Summer 2016
IN THIS ISSUE:
New Nursing Management
Letter From The Administrator
320 East Main Street
Crosby, MN 56441
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center’s Care Center Newsletter
Staff works on quality
improvement projects
A
ll across the country, healthcare quality is becoming
the focus. There has been, and increasingly there is,
more emphasis on quality improvement, reporting and
public information. Payers are looking for good providers
to partner with. There are payment incentives to have
good quality across the spectrum.
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center’s Care Center Newsletter
Upcoming Activities
June 9th
Music in the Park
June 20th Music with Craig Forsgren
June 11th National Lemonade Day
June 21st Fishing at the Lake
June 13th Music with Kai
June 23rd Monthly Birthday Party
June 15th Jerry’s One Man Band
June 23rd Music in the Park
June 16th Dollar Store and Out to Lunch in Brainerd
June 24th Dairy Queen Trip
June 18th Pool Party Outside
June 27th Picnic in the Gazebo
June 19th Father’s Day Celebration with Dairy Queen
June 28th Fishing at the Lake
June 20th BBQ at Cheryl’s House
July 4th
Parade
The Care Center is embracing this movement by
restructuring its quality work and initiatives. Performance
Improvement projects were recently chosen and teams
were developed using research, best practices and partners
to look for ways to improve what and how we do things.
Visits to other facilities that have already made a difference
in these areas may be a part of the process.
The Performance Improvement projects are Falls,
Wounds, Pain and Dining Enhancement. Each work
group includes a lead staff member, front line staff, staff
across various shifts and departments, and other partners
as appropriate. The outcomes and progress will be reported
at our quarterly Quality Assurance Committee.
A partner in our Wound initiative is Stratis Health,
the state’s Quality Improvement Organization. CRMC’s
application to be a participant of their On Time Pressure
Ulcer Prevention Dissemination Program was made and
accepted. Work with them, which will include a two-day
site visit to CRMC in July, began in March.
Volunteers needed
to help residents
The Care Center needs volunteers to play music,
lead sing alongs, assist with field trips, and bring
pets in for visits. Flexible and on-call schedules
available. For details, please contact Ali Meyer at
218-546-4353 or [email protected].
June is National Alzheimer’s
Awareness month
D
ementia is a broad category of brain
diseases that cause a long term and
often gradual decrease in the ability to think
and remember that is great enough to affect
a person’s daily functioning. There are many
forms of dementia; Alzheimer’s is the most
common.
Facts about Alzheimer’s:
• One in nine people age 65 and older has
Alzheimer’s disease
• Alzheimer’s is the only disease among the
top 10 causes of death in America that
cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed
• There are 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s
• It is the 6th leading cause of death in
the U.S.
• It kills more than breast and prostate cancer combined
Staff Training:
As the number of older adults with dementia
needing care increases, so does the need for
well-trained caregivers who understand the
unique aspects of their disease and have the
skills and knowledge to respond to their needs.
Throughout the summer we have 13 staff
members participating in webinars and
seminars that are a part of the Dementia Care
Certificate Program, an educational partnership
between Leading Age MN and the Alzheimer’s
Association Minnesota-North Dakota. Staff attending
includes those from social services, activities and nursing.
A Message from
the Administrato
r
The seasons are transiti
oning from spring into su
mmer in “God’s Country
across Minnesota. Residen
” and
ts are enjoying drives in th
e country, barbecues in th
gazebo, gardening, the be
e
autiful patio areas with br
ight flowers and a gurgling
numerous field trips and
waterfall,
having their windows op
en to fresh air and birds sin
ging.
Our new nursing structu
re with dedicated teams on
wings and three nurse ma
overseeing resident care ha
nagers
s been in place about eight
months. We are very enco
about the structure and ma
uraged
nagement of quality and
satisfaction that we have
these beginning stages.
seen in just
Hope you and yours are
enjoying summer and all
it has to offer in northern
Minnesota!
Nancy Stratman,
Senior Services
Administrator
Sincerely,
Nancy Stratman
Family council
meetings held
Activity Aide Kary
Montour shows
Phyllis Bengtson a
chicken on a recent
field trip to an area
farm.
T
he Care Center recognizes that adjustments to a
new living situation or changes in one’s physical
or mental health can be stressful for both residents and
their support networks. It can be frustrating and often
generates questions. Sometimes it is helpful to share our
feelings or concerns with others who have been through
the same experience.
Carol Ann Hesch
enjoyed a recent
pet visit.
CRMC’s Family Support Meeting/Family Council
Group is made up of family and friends who wish to
be available to help others. Meetings include long-term
care educational topics and an opportunity to openly
share experiences. Refreshments and snacks are provided
at each meeting.
Anyone interested in attending is welcome to attend
meetings which are generally held at 4 p.m. on the third
Tuesday of each month. For more information or to
RSVP, please contact Sarah Fort Kramer at 763-2422628 or [email protected].
Lake trip
Care Center Residents will be participating and
enjoying the free fishing and boating activities
that the Let’s Go Fishing Chapter provides for the
Brainerd Lakes Area. They are dedicated to enriching
the lives of individuals and to create memories for
our residents. Care Center residents will be enjoying
trips throughout the summer on Rice Lake and Bay
Lake where they have the option of fishing or just
enjoying the boat ride.
Resident Ethel Satre, who we believe is the second
oldest Minnesotan, will celebrate her 108th birthday
on June 28. Everyone is invited to help her celebrate at
a party Saturday, July 2, from 2-4 p.m. in the Activity
Room. Asked about her secret to such a long life,
Ethel says, “I never met a tree tall enough or a horse
fast enough,” referring to her years of hard work and
consistent positive attitude.