at the conference. I am providing free manicures to anyone who desires. I
thoroughly enjoy the time to pamper and connect with the attendees, but especially those of you who we
serve regularly.
Praying that your Easter season continues with fresh vibrant beauty and spring surprises that can only be
created by a miracle. It is a perfect time to enjoy many meaningful blessings of family, friends, Jesus, and of
course, a few tasty chocolate treats too! God bless you! Bev
Fun With Words
Do you know what lexophile means? No it is not a rare disease.
Lexophile is a word used to describe those
that have a love for the use of words, such as
“you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish,
or “to write with a broken pencil is pointless.”
Enjoy some of the following lexophiles!

When fish are in schools, they sometimes
take debate.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve
months.
Mark Your Calendar
16th Annual
Life Connections Event
Friday, April 17, 2015
This event is for active people 50 and older
Willmar Civic Center
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Be sure to stop by the Compassionate Care Booth!
We will provide Golf Cart Rides from your car to the front
door of the Civic Center!
Shedding Light on Memory Loss
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

When she saw her first strands of grey
hair, she thought she’d dye.
Vinje Lutheran Church
1101 Willmar Ave. SW, Willmar MN

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles
U.C.L.A.

The dead batteries were given out free of
charge.

A dentist and a manicurist married. They
fought tooth and nail.


A boiled egg is hard to beat.
The West Central Dementia Awareness Network is excited to host
this event providing information, support and resources.
5:15-6 p.m. Visit displays and enjoy a hot turkey sandwich
6-7:30 p.m. Sandy Oltz, Keynote Speaker
Sandy Oltz, a Minnesota resident, was diagnosed with early onset
Alzheimer’s at the age of 46. Sandy also provided Oscar-winner,
Julianne Moore, with insight into Moore’s role as Alice Howland for
the movie , Still Alice. Mark Your Calendar!

When a clock is hungry it goes back for
seconds.
A bicycle can’t stand alone; it’s just two
tired.
Thank you to Caregiver Tricia Huge for sharing
the fun with lexophiles.