Anetta Rasch AMC Auxiliary for Low Bed at SNF
701.288.3433 612 Center Ave N March/April 2017
Thank you to the following friends and families of AMC for the donations and memorials made in honor of loved ones!
Memorials in Honor of Donations
Anetta Rasch AMC Auxiliary for low bed at SNF
Dorene Rueb January Thursday Jeans Day-Employees
Lowell “Bud” Overbo Pat & Gwen Finnegan
Shirley Bertsch Jeff & Angelia Finnegan
Albert Martel Mark Vossler
Celia VanderVorste Joan Froh
Cyrus Ulrich Kenneth & Marcia Retzer
Leslie Jo Barnes December Jeans Day-Employees
Martha Heinrich
Alvin Hoffman
Amelia Knoepfle
Hubert Sang
Thank you to all who donate to Ashley Medical Center!
Remember to utilize Amazon Smiles and contribute to AMC. Your contributions help us to serve the public to our best ability!
~Mary Lehr, Rhonda Piatz, Sue Goettle & Marisa Meidinger~
As winter turns to spring and the days grow longer, it’s the perfect time to consider how you can lead a healthier lifestyle. But we don’t all have the time, energy or desire to commit to running a marathon or climbing mountains.
Here are 10 simple health tips from legal healthcare specialists for spring that almost anyone could choose to adopt:
1. Rise early- As sunrise gets earlier, hauling yourself out of bed early and getting outside can help boost your level of Vitamin D, most of which we get from sunlight on our skin. Vitamin D helps to keep bones and teeth healthy and a lack of it can lead to rickets in children and increased risk of bone problems and fractures in older adults. Groups at risk of not getting enough Vitamin D include pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under the age of 5 and people aged 65 and over.
2. Walk every day- Walk the children to school, make part of your journey to work by foot or go for a stroll in your lunch hour. Regular walking helps reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers. It helps people lose weight and feel less stressed-and of course, it’s free. Once spring arrives, there’s really no excuse not to walk. The NHS Choices website recommends trying to walk 10,000 steps a day to burn up to 400 calories and says most of us walk up to 4,000 steps a day anyway.
3. Take up Yoga- Some studies have suggested yoga can do more to improve lower back pain than conventional treatments. It can also relieve the pain and psychological distress suffered by patients with arthritis and may cut their risk of depression, according to a recent US review. Classes for all levels, including complete beginners, are now widely available at yoga schools. More confident practitioners may choose to perform their routine alone or in a small group in a park.
4. Get Gardening- Mowing the lawn, raking leaves and planting bulbs all count towards your recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical exercise. The benefits of gardening in keeping the heart healthy have been recognized by the British Heart Foundation. Sire Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, has said doctors should “prescribe a course of gardening for people who come to them with depression or stroke.”
5. Eat Seasonal Produce- Some of the healthiest vegetables come into season in spring. Asparagus is high in protein, low in calories and a rich source of various vitamins. It contains high levels of potassium, which may help to control blood pressure. At least one study has suggested it could also help to control blood sugar levels and fight type 2 diabetes. Spinach is rich in iron, which is key to helping red blood cells transport oxygen around the body. It is a good source of many vitamins, including Vitamin K, which can help maintain bone and cartilage. A lack of Vitamin K has been linked to osteoarthritis.
6. Wear Sunglasses or a Wide-Brimmed Hat- Many of us may soon be reaching for such accessories to make a fashion statement. But doctors also advise doing so on sunny days to protect your eyes. UV rays can burn the eyes as well as the skin and skin cancer can affect the eyelids and area around the eyes. Long-term exposure to sunlight also increases the risk of a type of cataract and is linked to growths on the surface of the eye called pterygia. A wide-brimmed hat can reduce the amount of UV rays that reach your face and eyes. Good sunglasses should have the CE Mark, a UV 400 label or state that they offer 100pc UV protection.
7. Try Swimming- A perfect choice for those wanting to get in shape but put off by the idea of sweating buckets in a gym or out running. Swimming strengthens the cardiovascular system, as well as improving joint flexibility and strengthening muscles. It can also play an important role in recovering from operations ranging from breast to knee surgery, although it may not be recommended in the early stages and a doctor should be consulted first. Swimming can also boost mood and help control weight.
8. Or Cycling- A low-impact exercise that can be done in the gym, in a spin class, out in the country or just on the way to work or the shops. Regular cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers your resting pulse and improves your lungs and circulation, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, high blood pressure and heart attacks. One US study of 18,000 women over 16 years found that riding a bike for just 5 minutes a day protects again weight gain. It also helps tone muscles, especially the calves, thighs and buttocks.
9. Boost Your Brain- Use the new season to assess your diet and ensure you are getting enough of the right foods to aid brain and cognitive functions. Top “smart foods” include blueberries for antioxidants and vitamin C, blackcurrants for vitamin C, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardine for omega-3 fatty acids, nuts and seeds for vitamin E and wholegrain foods such as brown pasta and granary bread to give the brain a steady supply of energy through slow glucose release. Finally, don’t overlook water. Dehydration can shrink brain tissues and damage concentration.
10. Self-Management of Joint Pain- If you have joint pain or arthritis, staying active can stop symptoms worsening and help protect against osteoporosis by keeping joints moving and ensuring muscles around the area remain strong. But self-management also means balancing rest with activity and not overdoing it. Exercising in the morning and warm bath or hot water bottles can reduce stiffness, while ice packs can reduce any swelling. Breathing exercise, mediation, acupuncture and massage may all have a role to play.
Activity Avenue
Lent starts on March 1st. We will have Pastor Schauer do Ash Wednesday services and communion. Marvel will be here to do perms/haircuts as needed every Monday.
A special highlight will be St. Patrick’s Day when we will have a band and are making home-made ice cream. One has to be aware of the weather, as this has been a hard winter. We are still having Bingo twice weekly through April.
Every Wednesday we make German dough food with the residents. Ministers in March are Pastor Fetterhof, Pastor Cataldo from Lehr, Pastor Dale Burling and Pastor Susan Anderson on March 24th. Pastor Cody Schwichtenburg will be here on the 31st.
The residents and staff are looking forward to spring. We may start Senior Olympic practice in March.
In April we are going to have an Easter Cantata with Pastor Fetterhof in charge on the 7th at 2:30. We are going to make strudels for cooking group. We will be having Happy Hour April 6th. Birthdays for April are Joan Rau, Wolla Sayler, Annetta Heinrich, Monte Bertsch and Alma Kappes. April 27th is our volunteer luncheon for all of our special and dedicated people that so willingly help. Thank you!
We are dying Easter eggs April 13th. Betty & Delores are doing exercises with the residents on the 17th. We are trying to keep our residents from getting cold symptoms and influenza so if you have any of these symptoms we strongly suggest putting a hold on your visits until you are better.
-Shirley Thurn, Activity Director-
Dear Family & Friends,
We had our Medicare/Medicaid survey on January 12-15th. Everything was fairly typical with recommendations and we did end up getting a few deficiencies. This means that we are out of regulatory compliance, until we fix what it is they found deficient. Up to this point we have made the corrections and provided the staff with education. Next steps are the State accepts our corrections and we are back in compliance. It is all a yearly process we have to go through.
Spring is upon us, and a good time to assist the residents on their spring cleaning. We don’t have a lot of extra storage space and the closets are only so big. You would be doing us a huge favor if time to time, the closets are gone through. Also as a reminder, if new clothes are brought in, they need to be inventoried and marked with the resident name. We have a new label maker and the laundry staff has been doing an excellent job with marking of the clothes…no more sharpies!
Staffing is always a concern here at SNF, but lately we have not had a lot of travel/temp staff. It is a cost saving for us not to use this help, and also easier on the residents. We know that this is a source of concern for them and we understand. If there is ever a concern with a travel/temp staff (or even one of our own staff), please be sure to report the concern to one of the supervisory staff. We want the best for our residents. You can reach me at 701-288-5256.
I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all the employees at the SNF. Please know that your kindness, compassion and positive attitudes are greatly appreciated and your effort does not go unnoticed.
You all have a Happy Spring!
Jackie Klipfel, RN-BSN, DON
With regret and warm regards we announce the retirement of Nina Klein, FNP-C from Ashley Medical Center. Nina has been a mainstay of our facility for the past thirty-plus years and as a provider for the past ten years. She has been a great teacher, motivator and friend to many. She will be greatly missed. We would like to wish her Godspeed and much enjoyment in her retirement!
Tara Brandner, DNP, FNP-C with Ashley Medical Center recently welcomed Elizabeth Hodney, DNP-S from the NDSU Doctor of Nursing Program. All of ND advanced practice programs require their students to receive a certain amount of hours spent in a rural health facility.
Ashley Medical Center providers Tara Brandner and Lori Bichler are signed up with ND Center for Nursing to be part of their APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) Preceptor Program. The roles and responsibilities of the nurse preceptor are evolving in a manner that shine a light on how important these knowledge, skills, and abilities are for the future of nurse practitioners. Part of the NP’s professional responsibility is to guide and nurture the next generation of advanced practice nurses.
North Dakota is currently experiencing a shortage of primary care providers with much of the state classified as Primary Care Health Professional Shortage areas. The shortage is projected to continue especially with increased utilization of medical services with the Affordable Care Act and our aging population. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses provide critical services to patients across all of North Dakota. At times the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is the only provider available in rural areas.
Education programs are working to increase student exposure to rural healthcare, but preceptors are not available to facilitate this. By encouraging preceptors to serve for these in-state programs that it will strengthen our in-state programs and strengthen North Dakota overall. It has been demonstrated that students that complete clinical placements in rural areas are more likely to stay and work in rural areas.
AMC Clinic staff would like to extend a huge thank you to the hospital auxiliary and Milbert and LaVilla Dollinger for their contribution so that we could purchase another high-low exam table. We now have two of these tables.
The Brewer Access High-Low Exam table has a wide variety of position by using a foot control which creates a safe and convenient patient positioning for use in the exam room. The table height can be adjusted from 18 inches to 37 inches. The backrest can be adjusted from a flat lying down position to an upright angle for seating.
The ability to have a table that is designed to provide an 18-inch profile in the seated position has allowed level transfer from standard wheelchair heights, complete with upright seat back and safety grab bars to simplify safe and reliable patient transfers. This has been a great benefit for our elderly patients.
-Corrine Lepp, Clinic Manager-