Gloucester County Improvement Authority
Fall 2005 Volume 1, Issue 2
Shady Lane Times Inside this issue:
Infection Control
Ribbon Cut For New Shady Lane
2
Childcare Program
2
Freeholder Director’s Message
2
Recreation
3
Food Service
3
Employee Profile
3
Administrator’s Message
4
The new building is officially opened!
With the Freeholders, GCIA Commissioners, Shady Lane Advisory Board, staff and residents’ family members present, the curtain went up as the ribbon was cut for the new Shady Lane facility. Freeholder Director Steve Sweeney presided over a ceremony that marked the beginning of a new era at the Shady Lane complex. The project is a key component of the Freeholders’ vision in the design and construction of quality facilities that would serve not only residents and children, but as centers of communities.
In January 1959: The facility was called the Gloucester County Institution and residents were referred to as “inmates.”
The state-of-the-art, 55,000 square foot facility, will serve as the county’s nursing home and daycare center. The new 60 bed nursing home will have 10 private rooms and 25 double rooms. Each will have its own shower and bathroom. The new facility is certainly an improvement over the old facility. The original facility dates back to 1861, but relatively more modern construction
Income for the month was $1,877.90 and expenses were $$3,274.17 (even then the facility was running at a deficit). Payroll for the employees totaled $4,666.94, which includes $90.00 paid to the “inmates.”
The CWA TRIANGLE The triangle symbolizes the three major programs of the union. None can stand alone. If the triangle is broken on any side, sooner or later it will be broken on every side. Representation, day-to-day contract administration and collective bargaining, is the base of the triangle. Yet the other two sides - organizing and com-
munity and political action are just as critical to our strength. Unless we build our union through effective organizing inside existing bargaining units, and by organizing unorganized workers and adding new units, we will continue to be disappointed at the bargaining table. Similarly, unless
we have effective community and political action programs, we will not have the kind of popular and legislative support we need to bargain effectively. Know too that negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement at Shady Lane will be underway in the next few weeks.
of extensions were built in 1955 and 1961. The new facility was conceptualized to incorporate community design features so that county residents could also utilize this great new complex. The Gloucester County community will be able to use the outdoor amphitheatre on the grounds and a 3 1/2 mile walking trail that is currently being developed behind the facility. The facility also is home to the Shady Lane Child Development Center. Licensed by the state, it currently serves 44 children up to 4 years of age, as well as 6 infants. The facility is open from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm and features a comprehensive educational curriculum and certified teachers. It is envisioned that there will be intergenerational programs that will have children from the daycare center interacting with residents of the long term care nursing home. The Freeholders’ goal has been to make Shady Lane not only the number one nursing home in the county, but expand upon the good work done here. The goal has become a reality, underscoring the importance of leveraging every opportunity the county has to not only spur job growth, but while also providing vital services to residents.
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Shady Lane Times
Infection Control This flu season might be one of the worst in many years. Several prescriptions of antiviral medications are recommended but diagnosing the flu Tilly Scarle during a trip requires testing. Knowing the to the beauty parlor. symptoms will help in seeking treatment. The common cold is not caused by colder weather. The reason cold and flu cases are more apparent in the colder months is because viruses thrive better in colder
Volume 1, Issue 2
whether. It would be wise to take a flu shot and begin taking supplements that help boost the immune system in the colder months such as : Beta Glucan enhances the immune system, Vitamin C - fights cold viruses, Zinc - boosts the immune system, Colloids - useful for eliminating bacteria, fungal infections, and viral infections, Echinacea and Goldenseal - when used in combination, they can boost the immune system and keep cold/ flu viruses from multiplying, Elderberry - recommended for upper respiratory infections and
headaches that are associated with colds and flu, Spirulina - a good source of carotenoids which may be helpful for healing inflamed mucous membranes as well as strengthening the immune system. These products are a recommendation and as you all know before taking any over the counter medication you must speak to your primary care physician before taking them. Remember you must take care of yourself first. Keep on washing those hands - it's the number one way to prevent infection!!! (See Cold & Flu compared on P.3)
Childcare Program Underway Childcare’s nursery
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison
The entire staff at the Shady Lane Child Development Center would like to thank all of the employees at Shady Lane Nursing Home for their time and efforts in helping make the center a success. Every staff member should take pride in knowing that they have helped put a smile on a child’s face. Food service has been wonderful in providing us with fun and healthy meals, ensuring that all of our children receive the proper nutrients that will keep them growing strong! Housekeeping has kept the center in excellent shape! As most of you know cleaning an area with one child is a task in itself,
let alone thirty children all armed with various arts and craft tools and the occasional spaghetti lunch. Maintenance deserves a special thank you for hanging up all of our beautiful decorations, mirrors, and tack boards, in addition to putting things together, and making sure all of our doors work (and are secure). All of the nurses have been tremendous, serving as a constant source of information, on call 24/7 (as most nurses usually are), dispensing all of our medication and, providing all of our staff with their necessary shots. Thanks for your generous sup-
Recreation With Summer unfortunately behind us, a Fall program for Therapeutic Recreation begins. We had some great trips to the shore and zoo and even took in some baseball. For the Fall, our annual Haunted House will take place on Halloween. October 31st falls on a Monday this year and we want you to come dressed to impress. For Thanksgiving, we are planning to have our annual family luncheon. When the date and details are finalized, that information will be disseminated along with contact information.
A Message From Freeholder Director Steve Sweeney
Freeholder Director Stephen M. Sweeney
My colleagues and I are very proud of the new complex and are pleased to celebrate the continued and expanded tradition of Shady Lane. Generations of families will pass through the doors of a modern facility that will serve our elderly and our youngest residents by providing them with the care and respect that they need
and deserve. The public support behind this nursing home was enormous, but unfortunately so was the amount of funding that the county would have had to come up with to run the home. We knew that if the GCIA could operate Shady Lane, they could come up with a way to make it better for everyone. That certainly has
been the case thanks to the hard work, day in and day out, of all the employees. The Freeholders also recognized that the old building created very difficult situations for staff to deliver care and for our residents to have any privacy. Therefore, the new building was designed to offer our residents and staff modern medical and educational efficiency.
Shady Lane Times
Volume 1, Issue 2
Food Service Notes
Foods Home Food Safety… It’s in Your Hands™ program. In recognition of September National Food Safety Education Month, ADA remind tailgaters to follow these hot-offthe-grill food safety tips:
For many Americans, “fall football” means just one thing – tailgating! But before you fire up the grill for your pregame gathering, keep in mind that fun and successful grilling all come down to your personal grilling style and proper food safety.
1. Defrosting Start your meal off right by thawing meats properly: in a refrigerator set below 40º F, in a microwave on the “defrost” setting or under cold water in the kitchen sink. Make sure meat is in airtight packaging and the water is changed every 30 minutes to keep it cold.
A new survey on grilling was conducted by the American Dietetic Association/ConAgra Foods Home Food Safety of . As the fun and flavors heat up, so does the risk of food borne illnesses,” says registered dietitian Jackie Newgent, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association/ConAgra
Symptoms Fever Headache
Use a meat thermometer to ensure that food is thoroughly cooked to guarantee both taste and safety. Hamburgers should reach an internal temperature of 160º F; chicken breasts, 170º F. 3. Marinate in the fridge
4. Cleanliness
- 102’F or more
- less than 100’F
- lasts 3 to 4 days
5. 2-Hour Rule
- rare
-sudden & severe -sudden & severe
Runny Nose, Sneezing & Sore Throat - often
- maybe
Nausea & - rare
- often
Always happy Margaret Macklin
Bust barbecue bacteria by marinating meat in the refrigerator, never on the counter or outside by the grill, and by boiling leftover marinades before reusing them on cooked foods.
- rare in adults
Flu
Cold
Muscle aches - mild
Vomiting
2. Cooked Through
Keep it clean by washing cutting boards and utensils in hot, soapy water between uses. Or use color-coded sets to keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. And always, always wash your hands!
Is it the flu or a common cold?
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A learning space at childcare
Remember the “two-hour rule” and make sure perishable foods do not sit out of refrigeration for more than two hours (one hour in temperatures of 90º F or higher). For more tailgating tips – and to discover your grilling “personality” – visit www.homefoodsafety.org.
Hold a true friend with both hands. Nigerian Proverb
Employee Profile For this edition of the Shady Lane Times, we’d like to highlight Recreational Therapy worker Diane Phillips. Diane began working at Shady Lane way back during the first Reagan administration, in 1982. She worked as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant until switching to Therapeutic Recreation
about a year ago. Diane is a graduate of Paulsboro High School and currently lives in West Deptford. She has 5 children, many grandchildren and even 1 great-grandchild. You might even consider her dog, a mini Doberman, her 6th child.
“The entire Therapeutic Recreation Department loves Diane and she has become such a good friend to all of us,” says her supervisor Regina Zimmaro. We thank Diane for her continued efforts and invite you to do the same!
Viva Diane!
Gloucester County Times
Gloucester County Improvement Authority
Tuesday, September 20, 2005—Page A6
“New Shady Lane a Solid Safety Net”
Shady Lane Home 254 County House Road Clarksboro, NJ 08020
“Hurricane Katrina showed us what can happen when forgotten populations are abandoned. In New Orleans, it was people who were too poor to leave. In Gloucester County, it could have been our sickest residents with few resources for nursing-home care. In 1999, county-run Shady Lane Nursing Home was hemorrhaging money. The aging building’s physical limitations earned it demerit after demerit from the state. Population had declined to where barely half the 121 beds were filled.
Phone: 856-423-0020 Fax: 856-423-3634 Email:
[email protected]
Early in 2000, management was shifted to a private contractor who was supposed to run Shady Lane more efficiently. But the quality of care became as problematic as the surroundings. The county began running Shady Lane again, months before the contract was supposed to end. In early 2002 came the bombshell: A “blue ribbon panel” put together by the county freeholders recommended closing Shady Lane, saying its patients could be absorbed by local private nursing homes. The community clearly did not want that. Employees, residents’ relatives and many others made their feelings known at freeholder meetings and in scores of Times letters. The “new” Shady Lane that opened in Clarksboro last week is a testament to that public discourse and to a freeholder board that was willing to switch gears when it heard that citizens wanted the county to keep providing the home’s services.
We’re on the web! Visit us at: www.gcianj.com/shady_main.htm
The result was the smaller, brighter, all-new Shady Lane that opened officially last week. It was not accomplished easily. There was a rough transition, especially for employees, after the 2002 freeholder board voted to keep Shady Lane open – but to scale it down and “outsource” it to a county agency, the Gloucester County Improvement Authority. Plans to rebuild at the Clarksboro site in 2003 were announced at just over $3 million. The facility has since grown a day care center and a total price of $11.6 million. This is somewhat troubling mainly because the Gloucester County administration has a habit of understating initial cost estimates for public buildings. At the same time, the Shady Lane project has not pushed the county irresponsibly into debt. And operating deficits there are no longer a major county budget issue. Most important, state audits of Shady Lane’s care have constantly improved. The spacious new surroundings should prompt even higher marks.
An open house gave the public an opportunity to see our new state of the art facility without disruption to our residents.
From the Administrator’s Desk Why are we here? If you are anything like me this question comes up frequently. Some might quickly answer, “for a paycheck”, or “because I need a job.” While both of these answers are true, I believe that we are here as part of a greater purpose. I believe that we have been placed here to assist the residents and their families in the celebration of their lives, and to assist our residents in
The new Shady Lane Home is the culmination of a county that decided to care, and not to abandon its weakest, its poorest and its sickest. The entire county can be proud of it.” dying well. We celebrate their lives every time we take the opportunity to stop and listen to someone reminisce of times past. We celebrate their lives when we offer a sip of water, or assistance to the bathroom. We celebrate their lives when we hang someone’s favorite picture. We celebrate their lives when we empty their trash or when we provide a favorite activity. Dying well? That is an obscure thought. What does it mean, and how do we assist a resident and family through the process.? First, we need to under-
stand that participating in someone’s death is a privilegea privilege that most people never see or get to experience. Assisting someone to die well means to provide an atmosphere that is tranquil, includes comfort measures, and to be surrounded by people who care. So what is our purpose? I believe we are here to assist in reshaping how nursing homes in Gloucester County deliver end of life care to their residents and their loved one’s. What a privilege it is to be part of change that will have a positive impact on those that we serve. As we move forward,
Residents enjoying each other’s company on a sunny, summer day. introducing hospice services into our facility please be patient. And please share your thoughts and ideas with us. We really can be the change that we want to see in the world.
