From The Desk of the Administrator EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

December 2010
Crofton Care and
Rehabilitation Center
Facility Phone Numbers
(410) 721-1000
(410) 793-0123
(301) 261-3634
Administrator
Phil Gordon
x4200
Asst. Administrator
Fran Wheat
X4299
Director of Nursing
Teresa Sahibzada
X4275
Asst. Director of Nursing
Marsha Dyjack
x4450
Station I Coordinator
Kenye Weber
x4288
Station II Coordinator
Sharon Lutzow
X4221
Station III Coordinator
Carol Hanley
X4210
Therapeutic Recreation
Director
Dawn Chourouk
x4276
Social Work Director
Shannon Davis
x4600
Come Up To The Quality Of Crofton Care!
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
The employee of the month
for December has worked at
CCRC since October 2006.
Her calm, reassuring manner
makes her an extremely
effective supervisor. She
works well with other
departments and ensures
that all admissions have a
smooth transition from the hospital to CCRC.
Please congratulate
Kayon Campbell - our Employee of the Month!!
From The Desk of the Administrator
Wow! The response to our Thanksgiving Family
Night was so overwhelming we needed two seating’s.
Thanks to all that came to this wonderful event and for your
understanding on having to limit the number of guests. The
food and entertainment were wonderful. As always, the
nicest part of all was seeing the extended Crofton family
come together to share this special evening.
Continued on Page 2
...continued on last page
Page 2
Administrator cont’d
Special Days
Our Employee Holiday Drop-in is on December
10 from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. A delicious breakfast
will be served and representatives from the 401K plan
and Health Plan will be there to answer any of your
questions. For the health and well being of our residents, children are not allowed at this event or when you
are picking up your pay check. In advance, thank you
for your cooperation and putting our residents first. I
look forward to seeing everyone at this festive event.
Again, I would like to remind everyone to not
visit when you have any cold or flu symptoms. Children under 12 are not allowed to visit. The bugs in the
community find their way into the building, they don’t
start here. We need everyone, staff and visitors alike, to
take this very seriously and to prevent bringing the
germs into the building. Children are exposed constantly in school and day care settings. Sniffles or a little cough can turn into a major illness for our elderly
residents. Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing
is still the best way to prevent the spreading of germs.
We have hand sanitizer around the building and we also
have masks available at the front desk for anyone that
would like to use one. In advance, on behalf of our residents, thank you for your cooperation.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a very Merry
Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
th
First Day of Hanukkah
December 2
Islamic New Year
December 7
Winter Begins
December 21
Christmas Day
December 25
Boxing Day & First Day
of Kwanzaa
December 26
Until next year,
Phil Gordon
Administrator
Enrollment for Resident Dental and Vision Insurance
We strive to provide our residents with the highest possible care available and know
that they require special dental and vision needs. In order to meet these needs we are
participating in the new dental and vision plan administered by Citizens Security Life
Insurance Company. For information or questions about the plan, please contact the
Crofton plan Representative, Brian Lauer at 1-800-868-6070 x113 or 1-484-410-4196.
Page 3
HR TIDBITS:
Name badges are a mandatory part of the uniform. It must be worn at all times and the
name must be visible. See the receptionist for a replacement name badge.
Slip resistant shoes are also a mandatory part of our uniform. As winter approaches
quickly and the snow and sleet make the surfaces slippery, please make sure your shoes
are rated for slip resistant and you wear them each day.
If you do not use all vacation time, you MUST fill out a vacation rollover request form.
Please see your supervisor or Patty Kerrigan for the appropriate forms.
Open enrollment for health, dental and vision insurance is December 1st - December
17th. Please see Patty Kerrigan or Barbara Doherty for enrollment forms.
401K Open enrollment period is December 1st - December 17th. Tom Ervin from Smith
Barney will be here on December 10th to answer any questions.
Please make sure the HR office has all correct addresses. Tax information will be mailed
to the address we have on file.
It is extremely important that we have all updated telephone numbers in our system for
scheduling and emergency and disaster plan purposes.
EverCare Enrollment and News
Did you know that long-term care residents who have Medicare A and B are eligible for
a Special Medicare Program while residing here?
EVERCARE is a federally-funded Special Needs Medicare Program specifically designed for Medicare recipients who live in nursing homes. The program provides enhanced Medicare benefits and is designed to be proactive and to prevent illnesses before they become severe.
The EverCare Nurse Practitioner monitors the health of the residents more closely,
watches for changes in medical condition, and treats problems at the bedside as quickly
as possible. She also provides Skilled Nursing services without sending someone to the
hospital for three days. This cannot be done without a program like EverCare. This
has proven to keep people healthier and produce better clinical outcomes.
Please speak to your loved one’s nurse or Crofton's EverCare Account Representative,
Lisa Kantz at (410) 379-3591 or (443) 253-6725 to learn more!
Page 4
HELLO FROM ACTIVITIES:
Well as we enter into the Holiday Season I would like to wish everyone a Merry
Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. December brings many new and exciting events
as well as our favorites.
9th 10:45am Red Hat Society
12th 2:00pm Jubilate Christmas Concert
14th 10:45am Coffee and Donut Social
16th 10:45am Resident Entertainment Committee
23rd.3:00pm Resident Choir Parade
24th 2:00 pm Resident Christmas Party
30th 2:00pm Resident and Staff New Years Eve Party
ONGOING ACTIVITIES:
Bingo – Every Monday , Thursday and Saturday 2:00pm
Fran’s Book Club –Tuesday’s 2:30pm
Cooking Class Tuesday’s at 2:00pm
Crafter’s Cove- Monday’s at 3:00pm
Garden Club –Wednesday’s at 2:00pm
Redbox Movie Night – Friday’s at 6:30pm
Manicure’s –Wednesday’s at 3:00pm and Friday’s at 7:00pm
Please stop down to the conservatory and say hello to our FOUR new baby birds .
The Activities department is looking forward to creating great events for you in 2011 .
Donations needed for Holiday Celebrations:
Body sprays, colognes , socks , lap blankets , Beauty products ,
We hope you enjoy all the events that Crofton has to offer . Please
support our Leisure Fund so we can continue to provide these wonderful activities . We have many fundraisers throughout this month
and appreciate your support . Thank you!!
Dawn Chourouk, Recreation Director
Page 5
DECEMBER RESIDENT
and STAFF BIRTHDAYS
Resident Birthdays
12/09 Dorothy Darling
James Masterson
12/13 Betty Gilkey
12/14 Helen Murrill
12/19 Elenor Ruf
12/21 Dorothy Yee
Staff Birthdays
12/04 Mary Wheat
12/09 Lisa Campbell
12/12 Guadalupe Casapao
Heather Mundell
12/14 Vesta Settles
12/16 Kathy Kolbrecki
12/17 Janet Moro
12/20 James Johnson
12/26 Margarita Rosales
12/28 Almarie O’Connor
Sarah Choochongkol
EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES
Congratulations to the following employees who are
celebrating their anniversary this month!
ONE YEAR
Marva Nicely
Millicent Harleston
Clint Freit
TWO YEARS
Lesley Clark
FIVE YEARS
Earl Randall
Rathi Ramakrishnan
SIX YEARS
Aderonke Abatan
FIFTEEN YEARS
Raymond Jackson
EIGHTEEN YEARS
Sandra Johnson
TWENTY-FIVE
YEARS
Marilyn Chambliss
THIRTY ONE YEARS
Christine Harris
Famous Birthdays
Bette Midler Dec. 1, 1945
Kirk Douglas Dec. 9, 1916
Emily Dickinson Dec. 10, 1830
Frank Sinatra Dec. 12, 1915
Dick Van Dyke Dec. 13, 1925
Diane Sawyer Dec. 22, 1945
Humphrey Bogart Dec. 25, 1899
PPD’s—All employees must get their PPD or
chest x-ray during their birthday month. Please
see the HR Coordinator if you have
any questions.
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH: SOFT GINGERSNAPS
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp ground ginger
4 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Additional sugar
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing
to wire racks.
December 10th
EMPLOYEE DROP IN
HOLIDAY
BREAKFAST
December 25th
MERRY
CHRISTMAS
Employees will get the holiday posted
meal following tray line.
How Did December Get Its Name?
The name comes from the Latin word
decem, which means ―ten.‖ But wait, isn’t
December the twelfth month of the year? It
is today, but the old Roman calendar began
the year in March, making December the
tenth month. It wasn’t until Roman ruler
Numa Pompilius added January and February that December became the twelfth
month. December is the
month with the shortest
daylight hours of the
year in the Northern
Hemisphere and the
longest daylight hours
of the year in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Page 7
Give YOURSELF the gift of HOLIDAY HEALING
(from Prevention magazine December 2010)
Put happiness and health, joy and inspiration on your calendar every
day this month. Here are some ideas….
Seek icy thrills—Winter activities such as skiing, ice-skating and sledding are not just great calorie burners, they’re exhilarating. The speed
and fresh air give you a sense of elation.
Enjoy a candy cane— Studies show that just the menthol
smell alone will pep you up to enjoy the holiday festivities. It
can also calm an upset stomach.
Sit by a crackling fire—Tuning in to the sounds of nature—listening
to tweeting birds or rain on the roof also qualifies—this will quickly
reduce stress states one recent study.
Buy a new lipstick—This daily pick me up you’ll get from it will be
more satisfying than clothes or accessories which you will wear only
once in a while.
Grin as you greet the cashier— Having a cheery attitude during the
holiday season increases the chances that those around you will feel
warm and fuzzy too, according to one study.
Make friends with hot cocoa—Just holding a warm beverage makes us
more generous and friendly. Turns out warm hands are linked to warm
hearts by way of a part of the brain called insula, which
helps process both physical temperature and emotions.
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Book Club
November saw the beginning of the book club. Assistant
Administrator, Fran Wheat, read ―Promises I Made My Mother‖ by
Sam Haskell. The author, a small town boy from Avery, Mississippi
who became one of the most successful Hollywood agents for the
William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills, reflects on the life lessons
his mother Mary instilled in him.
What would mother say? How would she want me to handle this situation? How can I make this tough decision and stay true
to myself? All questions that Sam Haskell asks himself every day.
Haskell has achieved success through self respect, and from his
story we learn how we, too, can maintain our dignity when faced
with life's challenges. This stirring memoir is a testament to mothers
everywhere who instill in their sons the lasting values they need to
become good men and devoted fathers.
Come and enjoy the Tuesday afternoon book club. The residents
enjoy being read to and the discussion that always follows.
December’s book club will present a collection of short Christmas stories and poems. Everyone is welcome!
Note: December’s Book Club will start at 2:30
on Tuesdays in the Activity Room.
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REMINISCENCE GROUP - Shannon Davis - Director of Social Work
Our first reminiscence group was a big hit! We do have a few more
openings so if you are interested just let Shannon Davis know. The
Reminiscent group will meet on the second and last Tuesday of every
month in the Conservatory (where the birds are located) at 10:45am.
If the group keeps growing, like we hope it will, then we will increase the group to every week!
Reminiscence is the ―act or process of recalling the past.‖ To reminisce is important because it is an effective way to process information, feelings and thoughts and for putting experiences into perspective over time.
Reminiscence in a small group setting allows a resident to share experiences and life events and to recall past memories. This can lead
to acceptance of loss and reduce depression. This group can also create a sense of belonging for a resident,
increase self-esteem and improve quality of
life.
OLD MAN WINTER ADVICE
As old man winter begins to rear his ugly head, Administration and staff of
CCRC want to assure you and your families that we will be here to care for our
residents. DO NOT jeopardize your safety driving in ice and snow. Inclement
weather can result in injury to you! Please know that we are here for you and please
feel free to call in and check on your loved one!
Message brought to you by the survivors of the 24 inch snowfall of 2010!!
Page 9
Admissions Coordinator
Jo Hardeman
x4271
WORD SEARCH
Facility Liaison
Lynn Rambo
Dietary Director
Jeanne Davenport
x4212
Food Service Coordinator
Stacey Robinson
x4211
Maintenance Director
Frank Mills
x4268
Laundry Supervisor
Marilyn Chambliss
x4270
Housekeeping Supervisor
Christine Harris
Office Coordinator
Lesley Clark
x4201
Activities Room
Ext. 4278
Beauty Shop
Ext. 4213
Kitchen
Ext. 4267
Laundry
Ext. 4270
Physical Therapy
Ext. 4209
Crofton Care and
Rehabilitation Center
2131 Davidsonville Road
Crofton, Maryland 21114
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